Dear Editor,

It took social media outrage for the governor general to reject a racist emblem; one he, and others before him, wore proudly for years.

The insignia of the Order of St Michael and St George shows a white man, depicted as an archangel, standing with his foot on the neck of a black man in chains, who is said to represent Satan. The order, we understand, originated in the 19th century.

Current Governor General Sir Patrick Allen, in a release, said he has taken note of the controversy and will now ask the Lord Chancellor of the order to review the insignia and its offensive depiction.

I have to ask: Did the governor general just notice the image, or did he accept it as the ‘status quo’ and for what it is and what it represents?

We must be cautious of how we allow ourselves to be mentally trapped in the cloak of our colonial past.

Progress does begin in the mind. We must denounce racism and white supremacy in all forms and symbols.

I support the calls to remove statues of controversial figures and place them into museums of history, instead of celebrating them in open public spaces.

The Office of the Governor General (the Queen’s representative) has become as outdated as this offensive insignia. Politicians on both sides have agreed that the monarchy should go, yet no steps have been taken to do so. With the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement in the USA and around the world, and the growing levels of social consciousness on issues such as racism, human rights, and justice, it is time to revisit the issue. We must initiate steps to remove symbols of colonialism and racism lurking in our institutions, laws, and national symbols.

It is mind-boggling that this offensive medal was worn at State events for years and no one noticed it or bothered to raise an alarm.

P Chin

chin_p@yahoo.com