On Tuesday, we residents of Natick will have another opportunity to voice our opinions by voting our consciences.
There are indeed some very important office positions and referenda questions on this year's ballot. Interestingly, all but one issue are geared towards the future.
However Question 3 is unique in that it is intended to preserve our treasured past and maintain our community identity. Question 3 will allow the School Committee to reconsider their previous decision and retain the Redmen school team name. We, the Redmen Forever Committee, of course urge everyone to vote YES on ballot Question 3.
Some people are under the misimpression that the team name issue has been settled. Far from it - the issue is still very much in play and the School Committee will soon have another opportunity to act on behalf of us, their constituents.
We fully expect that with a wide majority of voters supporting Question 3, and given the extensive debate that has occurred over the past year, the current School Committee will now be able to view the matter in a much more balanced and informed manner.
They will have tangible information this time, rather than just emotional pleading, to draw from when making up their minds.
Hopefully the School Committee will reconsider their previous decision to scrap the name with thousands of proud Natick residents having spoken with one voice - to keep the Redmen name - instead of just a few vocal agitators trying to rustle away Natick's cultural identity.
To be clear - the name Redmen is not, and never has been, meant as a derogatory term against Native Americans. In fact just the opposite is true - to us the name Redmen means honor, strength, fortitude, perseverance, and victory.
To those few who are offended by it, we certainly hope you can overcome your objections and learn to see that the name is intended as a compliment. We hope that you can learn from the Native Americans working with our committee who feel that the name Redmen is desirable because it preserves a historical link to the town's founding.
To us the name Redmen is the glue that bonds together the pride and identity that we all feel living in Natick. It is a connection that parents share with their children, and which students share throughout their lives.
The bottom line is that the name Redmen stands only for good things, and anyone who would doubt or question that interpretation simply does not understand Natick's collective conscience. We see no reason to change the name just to placate a few complainers, especially because changing it will be so hurtful to the thousands of Natick residents who helped make the name so meaningful.
We urge all proud Redmen, or those who simply do not want to see tradition trampled by a minority opinion, to get to the polls on March 25 and vote Yes on Question 3.
People wishing to reach us by e-mail are encouraged to do so at redmenforever@gmail.com.
Erich Thalheimer lives in Natick
