By David Detmold, LNS, Boston –
Yesterday (Jan. 24th) was “Lobby Day” at the Statehouse in Boston. And I have to tell you, I have never experienced a more intentional obstacle to democracy than the Statehouse of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The image of a Native American man with a Colonial broadsword hanging over his head is everywhere in the building, too. It’s there on the flag out front, it’s there when you walk in and wipe your muddy boots on the rug, it’s there when you get in any elevator – on a shiny brass plaque just at eye level. This is not a building where our Native brothers and sisters can feel welcome entering, much less entering with the expectation of long awaited justice.
Even so, legislators from the House and Senate of Massachusetts are coming forward to support new, strongly revised legislation, to Change the Massachusetts State Flag and Seal!
We only have one more week to call our state legislators to get them to actively support the bill to change the State Flag and Seal by co-sponsoring HD.2968 and SD.1495. The more co-sponsors a bill has – the better – and the deadline for your state representatives to sign on as co-sponsors is Feb. 1st.
If your representatives have signed on as co-sponsors already, thank them for taking leadership on this important, long stalled racial justice issue!
If either or both of your representatives agrees to be a co-sponsor before Feb 1st, please let us know right away, and thank them!
We don’t have a complete list yet, but so far we have commitments from these Massachusetts’ legislators to co-sponsor HD.2968 and SD.1495:
