Whitesboro seal Called Out On The Daily Show
The Village of Whitesboro, N.Y. has succumbed to public pressure and announced that, despite a recent vote of support, it will do away with a town seal many view as racist and offensive.
At the end of a bit that ran on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah at 11 p.m. last night, January 22, it was announced that village officials with the descendants of Hugh White will be getting together with the Oneida Indian Nation to create a seal that everyone can agree on.
Whitesboro seal Called Out On The Daily Show
The voting of the towns seal was shown, along with interviews with the mayor, the village clerk, an American Indian activist, and local residents.
Patrick O’Connor admitted last week that Whitesboro used Comedy Central’s art department to create some of the seal options.
Tonight, @msjwilly heads to Whitesboro, the town whose seal needs to look a little less "Whitesboro." pic.twitter.com/nF0V4WPzOx
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) January 22, 2016
During the skit, Mayor O’Connor explain that village’s opinion on the seal: “The seal is absolutely not offensive. The seal depicts our founder – Hugh white. Hugh White is invited to engage to a friendly wrestling match. The goal of the match was to push the opponent off balance. The seal is based on historical events that fostered a good relationship between our founder and the American Indians.
In 1977 the seal was changed to move the hands away from the neck area down to the shoulders.
There has been no confirmation yet that the seal will be changed from Whitesboro officials.
“We will be following up with town officials later today; stay with WKTV for the latest updates.
Ray Halbritter, a representative of the Oneida Indian Nation, applauded Friday’s decision to create a new seal that will better reflect the community’s core values.
In this photo taken July 16, 2015, a welcome sign on the village green, Whitesboro, N.Y., displays the village seal. Whitesboro will let voters decide whether to keep the longtime village seal that has been called offensive to Native Americans. (Observer-Dispatch via AP) ROME OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT
“We are happy to work with anyone who wants to make sure the symbols they are promoting are honoring and respecting all people,” he said in a statement. “This is but one of many important examples of communities taking welcome steps to be inclusive and promote our region’s commitment to civility.”
Attempts to reach Whitesboro officials for comment Friday were unsuccessful.
Actually, there’s another way to look at this seal from a realist standpoint… I mean, it’s deadly honest isn’t it?! With out any words the seal conveys the fact that the white Europeans came & strangled the land away from the Natives… at least they’re telling the truth & in the end you know NOT to turn down the road leading to Whitesboro because who wants to visit a town that’s proud of that seal?!
I’ll visit the place BECAUSE of the seal. To hell with this cry-baby, gutless homogenized society that so much of this country has become. If we keep erasing history then the
liberals and whiners will be satisfied that it never happened?
Erasing history? Who is erasing history “Drawtheline” ? Native People have told the truth about the non-Native Peoples coming and taking whatever they wanted. Did you know that George Washington made treaties with Native Peoples because he didn’t want any more wars with anyone after the war with the British for liberation of the US? He made those treaties in the best interest of the U.S., and then subsequent non-Natives and Presidents went back on their word – which the US has done time and again.
The two “forms” are struggling. The colonist has his hands on the Native American’s shoulder, not neck. In fact, both of them have their hands on the other’s shoulders. What it depicts is that the colonist is winning the struggle…which, if you look at history, they did. There is nothing RACIST here – only the history at the time depicted in a picture and emblem.
My solution: Change the emblem to match parts of your state flag. That will shut everyone up…at least until they deem your state flag as RACIST – but that is another discussion. In fact, just make it a rainbow-colored smiley face and drive-on with life!
Ron, in the 1970’s or 1990’s the seal was changed from Non-Native strangling the Native to both their hands on each others shoulders – so what it depicts is the actual conquering of the White over the Native, no matter how you slice it. This history repeats its self time and again throughout the years and continues even today.
Go figure – read your history – the real history of the US
It looks very offensive! I am a victim of domestic violence and why would a seal like this be EVER allowed? Be it done in older times to now times! YES! CHANGE the SEAL ASAP! Thank You!
anyone who thinks this is not offensive has a real problem. I am opposed to many recent whining about made up racism (oscars) but this… this is right there, plan and simple. “whitesboro” look at this picture of a white dude beating up a Indian….
2010 Census…
The racial makeup of the village was 97.69% White, 0.53% African American, 0.03% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.53% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.47% of the population.
Little known Fact about Whitesboro:
The Whitesboro seal, originating in the early 1900s, displays founder Hugh White wrestling an Oneida Native American. The seal has been controversial because it has been interpreted as a settler choking the Native American; according to city officials, it depicts a friendly wrestling match that White won, gaining the respect of the Oneida. The current version of the seal was created in 1970, after a lawsuit by a Native American group: the version used before the suit showed the settler’s hands on the Native American’s neck instead of his shoulders.The seal attracted more controversy in 2016 when village residents voted 157 to 55 to keep the seal as-is rather than explore alternative images.
TO DRAW THE LINE AND RON – your unloving and racist values is what keeps this GREAT COUNTRY from advancing. I’m saying that most everyone understands the colonization of Native Americans by the non-Natives. But your racist views clearly demonstrate a severe self dislike, to the point that you obviously must revel in such racist crude to make yourself feel better. Please understand that Native Peoples and Indigenous everywhere have and still suffer at the hands of the Non-Natives. So fear not – your self righteous, self loathing is alive and well. Prayer and love to you both.
Not a fan of all this historical (and hysterical) revisionism, by the usual suspects.
BUT in this case purely from the standpoint of graphic artist, I have to say the drawing is amateurish and just really bad.