Town Of ‘Whitesboro’ Votes To Keep Seal Showing Founder Choke Native American

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 of... 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 MORE LESS
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Residents of a central New York village named Whitesboro voted Monday night to keep their town seal, which appears to show a white man choking a Native American.

Monday’s vote was non-binding, but 157 residents voted in favor of keeping the seal compared to the 55 who voted against keeping it, according to the Associated Press.

One voter, Scott Hastings, told local TV station WKTV that he just wanted the matter “settled.”

“Political correctness, who cares? This is our village, who cares what the world thinks? I want to see this settled today,” Hastings told the NBC affiliate. “Once and for all.”

The seal was developed in the early 1900s to illustrate a “friendly wrestling match between village founder Hugh White and an Oneida Indian,” according to the Associated Press. White’s victory won the “lasting respect” of the tribe, the AP reported.

This isn’t the first time the seal has come under fire. In 1977, according to the village’s website, a claim was filed against the seal saying it “demeans, disgraces and creates prejudice and distrust of Indian people.” The seal was redesigned to show the village founder’s hands on the Native American’s shoulders instead of his neck.

The AP reported that the results, while “informal,” would be discussed at a meeting on Tuesday night.

The U.S. Census Bureau data shows 99.5 percent of the residents of Whitesboro identified themselves as white, the New York Daily News reported.

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Notable Replies

  1. Avatar for dv01 dv01 says:

    In completely unrelated news, the Washington Redskins announced today that they have filed papers with the NFL to move to a small town in central New York.

  2. Avatar for estamm estamm says:

    I seem to recall that this design was originally intended to show the two engaged in a friendly wrestling match, which was some historical event in this area. Even if that were the case, it really needs to go.

  3. “Whitesboro”

    LOL…WTF…

  4. Avatar for mikev mikev says:

    Celebrating a heritage of genocide. Yay?

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