Indian Run is offensive. Dublin should drop name from everything that uses it| Opinion

Monmita Chakrabarti is a writer from Dublin, OH by way of West Bengal. 

As people of color are well aware, racism does not always present itself as explicitly as burning crosses and yelling slurs.

It can be as subtle as lingering dirty looks and petty remarks, or even the unquestioned presence of dated and offensive terms in the landscape, as is the case of Indian Run Elementary school, Indian Run Falls, Indian Run Methodist Church, Indian Run Cemetery, and a variety of other public and private properties with the name "Indian Run" in Dublin.

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In an article recently published by Columbus Dispatch, Dublin City Planning Director Jennifer Rauch stated that “Dublin is a city where all are welcomed, safe, valued, engaged and included regardless of socio-economic status, race, ethnicity, color, sexual orientation, gender, disability, age, military or religious status….We welcome and expect diversity, and we strive to provide an environment in which all can thrive.”

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However, in order for Dublin to embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion, the suburb must push back against the structural racism that it was founded upon.

The term “Indian” to refer to Native Americans is offensive.

There are no Indigenous communities in Dublin who can speak up about this issue, because the ones who used to inhabit this land, including the Wyandot, Shawnee, Hopewell, and Delaware tribes, were violently displaced. The name “Indian Run” can be read to insidiously acknowledge this displacement, as in “they better run” or “look at them run.” "Indian Run" exemplifies the fact that some people are readily welcomed into Dublin’s community while others are perpetually excluded. We cannot grow indifferent to this violence just because that’s how it always was.

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The Cleveland Guardians recently changed their name from the “Indians,” as well as their mascot, Chief Wahoo, after years of public pressure and social unrest. Their name and caricatured mascot were protested by Native American groups for decades.

Though the name change in Dublin would not be an identical feat to that of the beloved baseball team, there will undoubtedly be pushback from those who claim the name is integral to Dublin’s history, or that it is tradition, but “Indian Run” does not paint a flattering picture of Dublin’s past and it is best to follow the Guardian’s example and look to the future.

By getting rid of this longstanding symbol of white supremacy, Dublin has the opportunity to take a step towards inclusion as it expands. If Dublin genuinely wants to present itself as a welcoming metropolis, I urge the city’s legislators to get rid of the name “Indian Run” on all public land. A poll could be sent out to residents to choose a new name, which might be a figure who was historically or is currently important to Dublin’s community.

Dublin is the place where I grew up and I will always consider it home.

I am invested in the future well-being of other marginalized people who live there. Changing the name of the city properties that are currently referred to as “Indian Run” would be a small step, but undoubtedly one in the right direction.

Monmita Chakrabarti is a writer from Dublin, OH by way of West Bengal. 

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Dublin should shop using 'Indian Run.' The name is racist| Opinion