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Saddened by decision
As a 1973 alumni of Colusa High School, I am very saddened and frankly, quite distressed at the idea that the school board would consider changing the mascot of Colusa High School.
It is so unfortunate that people who know nothing about our proud town of Colusa and the even prouder heritage of our high school have the audacity to presume what is right for our town or our school. It seems that being politically correct, or being the squeaky wheel is more important than what this mascot stands for.
How can you even entertain the thought that the Redskins mascot would be derogatory? It was chosen with an attitude of pride in the Native American heritage of our area. It has been invoked with pride at every sport and school event since the school was started. Are we going to change the name of the town as well, since it was named after the chief? The whole area has been proud of our ties to the Native Americans that lived here in the past and continue to live here today. It is beyond my comprehension that you would allow someone who has no knowledge of this proud legacy to coerce you into doing something you know that will be detrimental to the school as well as detrimental to the community.
I hope that there are people on the school board who actually grew up in Colusa, and attended Colusa High School. I also hope that you have the childhood memory of going to Davidson’s Drugs to see Chief Colus’ statue at the front of the store when you when in. I hope that you remember the pride you had in our school and in our mascot while you attended one of our football games or were a member of our pep club. I also hope you have fond memories of dining at Chef Colus, eating pizza after a game. Where will all of this end? Why do we continue to allow people who have no knowledge of what they are trying to change have the power to do so when they are clearly in the minority? Perhaps your time would be better spent doing a little research into how the name was chosen, and interviewing people about their feelings of pride in being connected, even remotely through a mascot, to the proud legacy of our local Native American people.
Stand up and be a proud Redskin. Do what is right for your alma mater and your community.
Catherine Steidlmayer Schoder
Colusa High School 1973
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| The stereotyping of any racial ethnic religious or other group when promoted by our public educational institutions teaches all students that stereotyping of minority grous is acceptable which is a dangerous lesson in a diverse society. False portrayals encourage biases and prejudices that have a negative effect on contemporary Indian people. Or in the words of Tina Holder. Back not so long ago when there was a bounty on the heads of the Indian people. The trappers would bring in Indian scalps along with the other skins that they had managed to trap or shoot says Holder whose arguments were included in a recent court filing. Trappers and hunters began using the term redskin they would tell the owner that they had bearskin deerskins and redskins. The term came from the bloody mess that one saw when looking at the scalp thus the term redskin. So you see when we see or hear that term. We don't see a football team we don't see a game being played we do not see any honor. We see the bloody pieces of scalps that were hacked off of our men women and even our children. We hear the screams as our people were killed and skinned just like animals. So yes you can safely say that the term is considered extremely offensive. |
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| Leo Uribe - Apr 23, 2008 03:50:42 PM | Remove Comment |
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| I agree completely As a long time rival of the Colusa Redskins I can tell you that not once did we think of the name as a racial slur We always had great respect for all the mascots whether it was a bear a panther or a trojan I just hope the local beekeepers dont get offended at the Williams Yellowjackets and make us change our nameWhere will it end? |
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| williamsgirl - Apr 21, 2008 05:22:36 PM | Remove Comment |
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| I couldn't have said it better myself! |
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| D - Apr 17, 2008 03:48:17 PM | Remove Comment |
