The Turners Falls mascot issue has become a huge lesson in hypocrisy. Pro-mascot folks are telling indigenous people how we should be feeling, yet when we make our actual feelings known, we are vilified and attacked.
While individuals claim we are not the real Indians, and people of distant heritage claim they have a say in the situation when they have no connection to culture whatsoever, we are expected to remain silent and stoic — much like the caricature appearing on their T-shirts.
There is no denying that the mascot breeds ignorance, stereotyping and, yes folks, racism. It’s a hard pill to swallow but it’s something that needs to be owned. Your community has a significant problem and it’s on you to fix it. You can start the process by eliminating the mascot. It needs to be more than that, however. Town-wide cultural sensitivity training needs to occur and students need to be educated on why this is offensive.
This is not about being “PC,” it is about being respectful.
Sky Davis
Plainfield