The ongoing battle between White America and Native America around symbols rages on. The latest is the seal of Whitesboro, N.Y.
Whitesboro is a village of about 3700 people in Oneida County, New York. According to the town site, Whitesboro was founded by Hugh White, who gained respect from the local Oneida tribe through a wrestling match. The seal is a depiction of this match.
First let’s start with the description on the village’s site. There’s a whole lot of whitewashing going on there. Dear Hugh is the hero, having to weigh “the lesser of two evils” – his personal pride or a reputation of cowardice – in deciding whether or not to accept the wrestling challenge. He accepted the challenge, and in a “fortunate trip, succeeded almost instantly in throwing” the challenger. Getting up, “the Indian…. muttered, ‘UGH, you good fellow too much.’”
Wait, what?! The “Indian” said “UGH”? Here we go.
Back to the seal controversy.
Proponents say the match was a friendly match and that it’s part of town history. For that reason, the village voted to keep it. They also site a quote in a local paper where an Oneida Nation representative said the seal was not offensive, however, they have not consulted with the Nation directly. (I am Wisconsin Oneida, and I reached out through a few social media networks to see if I could get an NY Oneida position on this, but I have yet to hear anything.)
Opponents say the seal is racist, as it looks like Hugh is choking his Native challenger. A Native activist posted an open letter to the village asking them to change it, and a change.org petition has been started. (By the way, the seal has already been changed twice, once in response to a lawsuit from Native Americans.)
What it comes down to is this… Symbols are representative of our beliefs and values. The residents of Whitesboro believe the seal represents the proud history of their town. And, it may. However, when our symbols become this divisive, we must reconsider the message we are sending. Surely, there are other things that the residents of Whitesboro are proud of that can be represented on the seal. Perhaps, just a picture of Hugh? The Erie Canal? The Quigley Furniture Company? Why must residents insist on a logo that was established less than 100 years ago and that causes such rancor?
Proponents cry that changing it is giving in to political correctness. This isn’t political correctness. It’s white privilege at its finest. The 97 percent White residents have chosen to depict a scene of a White man overcoming a local “Indian.” The White hero overcoming the savage. Manifest Destiny.
The seal needs to go.
