#The silly assault on the Seal of New York City

Enlarge Image

The Seal of the City of New York depicts a sailor and a Manhattan Indian, beavers and flour barrels, and the sails of a windmill.
Christopher Sadowski

In the latest laughable attempt to find something racist to condemn, The New York Times has taken aim at the official seal of the City of New York.

As you can see here, the seal shows a Native American wearing a loincloth and a Dutch settler holding a rope with what the Times now says “appears to be a loop on its end” — the implication being that it just might be a noose.

Yet only the ignorant could be triggered: It’s not even the right size for that; the “loop” is actually a stone — the Dutchman is a sailor holding a plummet, a device used to measure the depth of water off a boat.

Just 12 years ago, the Times’ Sam Roberts penned a column admiring the “proud” city seal created in 1914 “with its depiction of a sailor and a Manhattan Indian, of beavers and flour barrels and the sails of a windmill.”

Sadly, Mayor Bill de Blasio (a former Bay Stater) is plainly ignorant of the history of the city he governs: He played into this nonsense by agreeing that it’s time to consider if the seal “still makes sense for the 21st century.” How woke of you, Mr. Mayor.

New York has plenty of huge problems right now; the hunt for new grievances is worse than a distraction.