NATICK REDMEN - ENOUGH ALREADY!

“For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.” (Romans 14:7)

A few days ago, there was a story on the front page of the MetroWest Daily News telling of Natick’s “Redmen Forever” group (or WHATEVER it’s called) and their latest plans to keep the “Redmen” name for the Natick sports teams.  Apparently the group is pushing for a vote at the Natick Town Meeting rather than a general ballot referendum.  

All I can say is, “Are they KIDDING?!”

There’s a lesson that Jerry Williams, the late great Boston radio talk show host, modeled for his listeners that the “Natick Redmen” proponents need to learn.  The lesson is that when it’s over it’s over.  Find another cause to get behind.  Jerry Williams was outspoken and highly opinionated in his opposition to the original Massachusetts seat belt law, which I believe went into effect sometime in the mid-1980s.  Williams and several others worked tirelessly to gather signatures to place the question of whether the seat belt law should be repealed on the ballot.  The anti-seat belt forces won, and the seat belt law was repealed.  Unfortunately for Jerry Williams, the left-wing totalitarian forces at the State House were not going to “go gentle into that good night”.  A few years later, the legislators passed ANOTHER seat belt law!  Williams vowed that once again he and his friends would get this issue put on the ballot and the law would be repealed, just as the previous law had been.  The question was AGAIN placed on the ballot.  I was one of those who voted to repeal the seat belt law, but THIS time, to the surprise of a lot of people, Jerry Williams and the anti-seat belt law folks lost badly!  After the passing of just a few years, public opinion had greatly changed.  The newest cars were coming through with easy to fasten combination lap and shoulder belts, and wearing them was pretty much becoming standard operating procedure.

The day after Jerry and his forces had lost, one zealot called Jerry’s show.  The caller was ecstatic about ANOTHER PLAN he was proposing to repeal the seat belt law.  Jerry would not have any part of it.  Bluntly, Jerry Williams told the caller,  “Look, it went on the ballot and we lost and that’s where it stands.  That’s the end of the matter.”  Jerry knew there were other issues to raise, other battles to fight and to win.  Jerry Williams disagreed with the verdict of the voters, but he was smart enough and mature enough to just close the door on the matter.

I realize someone from outside the Boston area may be reading this and have no idea what I’m writing about.  The name of the school sports teams in the Boston suburb of Natick is the “Natick Redmen”.  An image of a Native American as a logo is associated with the moniker.  The origins of “Natick Redmen” are not entirely clear.  Natick was founded in the colonial era by missionary John Elliot who Christianized the Indians of Natick.  They became known as the “Praying Indians of Natick”.  To this day, there’s a Boston area group known as the “Praying Indians” who trace their origins to John Elliot and the old Natick Christian Indian community.  Many of Natick’s citizens say the name “Redmen” has nothing to do with Indians or Native Americans.  It seems years ago, the sports teams of Natick dressed in the color red and were ultimately dubbed the “Redmen”.  The Indian logo came much later.  

A number of people of Native American heritage and a number of (what I’d call) liberal do-gooders have been rallying for at least a year to change the Redmen name and logo.  Many proponents of the name “Redmen” including a number of pretty fiery conservatives have been incensed that anyone would want to change the name. In the name of fighting political correctness, the proponents have essentially adopted a posture that they’ll fight to the death to retain the Redmen name.

My understanding is that the Natick School Committee and Selectmen have made the decision that the Redmen name is history and that the Town needs to come up with a new name and logo.  I can see both sides of the “Redmen issue”.  I think both sides have made some valid arguments.  Were I making the final decision, I would have made it to leave the name “Redmen” in place.

But the decision HAS BEEN MADE, and it has been made stating the “Redmen” name must go.  For good or for ill, the politically correct forces have won.  The name will be changed.  Learn a lesson from Jerry Williams.  Take your loss like a man...or like a woman...or whatever!  GET OVER IT!  There are other issues to champion!  There are other battles to fight and win!  

ENOUGH ALREADY!