| Dear Friends, Anna Gyorgy from Traprock Peace Center writes: So good to see this article mentioned on the front page of today’s Sunday New York Times, with an excellent major piece on page 12: A State Wrestles With Its Imagery: A Sword Looming Over a Native American https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/07/us/massachusetts-flag-native-americans.html Although there is no mention of the website changethemassflag.com nor lead organizer David Detmold, we are glad that many towns and groups in Western MA were early supporters of the effort to reconsider and change the symbol of our state. This movement is especially relevant as we move into 2020, the 400th anniversary of the landing of the Mayflower colonists on these shores. Thanks to David, our supporting state legislators and local co-sponsoring organizations: New England Peace Pagoda Franklin County Continuing the Political Revolution Traprock Center for Peace & Justice Racial Justice Rising Nolumbeka Project Mass Peace Action Manos Unidas Multicultural Educational Cooperative Upstander Project Racial Justice Provincetown In fact, the Times understated the support among town meetings and city councils across the Commonwealth. There have been 39 cities and towns so far that have voted to change the flag and seal. Let’s make sure your city and town joins that list in the coming months. To find out how, write: daviddetmold@gmail.com Hearing Date Set for H.2776 / S.1877: The legislation to change the Mass Flag and Seal has finally been given a hearing date before the Joint Committee on State Administration for the Massachusetts legislature. Please mark your calendars to attend and testify at that statehouse hearing on November 19th, 2019. If you cannot be there in person, please send written comments, (why you believe it is time to change the Massachusetts flag and seal) to Rep. Danielle Gregoire, House chair and to Sen. Marc Pacheco, Senate chair of the Joint Committee on State Administration prior to November 19th. Together, we will change the Massachusetts flag and seal! Danielle.Gregoire@mahouse.gov State House 24 Beacon St. Room 23 Boston, MA, 02133 Phone: (617) 722-2140 Fax: 617-626-0323 Marc.Pacheco@masenate.gov State House 24 Beacon St. Room 312-B Boston, MA, 02133 Phone: (617) 722-1551 Fax: 617-722-1074 |