http://www.buffalonews.com/opinion/a...aster-20150327
Spot on; another voice of reason!
Of course that will have no impact on the pro Redskin coalition in quelling their quest to keep this fiasco going; one that paints Lancaster in a negative light.
More disconcerting is the coalition’s drive to change the makeup of the BOE, asking for the resignation of the school district superintendent, and encouraging the defeat of the budget. Superintendent Dr. Mike Vallely and the BOE were instrumental in the recent academic success the district achieved. They are now be admonished and chastised by the pro Redskin name coalition for making a name changing decision based on decency and respect – the right thing.
It appears the name of a sports team outweighs academic achievements gained by administrators, BOE members and the entire school staff. How sad!
The pro Redskin supporters take the position that as no offense was intended Native Americans should just ‘suck it up’. The decision to drop the mascot and Redskin name was made by the BOE, by board members elected by Lancaster residents to represent them. The decision was theirs to make. Why can’t the disgruntled decision opponents just ‘suck it up’, move on and end the ugliness?
Lee..unfortunately it's the mob rule mentality in Lancaster right now. Take a look at Facebooks Keep the Tradition Alive. 2600 member and growing each day. Prominent members of the community from businessmen to the supervisor, to other politicians, are getting on the bandwagon. Not good to see this as they are all votes in the future...
As I don’t do FACEBOOK I am not privy to what goes on with that and other sites. I sometimes have friends who send me a few posts that are downright nasty.Originally Posted by metal god
The 2,600 are entitled to their positions and opinions. I hold a different opinion and knew that the passion of this group would not let this die. I also knew long ago that some politicos would become involved as well. They feel that will serve their best interests. They better have chosen the right side.
As the decision to drop the name has been made, and I could see no other avenue the BOE could take, those continuing to pursue protests are doing a disservice to the community; protests that involve distasteful behavior at school board meetings and posts on several pro Redskin websites serve no purpose but in dividing the town; especially when the group disparages BOE members and will do whatever to replace the incumbent members. And to encourage individuals to vote against the upcoming budget for vindictive reasons is tantamount to encouraging one to bite off their nose to spite their face.
This pursuit will have consequences at upcoming school and town board elections. While the pro Redskin group may be gaining in supporters, the number of individuals who were pro Redskin supporters now declares that since the decision was made to drop the name it is now time to move on; especially since this matter has become embarrassing because of negative media coverage from local coverage to national broadcasts.
If your opinion on Redskins is based on personal embarrassment instead of the consensus of the community and if you violate due process out of a subjective fear of political correctness... time for you to go...
Life is not fair and humans are not rational.
If you are basing this solely on political correctness, you are acting irrational and will never understand the concept of what is offensive.
Maybe some of these PC people should read this -
The sports news site Deadspin echoed the title of that chapter in an article last week. “New Fake Indian Joins Old Fake Indian In NY High School's R-Word Fight” featured the unmasking of two “pretendians,” Mark Yancey and Dennis Jones, who were sent free plane tickets to attend a school hearing in Lancaster, New York to urge them to keep their ‘Redskins’ mascot.
Members of local tribes also attended the meeting and testified against the mascot. Lancaster is located in Erie County, NY within the borders of the Iroquois Confederacy. Lancaster once called itself Cayuga Creek, which is still the name of a small stream that runs through traditional Cayuga lands. In a scorched earth campaign, English colonists destroyed Seneca villages killing many women and children and leaving the communities homeless and destitute. This led the Iroquois Confederacy, of which the Seneca and the Cayuga were members, to side with the British during the Revolutionary War. The town of Lancaster renamed itself in 1833 and is now 98 percent white and less than 1 percent Native American. The genocide and displacement of the indigenous people and nations is a terrible legacy that lives on in the demographics of the community.
For more - http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwor...dians-among-us
Georgia L Schlager
If you believe Redskins is racist you are calling supporters of the name racist.
Why would I want to vote for candidates, or budgets produced by those candidates, if they think I am racist based on an ephemeral political lexicon?
