By Dave Dahl/Illinois Radio Network

SPRINGFIELD – A week from Monday, some of us will take the day off from work or school, and some of us will look for great deals on furniture and cars. It’s all in the name of someone whose heroism is not unanimously recognized.

Duane Malany, external vice president of the Student Government Association at University of Illinois Springfield, said society would be better off to observe an Indigenous People’s Day instead of Columbus Day.

“One student, who actually has an indigenous background, asked me what my thoughts were about publicizing the diversity on this campus,” said Malany, who is white. “When you actually come to this campus, we’re naturally and socially segregating ourselves among different ethnic backgrounds.”

Malany, who says he hopes the campus senate passes a resolution in favor of the switch by this time next year, says many see Columbus as a plunderer who exploited the Americas’ first citizens.