MONTHLY MEETING Sept 16, 2020 on Zoom
WORKING GROUP REPORTS
Watertown Faces Climate Change, after its success in meeting 100% renewable goals in the two elementary schools that are being rebuilt, is now focused on plans for the new high school to also be 100% renewable. Members worked on 350 Mass legislative agendas, and both the State’s House and Senate passed some major climate legislation for the first time in many years with some successes on 350’s priorities. A conference committee still needs to work out compromises. Locally they are advocating for the town to get started on its Climate Action Plan to meet the goals of Watertown’s 100% Renewable Resolution, which was passed almost two years ago.
Watertown Citizens for Black Lives has experienced a surge of actions, new interest, and new members. They are restructuring leadership and action teams that include policing policy and antiracist policies in town. They continue to hold vigils the second Tuesday of every month at 5:30 in Watertown Square.
Friends of Bees has been quiet over the summer. Pam recently learned of an Arlington neighborhood pollinator initiative that she would like Friends of Bees to join.
Life Friendly Gardens has postponed its Garden Tours until in-person visits can safely be resumed.
The Refugee Support Group continues to support local families and reported about a family recently settled in Watertown. They rely on donations to help families obtain housing, furnishings, household items.
PRESENTATION FROM THE PIGSGUSSET INITIATIVE
Mishy Lesser, educator and co-founder of Boston-based Upstander Project, has organized a group of Watertown citizens called the Pigsgusset Initiative, to “engage the public in a conversation about the erasure of the Indigenous history of the place we call home. Their initial goal is to create a conversation about the future of the monument to Christopher Columbus in the Town Square.
Pigsgusset means the “Meadows At The Widening Of The River” and was the name given by the local people living here, the Pequosette band of the Massachusett tribe. Mishy noted how little remains of the inhabitants here. From the perspective of the native people, the colonists were “uninvited guests”, yet our histories generally start with the European presence. Her presentation quoted Columbus admiring the native people, but also remarking how easy it would be to subjugate and enslave them.
Back in 1940 the Town Meeting approved the renaming of Watertown Square to Columbus Delta and erected a statue to Columbus there. This was part of a movement to counter the anti-Catholic sentiment and discrimination against Catholic Irish and Italians by dedicating public spaces that demonstrated welcome and acceptance. Often this was done in the form of honoring Christopher Columbus.
The Pigsgusset Initiative is proposing a citizens petition to the Town Council asking for a conversation around the name and statue in Watertown Square. There is a local history of people living here that we should recognize/unerase. We now know that Columbus and the colonization of the Americas brought domination and genocide to the native populations. The name and statue no longer serve their original purpose.
Discussion around the presentation included several people challenging the genocidal and domination motivations of Columbus, citing a book by Mary Grabar that refutes Howard Zinn. They also mentioned the importance to them of honoring him. Mishy noted that she has used primary sources. Others supported the need for monuments and place names to recognize the erased history of those who lost their lives and culture due to colonization, as well as to honor successive generations of settlers in Watertown. Among those sentiments expressed in support of a larger conversation were, “It’s about Watertown,” “Columbus never set foot in Watertown,” and “naming things in a more inclusive way.” In response to the question “Why does this matter today?” were answers such as, “That history is relevant,” and “It echoes today.”
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Next Monthly Meeting will be on Wednesday Oct 21, 7:00 pm, on the Annexation by Israel of more Palestinian Lands on the West Bank. Two excellent speakers will cover this context in the Arab world and its effect on the Palestinian people.
Respectfully submitted, Deborah Peterson