Just look at Gorja's "Vote No to the RACIST..."... that is insane and dangerous.
That's my opinion, not necessarily shared by others who think the school board made the right decision. I agree that the beginning of the use of the nickname was not meant to or used as a racist slur but since it is perceived to be a racial slur by many natives in 2015, my view of those who want to keep the "R" are RACIST. Again, just my view.Originally posted by skoorbekim:
Just look at Gorja's "Vote No to the RACIST..."... that is insane and dangerous.
And you're saying that using "Vote NO to the RACIST' is dangerous. Does that mean I'll need to arm myself when my signs go up?
Georgia L Schlager
skoorbekim;1521862]
I don’t believe I ever used that word in any other context except to connote how Lancaster is being perceived by others outside this community. I have used descriptors like offensive and insensitive. To me the position taken by pro Redskin name advocates is inane and irrational, does nothing but divides the community, and does give the perception that Lancaster is insensitive to Native American feelings by telling them they do honor to their name when in fact they don’t.If you believe Redskins is racist you are calling supporters of the name racist.
Who says you have to vote for the incumbents? It is your constitutional right to vote for whomever you choose.Why would I want to vote for candidates, or budgets produced by those candidates, if they think I am racist based on an ephemeral political lexicon?
Are you actually saying that BOE members called you racist? And even if they did, which I doubt, why you would arbitrarily and capriciously vote against a budget that could have a significant adverse impact not only on the student body but on school staffing as well is unconscionable. Is that your intent to bite off your nose to spite your face?
So, what’s your group's plan? To continue to wage a useless fight and to create more embarrassment for the town. Move on!
You take that up with gorja! This individual will eat your lunch!Just look at Gorja's "Vote No to the RACIST..."... that is insane and dangerous.
Your embarrassment is a personal phenomenon; don't project it onto the rest of us...
If the budget fails, blame the embarrassed and those screaming "Racist!".
The fearful cannot lead; the shouters cannot heed...
I wonder how much of this school stuff that the unions are pissed off about has to do with Sheldon Silver losing his control.
Democrats & Republicans Suck Alike.
http://www.buffalonews.com/opinion/a...ilege-20150401
Lancaster is not a racist town. The Redskin name was never incorporated or used for near 70 years in a derogatory way. Yeah, I get that. But this is today and it is considered insensitive/offensive for myriad reasons. The BOE made the right decision and we should be moving on.
But no, Redskin name supporters can’t manage to do that. They would rather should the world they alone have the right to correct a perceived wrong; a wrong they feel so strongly about that they are willing to keep the movement going to the point of changing the makeup of the BOE, getting the superintendent to resign, and reinstating the Redskin name and mascot. Really, that’s what this town wants to do and become known for?
Read the Another Voice article and see where this nastiness is leading to. Lancaster is not a racist town but it is being perceived as such; and now much worse. This is not what Lancaster is about. At least I hope not, because that is the image being portrayed in the media.
Great article by Bedenko -
http://www.dailypublic.com/articles/...public-schools
Georgia L Schlager
Lee,
Beth Kwiatek is an obsessive lunatic that should not be anywhere near children.
She mentions "White" 19 times in that tiny article.
Read her 11/28/2010 Buffalo News article on "Whiteness" where she sounds even more unhinged on the subject.
Or, you can read her screeds on the female body part...
Bending your principles based on a racial fetish-cist like Beth Kwiatek is deplorable.
You chose the wrong person to buttress your thought reform ideology.
I had no idea you were one of those "White Privilege [guilt]" types; yikes.
You just don’t get it. I could care less about what was written in Another Voice and/or the background of the individual who wrote it. The intent was to illustrate how nasty and stupid this issue has become and the black eye Lancaster is getting because of it.
You appear to be another Redskin name supporter who fails to realize you have nothing much going to support your position and have no problem taking things out of context to district, mislead and smear others who hold different opinions.
Your last two sentences are illogical and bear an offensive conclusion. But then, offensive doesn’t seem to ring a bell in your world. The path your group is taking is bringing out the crazies. Don’t become one of them.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote