Opinion: Removal of Indian only lessens representation

To the editor: 

Our symbol of Dartmouth has stood the test of time for decades, but now, bad faith actors, working under the guise of a false sense of moral righteousness, seek to strip not only Dartmouth's identity, but even the people it is meant to represent.

They claim to remove it on good terms, or so they say, because they know better than a citizen who was raised in Dartmouth, and are proud to say they are from Dartmouth. Not only at the behest of the people of our town, but even the tribe(s) of which our symbol represents.

Even now, with one of the most controversial issues facing our town, the voices of the people, those unheard and misrepresented, are being neglected. In the end, many of us know well that the citizens of our town will not have the final word, and neither will Native Americans who feel their representation is worth fighting for. This issue will forever be remembered as the decision of who controls the fate of the town. Do the people make the decisions, or do those in power change our town forever?

The people of Dartmouth don’t want their mascot stripped from them. Neither do many members of our local tribes. They will not have their pride and strength replaced with a faux symbol.

Is it time for a fair examination of Dartmouth’s portrayal of the Native American? Yes. But incessant calls for removal of our towns figurehead have forsaken the will of the people. 

Aiden Mello, 

Dartmouth High