Dear Editor:
RE: Elora Mohawks banners banned while township develops policy on Indigenous-themed sports logos, July 18.
Your front page print story regarding the Centre Wellington council decision not to reinstall Elora Mohawks championship banners and jerseys at this time was consciously inflammatory.
Your digital version of the story quickly morphed its headline into a notably softer “banners won’t be re-installed” versus your print story of “banners banned”. Suffice to say, there is a distinctly negative connotation with the term “banned”.
Why council would decide to tackle this issue and create unnecessary noise as the team prepares to play for the Ontario Western title is beyond comprehension. Which is not to say the issue does not deserve careful and considerate scrutiny. But the timing? Come on! It’s an unnecessary distraction for a group of young men doing their very all to represent the community.
And what of the hard working members of those championship teams, most recently the Founders Cup champs of 2018? And those before them? Are we comfortable just erasing their legacy and accomplishments? If the banners need to be re-instated without the logo, if that is the sticking point, then do so. But don’t erase them from history. Remember, we celebrated them with a parade in 2018; let’s not brand them with a Scarlet letter in 2024.
Terry Williams,
Elora