Reply With QuoteAs far as I'm concerned, everyone has a right to their opinion.
Karen Robinson seems to be the one who just can't let it go
She just keeps on stirring the pot
Family’s Redskins ‘shrine’ is the talk of Lancaster
By Karen Robinson | News Staff Reporteron June 24, 2016 - 1:08 PM
, updated June 24, 2016 at 1:12 PM
Twelve, 50-pound black sandbags painted red with white lettering spell out CHANGE IT BACK, spanning the front of the Millers’ Aurora Street in the heart of Lancaster.
Homemade signs that read “Change It Back” are in the front windows. One is propped up on a small pile of bricks at the end of the path leading to the porch.
What is “it?”
It would be the Redskins – the former name and mascot of the Lancaster School District dumped over a year ago because many consider it a derogatory slur for Native Americans. The school’s athletic teams are now known as the Lancaster Legends and the mascot, a knight in armor.
But for the Millers and others in the community, they’ll never be anything but the Redskins.
And while many Redskins supporters wear stickers and T-shirts proclaiming “Once a Redskin, Always a Redskin,” the Millers have put their devotion to the old name on display all over the front of their property.
A 15-foot high Redskins flag flies in the lawn, with a Buffalo Bills flag opposite it. Next to the front door is an “I Love the Redskins” sign with a teepee and red and black painted arrows framing it. And on the door are two more Change It Back signs with a sticker proclaiming, “Once a Redskin, Always a Redskin ... and I vote!” The Redskins decorations can’t be missed, even in the mix of Hawaiian-themed palm tree garden decorations and a handmade mobile of adult-sized flip flop sandals.
The Millers’ home has become the talk of the town. Many have nicknamed it the “Redskin Shrine.” Others call it the “Redskin Museum.” Family patriarch Dale Miller, a 1986 Lancaster alumnus, describes it as the “Change It Back” home.
The entire five-member family is into it, and passionate about making a statement and keeping the spirit alive. It is the house Dale Miller grew up in.
Call it what you want, the Miller home makes a bold statement. And a big one it is.
And one that shows no sign of going away.
“We are keeping the fight going, and not taking anything down until the next election. A lot say we’re ‘the Change It Back house’ people. Brenda and Kelly honk when they drive by,” said Dale Miller, referring to Brenda Christopher and Kelly Depczynski, elected to the board a year ago on the pro-Redskins agenda.
The Millers’ decorating mission began in May 2015, just two months after the controversial mascot change led to the Legends, a new school nickname selected by students. And it has continued with vigor, even after the school board election this spring bombed for the Redskins group, when two pro-administration candidates overwhelmingly won board seats, maintaining the board majority.
Miller’s oldest child, Dakota, 15, who will be a sophomore at Lancaster High in the fall, has worn Redskins clothing every day since March 2015. He has 14 items of Redskin clothing, mostly T-shirts, but also two jackets and a sweatshirt that he rotates wearing. The only times he doesn’t wear the clothing is when he sleeps, swims or does yard work. His younger siblings aren’t quite as passionate although Trinity, 11, regularly wears “Change It Back” shirts. Brother Blaze, 13, occasionally wears Redskins clothing.
“He’s keeping the fight alive at school,” Dale Miller said of Dakota. “He has seniors who call him RED to keep the fight going. The students are not over it.”
Neither are the adults, based on comments and behavior at board meetings that have become hostile over the past year.
Dakota is as dedicated to the cause as his father, hoping the mascot name may one day return to be the Redskins. Father and son are regular fixtures at School Board meetings since the mascot issue erupted. Both hope that at least two more board members will be elected next May who back the Redskin agenda.
“The board could force a community vote if we get the right people on the board,” said Dakota Miller, who has swum on the varsity swim team and played school volleyball in middle school. “I haven’t worn any other normal shirt since March 2015 because I want to make a statement that it’s not going away. The students aren’t over it.”
His mother, Rosa Miller, a Springville graduate, couldn’t be more proud of her son’s convictions. “I’m proud of my son because this is something he believes in, and he’s going through the channels. He’s not pushing it in anybody’s face,” she said.
As for the house, Rosa and Dale Miller say it’s their right to decorate the way they want and that they don’t force their Redskins support on anyone. “We’re just a normal family, doing our own thing. We’re not fanatics,” Rosa Miller said. “We can support whomever we want. It’s America.”
“People come from neighborhood streets to take pictures of our home, and say, ‘It’s not over,’” Dakota Miller said.
