A Native American's View of Columbus Day

Lorrie Grant here ...

So Tell Me More is observing Columbus Day today. But we've still been busy, working hard to bring you relevant programming. And, boy, did we come up with a good one for you -- if we say so ourselves!

You've gotta check out our conversations with Wilma Mankiller and Ted Koppel. They offer two very different takes on matters of race.

The Mankiller interview shed light on Native Americans' sentiments about someone discovering a land already occupied and then overtaking those occupants in cruel ways.

Be sure and tell us what you think. Did America commit genocide?

The Koppel discussion previewed his documentary on race in America. He took a look at the last recorded lynching in the United States -- in 1981! You can see the whole thing tonight on Discovery Channel.

We're interested in your thoughts about this too. Has this country really progressed in terms of race (there is after all an African-American nominee for president on a major party ticket -- a first)? What do you make of a lynching as recent as 1981?

There's also this gem: What not to say to Latino co-workers. It's a discussion with Luke Visconti , co-founder of DiversityInc., and Daniel Guadelupe, a lawyer and partner at the New Jersey firm of Norris, McLaughlin & Marcus.

Remember, we want to know what you think.

And you should have known that there was just too much going on on the political front for host Michel Martin to hold back. Can I just tell you that the nasty tone of the presidential race seems to have plucked a nerve.

That's it for now. Have a wonderful Columbus Day -- after you've listened to the program...

Lorrie Grant

Tags: Latino | Native American | lynching | presidential election | race

3:09 PM ET | 10-12-2008 | permalink

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3:09 PM ET | 10-12-2008 | permalink