Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown dismissed 336 years of tradition by signing a bill to rename Squaw Island, a plot on the Niagara River, after complaints that it dehumanized Native American women. It now has a much safer and more tolerant title, "Unity Island."
“It honors the legacy of our Native American brothers and sisters who are forever tied to our city and our region. It continues the national dialogue to support cultural tolerance and respect for diversity,” said Brown.
He added that the name change “reflects the unity that we continue to build in Buffalo.”
Brown was joined by members of Seneca Nation to usher in the change.
The controversy follows another politically correct change in upstate New York. In March, the Lancaster Central School District voted unanimously to change the region's mascot name from the Lancaster Redskins to the Lancaster Legends, for reasons you can probably guess. (To echo my mom, How can adolescents already be Legends?!)
The political correctness epidemic is by no means limited to New York. The 'Redskins' name has also been attacked in the National Football League, with calls to give the Washington Redskins a new mascot. The team owner, however, has refused to cave.
Many of the 'tolerant' leaders adamant about these symbolic makeovers have taken it upon themselves to be our culture warriors. Just take a look at what New York's North District Council Member Joseph A. Golombek Jr. had to say about updating Squaw Island's title:
“I think that what we need to do is we need to educate people on terminology and why certain things are offensive to a large number of people in the community,” Golombek said.
No offense to Golombek, but Americans don't need a lecture. History is being thrown away along with these mascots. I can't help but wonder if the PC police are actually making these changes for the minority groups supposedly under attack, or just to make themselves feel good.