Flutie supports racist mascot

Who Cares:  Honor or insult?Some of these schools have also been challenged by those who find their nicknames and mascots offensive. Barnstable High School teams are known as the Red Raiders and the two feathers that are part of the team’s logo makes it apparent that the Red refers to American Indians. While “Red Raiders” is not a phrase that one would call complimentary, Barnstable addressed concerns raised over a decade ago, when it changed its icon from a war-painted caricature to respectful portrait and added the words: pride, honor, respect to the logo.

But making a name change, as some are asking Nauset to do, is another matter. And resistance is often strong. Last year Natick High School agreed to drop the name “Redmen” and replace it with one that wasn’t racially offensive. A committee came up with a new name but, since it was done without public input, it opened the door, once more. Doug Flutie, one of Natick High’s most celebrated alumni, weighed in on the issue, coming out in support of the retaining the name “Redmen.” Flutie was quoted in The Boston Globe as blaming “one squeaky wheel” for the change and advising, “people should stop walking on eggshells.” He wasn’t alone. A petition signed by 1,800 Natick voters called for a town vote as to whether or not to keep the name and the school’s headdress-wearing Indian symbol.Comment:  See my comments at the end of the article.

Below:  Another "redmen" mascot--this one for the Kinston Indians.