To my fellow citizens identifying as white, as could be expected, the proposal to examine keeping or changing the Turners Falls High School mascot, The Indians, is raising lots of feelings.
While I understand the loyalty and attachment to these kinds of traditions, I think it is important to examine what it means when someone tells us they find it offensive. Especially when people identified as Native American or First Nation are offended. If you have not seen or heard these comments, go to the petition in favor of changing the mascot and read what people who identify as Native American are writing. It is not up to us as white people to decide what is and isn’t offensive to the group being targeted. It is not as important that some of us find it offensive too, other than to be an ally and stand with those being hurt by the stereotyping and the use of a group of humans, in which we are not members, as a stereotype in a mascot.
What is important is that we listen to those who are being targeted by what they consider an offensive mascot and NOT discount the impact on them, and not invalidate their experienced by saying “… but we have always had that mascot … or it is a way of honoring them … or it is just a mascot and doesn’t mean anything against Indians.” Not for us non-Native identified to say. Someone suggested the Mighty Earl’s. What a lovely tribute to Earl McGraw, who was African-American. As reported in The Recorder, “Accolades are coming in for Earl McGraw, a longtime educator in the Franklin County area, who died on Wednesday from his battle with stage 3 lung cancer. Friends and community members took to social media to offer condolences and share memories of the Turners Falls High School assistant principal, who was well liked in the education community. He had previously worked at Franklin County Technical School and Amherst High School. McGraw was on leave from his new job at Turners Falls High School.”
Cate Woolner
Northfield