New York town votes to keep its official seal: A white man choking a Native American

Whitesboro, the Central New York town with the official seal that appears to be a white man choking a Native American, had long heard criticism that a seal appearing to be a white man choking a Native American was racist.

So, the town decided to hold an informal vote about whether to keep the seal that appears to be a white man choking a Native American. The results?

The town is choosing to stick with the seal that appears to be a white man choking a Native American.

Mayor Patrick O’Connor told Syracuse.com, “”It’s been a controversy for decades, so we decided to get the input of our local village residents. We wanted to get a feeling from them on what image they want to represent their history.”

The results: 212 votes, 157 in favor of the seal that appears to be a white man choking a Native American.

According to the town of Whitesboro’s website, the seal depicts an important moment in local history when Whitesboro founder Hugh White wrestled with his “red neighbors” and managed to defeat “an Oneida Indian of rather athletic form.” The moment allegedly brought the white community and Native community closer together, somehow.

The original seal looked like this:

Again, according to Whitesboro’s official website, the seal was redesigned to its present status in 1977, when someone complained to the Village Board that it appears to be a white man choking a Native American. It does not appear that the town will change symbols again.

Mayor O’Connor reportedly wasn’t surprised with the results “as numerous residents had been calling the village offices asking why the village was holding a vote in the first place.”

According to WKTV, an NBC affiliate, the townspeople were presented with a eight other options for a new seal, including “one with former NHL player and Whitesboro resident Robert Esche” as well as a symbol that “depicted an actual wrestling match between a white man and a Native American, but luchador style.”

In voting to keep the current seal, Whitesboro resident Scott Hastings told WKTV, “Political correctness, who cares? This is our village, who cares what the world thinks? I want to see this settled today, once and for all.”

According to the New York Daily News, in the latest Census, 99.5 percent of Whitesboro residents listed themselves as white. At least the town name of “Whitesboro” is accurate!

Mayor O’Connor told WKTV that the vote was not binding, but would likely inform the village board of a decision, but it certainly appears like they will keep the seal that appears to be a white man choking a Native American.

David Matthews operates the Wayback Machine on Fusion.net—hop on. Got a tip? Email him: [email protected]