It’s been a while since my last Mikey Monday. Mikey Monday is a periodic feature about Mike Porcaro. Porcaro hosts a radio show on KENI and is the owner of Porcaro Communications. He routinely uses his show to support his clients or attack those who don’t give him business. He thinks he’s a really big deal. A legend in his own mind if you will. You might see him driving around in his $100,000 Mercedes. He’s also the kind of person who can dish it out but can’t take it. A real snowflake.
He also has an internet publication, the Anchorage Daily Planet. I guess he thinks he’s Superman. It is a division of Porcaro Communications. According to their website they are, “Dedicated to providing fair, accurate and timely news and commentary to its readers.” Just like Fox News!
A Truly Bizarre Letter
Some people are really proud of their heritage. Mike Porcaro is no exception. He is extremely proud of his Italian heritage and does not hide it. After all, he is from New York City. But Mike’s pride for everything Italian went a bit far when it comes to Christopher Columbus.
Flashback to 2017. Remember when former Governor Bill Walker declared Indigenous Peoples Day, replacing Columbus Day? Well if you forgot you are in for a real treat.
In a letter obtained by the Alaska Landmine through a public records request, from Mike Porcaro to then Governor Bill Walker, Porcaro gets real loose when it comes to Columbus. You have to read this to believe it.
He starts off by sarcastically thanking Governor Walker on declaring a day for Alaska’s Native people. It gets real good from there. In the first paragraph he refers to Columbus as the “European discoverer of the New World.” Ok, Mike. Ever heard of Leif Erikson? Mike, you know Columbus was lost, right?
He then goes into a strange rant about how “leftists” are behind the vilifying of Columbus. Mike, do you know that Columbus was basically an historical afterthought until Italian Americans began lobbying for a holiday for him in the early 20th century? Columbus day was not a thing until 1937 – over 400 years after he died and more than 150 years after the United States became a country.
Mikey really likes Columbus. He’s just a misunderstood guy, right? Except that’s just not true. A 48-page report on Columbus was discovered in 2006. It was the result of an investigation of him by the Spanish after multiple claims of incompetence and brutality. This article touches on it, “Why Some Italian-Americans Still Fiercely Defend Columbus Day.”
Columbus was extremely brutal. He routinely ordered the killing of Natives, maiming and selling people convicted of petty crimes into slavery, and far worse. The best part is when Mikey said Columbus was “relatively enlightened and benign.” Compared to who, Ivan the Terrible?
Then there is this. How do you think they took home those diseases, Mike? You think rape had anything to do with it? Then there is the cocaine addiction part. Legendary.
Now it’s time to bring it home. Mikey closes it out strong by saying Columbus was an “honorable man who ushered in the emigration that led to the founding of the United States.” Columbus never set foot on what is now the United States. And he did such a bad job as Governor of Hispaniola that he was removed by Ferdinand and Isabella for his incompetence and brutality. Super honorable.
Mike sure is a proud Italian. Maybe Mikey’s next letter will be one arguing for a Mussolini Day or a Lucky Luciano Day? They would be in good company with Columbus.
Hey, Jeff. From one who has the Rizzo’s and the Covino’s on his mother’s side I feel compelled to provide an additional perspective. I dream of a South America that speaks Italian. The Spanish, to their credit, took a chance on the Italian, and man, did it pay off. If only the Italians had supported their citizen, Columbus.
I think it would be interesting to get a set of calipers like ADF&G uses to measure bear skulls. We could measure Mikey’s and Jeff’s head. I’m betting Jeff’s head is every bit as much a trophy as Mikey’s!!