Saugus Advertiser
Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Letter: 'Go Sachems'

Having spent some time living in Fargo, N.D. I have heard this issue come up many times. The story there is the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux. From what I understand, the tribe objected to the use of “Fighting” in reference to their tribe name Sioux. They don’t want to be seen as belligerent or aggressive. The school also has a portion of the student population that is Sioux and is represented by the mascot.

A sachem is the head on a tribe. A chief. It’s not a derogatory name. Saugus Sachems doesn’t carry any undesirable adjectives or verbs in front of it, such as savage or fighting. I say keep the nickname Sachems. I see it as a different case then the Redmen or Redskins, which is an offensive term.

I don’t hear anyone complaining about the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish. It wasn’t until the ‘90s that the Wahpeton, N.D. high school had to change their mascot. They were called the Wahpeton Wops. I did take offense to that being I’m half Italian, half Polish and all proud. I’m sure I can find a proud, fellow Italian who understands my point. If you call someone a sachem you’re calling them a chief of a tribe. If you call an Italian a wop you’re intentionally being derogatory, hurtful and degrading.

My son’s mascot for his high school out here in Oregon is the Aloha High School Warriors...and it plans to stay that way.

I never forgot where I came from...don’t change the name. Go Sachems!!!

T.J. Wojciechowski
SHS Class of 1994
Aloha, Ore.