Rosa Miller said her home is “not a shrine” or over the top.
“If somebody has a problem with it, I don’t care,” she said. “I have a right to put what I want on my lawn, and I ‘know’ my house. And it’s not just Redskin. It’s also Hawaiian. If people call it the Redskin house, that’s OK. But it’s not a museum.”
What do the neighbors think?
There are a few vacant homes nearby. Two neighbors aren’t letting the Redskins smorgasbord get to them. In fact, one more or less embraces it and says her daughters who graduated a few years ago were upset to learn the mascot changed.
“I think it’s great if that’s something they support,” said neighbor Lynn Wasikowski, who lives directly across the street from the Millers. “They can keep it going. I don’t mind. I think it’s cute they’re so passionate about it.”
Next-door neighbor Richard Harvey couldn’t care less. “My kids are out of high school, and to me, it’s over and done with,” said Harvey. “I have no opinion.”
Last fall, Village Hall saw an issue with the quantity and size of the signs on their lawn and clamped down.
The Millers had five larger signs and some had been nailed to telephone poles. Several smaller signs were posted on the front lawn. “What they had, was to the point of obnoxious” said Shawn M. Marshall, village code enforcement officer. The village received three or four complaints from residents as decorating escalated. “When they began nailing signs to poles, that’s really when I laid the hammer down and said ‘We’re done with some of this stuff.’ Now, it’s much more subdued.”
The village allows one sign up to 6-square-feet in size.
The Millers have no plans to dismantle their current array of Redskins decorations. “We have no plans to take it down. We’re going for the next election,” Dale Miller said. “Give it a year, and things will change again.”
Three board seats – those of Board President Patrick Uhteg, Marie McKay and Michael Sage – are up for election next May. All the Redskins supporters would have to do is win two seats and the current 5-2 board majority could flip to 4-3.
Despite this spring’s failed attempt to elect more pro-Redskins members to the school board, the Miller family is holding firm.
Like other Redskin allies, the Miller family is upset the mascot issue never faced a community vote, but was decided by the board. “They didn’t give us a say,” Dale Miller said. “I would have liked it put to a community vote.”
http://www.buffalonews.com/city-regi...aster-20160624
Georgia L Schlager
As far as I'm concerned, everyone has a right to their opinion.
Karen Robinson seems to be the one who just can't let it go
She just keeps on stirring the pot
Georgia L Schlager
gorja, spot on!!!!!!
Honestly I think it looks like a pile of trash strewn around the yard.
A different perspective
Is Mrs. Robinson’s reporting on the Redskin name change biased and/or written to continue stirring the pot? If there were no reason given to write on a continuing controversial matter, rest assured that Robinson would not waste the time or ink.
Despite all the calls for the Friends of Redskin supporters to move on, they have not. It is their right and prerogative to openly maintain their support; to act to change the makeup of the BOE members who dared (unanimously) at the time to rid the district of the Redskin name. And, as recently seen by their cohort BOE members Christopher and Depcynski who voted against the contract extension to get rid of Superintendent Dr. Michael Vallely, their second objective.
It is the deceit perpetrated by this group at the recent election where their two chosen anti-administration candidates indicated at the last hour that they would consider bringing the name back, while also indicating they had issues with Dr. Vallely’s administrating, making all kinds of scurrilous, mean-spirited and unfounded claims.
Mrs. Robinson most likely will continue to follow this story as long as there continues to be this public outcry by some of the die-hards of “wait till next year.” Next year there will be three BOE seats open and they will be planning and acting on getting two for board control and then ridding the district of Dr. Vallely.
The Redskin supporters continue to claim there should have been a public vote on the matter. There is no such thing as a permissive referendum here. They had the chance to gain control of the board this year and failed miserably in their quest. The recent BOE election was the Redskin coalition’s referendum. The town’s vote clearly indicated the public had enough of this crap, and yet the drama continues.
So who did you say is stirring the pot? Who exactly cannot move on. We have world problems up the ass and some continue to piss and moan about a school mascot name change. Get a life!
I have to disagree Lee. This article by Robinson was not news. Since when is someone's yard decor news?
News of the town board wanting to take their favored developer to court is news. She hasn't reported on that.
Anytime she can get the two words 'Lancaster' and 'Redskins' in an article, she goes with it. Just my opinion.
Georgia L Schlager
gorja, again I completely agree with your post.
We agreed many moons ago that there would be times when we would voice different opinions and agreed to disagree amicably. This is one of them. We view this article differently.Originally Posted by gorja
We agree that Robinson will feast off this matter. The media loves red meat and there is much of that here. But where you see Robinson going out of her way to get this story I view it as someone contacting Robinson to interview people who still favor bringing the Redskin name back. Otherwise, why would the people contacted have given an interview?
The message that should be clear here is that this nonsense is not going away; despite what many uninformed residents hear and come to believe. The Friends of the Redskins continuing intent is to take control of the BOE and rid the district of its superintendent. As long as they continue to push that agenda it should be exposed by the media so that Lancaster residents are informed that the same game will be played next year.
Or, is your premise that Robinson is stalking the Town and Village neighborhoods to perpetuate this story for personal reason? If so, stop feeding her the red meat and she will go away.
Some of us have moved on - as was evinced by the recent BOE elections, others haven't. Their agenda should be exposed because its going to be déjà vu all over again in the next year.
I agreeOriginally posted by Lee Chowaniec:
We agreed many moons ago that there would be times when we would voice different opinions and agreed to disagree amicably. This is one of them. We view this article differently.
That very well may have been the case, that she was contacted. Does Ms Robinson follow through and write a story on any and every tip on very subject that is given her? It seems that some of the original Redskin backers have backed off. The Millers' evidently want this out in the news to show that their fight is still there. They're probably using it as a recruitment tool. With Robinson constantly feeding their fire, the embers will never cool down.We agree that Robinson will feast off this matter. The media loves red meat and there is much of that here. But where you see Robinson going out of her way to get this story I view it as someone contacting Robinson to interview people who still favor bringing the Redskin name back. Otherwise, why would the people contacted have given an interview?
You've got to wonder what her 'redskin' story will be for July, August, September, October, November, December etc.
Nah, she's not a stalker.Or, is your premise that Robinson is stalking the Town and Village neighborhoods to perpetuate this story for personal reason? If so, stop feeding her the red meat and she will go away.
Last edited by gorja; June 25th, 2016 at 10:25 AM.
Georgia L Schlager
Gorja posted:
Does every tip on every subject carry as much weight as this one?That very well may have been the case, that she was contacted. Does Ms Robinson follow through and write a story on any and every tip on very subject that is given her?
Many of the Lancaster residents have backed off. The Friends of the Lancaster Redskins, the two BOE members and other support groups have not backed off.It seems that some of the original Redskin backers have backed off.
Or, are they being used by the hierarchy to strengthen their position.The Millers' evidently want this out in the news to show that their fight is still there. They're probably using it as a recruitment tool. With Robinson constantly feeding their fire, the embers will never cool down.
It depends what the Redskin coalition does. They are the ones stoking the fire.You've got to wonder what her 'redskin' story will be for July, August, September, October, November, December etc.
Is bringing the Redskin name back really what the town wants to be recognized for? Family and friends who live outside the town when reading this **** in print or hearing it on TV, ask me WTF are these people thinking.
Nope. That is why she needs to stop stoking the fire.Originally posted by Lee Chowaniec:
Is bringing the Redskin name back really what the town wants to be recognized for? Family and friends who live outside the town when reading this **** in print or hearing it on TV, ask me WTF are these people thinking.
Next spring, if the Redskin coalition is back to their mantra with new BOE candidates. Then, report on it because it would be relevant to the election and the longevity of the superintendent's job.
Reporting on someone's yard decor is not news as far as I'm concerned
Georgia L Schlager
I would like to add that if the Redskin sympathizers pull their crap at a school board meeting, I believe that is news that's reportable. JMHO
Georgia L Schlager
Isn't this poster a former Buffalo school board candidate with a Masters in Special Ed and a Lancaster school hallway monitor?
I think that it is very inappropriate to mock the Miller children.
Georgia L Schlager
That clip you screen shot gorja, well IMO warrants a revisit to hall monitor in terms of acting unbiased in a school setting.
Folks do have a right to have opinions and interests.
you both are right.
on one hand robinson is milking this and has been for some time. she could have run this story any time over the last 6 months. she probably waited until she had no other redskins stories to run and probably has a couple more her back pocket like this. from that perspective i think the community is better off if she just knocks it off.
on the other hand absolutely there are still people scheming and plotting against dr vallely, against the district and at this point i would say against the best interest of the students and tax payers. whether or not they still have "changing it back" as a goal i have no idea. but i do fear that ignoring the negative element would allow them to get some momentum back.
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