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Mascot or not, respect is in order
For more than a year, Clinton High School alums Kylista and Elspeth Geiger have made a plea to the Clinton Community Schools Board of Trustees to have the school mascot changed because they perceive it as derogatory to their Native American culture. I have watched as week after week these women have come to the board and have spoken during the public comment portion of the meeting.
The Geigers and their supportors have remained, for the most part, respectful and have moved within the boundaries of the laws of this great country to stand up for something they strongly believe in. They aren’t using intimidation tactics. They aren’t resorting to disrespectful language. They are presenting information that backs up their views. Wherever your loyalties lie in this debate, one thing that can’t be underscored enough is that these girls are educated and intelligent and a good part of that comes from the school and community that has stood so firmly against them.
Still, they are called outsiders, but that’s only the beginning. Something ugly is brewing, but it does when protests like this begin to escalate. What comes to mind are images of the Little Rock nine and the rocks thrown at children as they made their way into school because emotions ran so high against them going to a white school. Whether you see this as a civil rights issue or not, it’s playing out much like one. So, the Geigers and their supporters aren’t school children. They are our sisters and brothers.
Passions are strong on both sides. There is no doubt about that. Does that mean name calling is in order, or, worse, throwing rocks, making threats and using intimidation? Where is the civility in all of this? Yes, the protestors have fielded all of these when they haven’t acted violently toward anyone. If they’ve stepped over the boundaries of the frame they are given during public comment, they’ve apologized and tried to remain within the boundaries.
Time and time again, I’ve heard the argument that the district is honoring Native American people by using the term Redskin as a mascot, but I’ll admit that it hasn’t really seemed that way during this debate. If the Geigers and their fellow Native Americans are offended by the word, then how is chanting it and throwing its use in their faces when it is clearly hurtful to them honoring them? How is throwing rocks at them while they are protesting in front of the high school sign honoring them? How is flipping the bird at them honoring them?
What’s happened is both sides have given the word a great deal of power and what’s beginning to ensue is madness. As the two sides stand off, the word grows and grows, along with the anger at madness surrounding it.
Wherever your loyalties fall in this debate, what we should be doing is setting an example for our children on how to stand up for your beliefs in a respectful, nonviolent way. We should be setting an example on how adults can communicate effectively without hurting each other.
Instead, we move in circles with the old patterns and keep spinning our wheels.
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I agree!
It's sad what this debate is coming to. All I can say is that the people in Clinton who want to keep the mascot should probably watch how they act. A select few are making the whole community look like ignorant, closed-minded people. People who are looking toward Clinton as a school of choice school may decide to send their kids elsewhere, at least in my case that is true.
What's more important at the end of the day, how your actions affect others or what your school mascot is?
Glennie
Glennie,
Have you been to any of the board meetings? This Activist Group has 39 video's out on You Tube with us (Clinton) and not one shows anyone throwing rocks at them. If I did see someone doing that I would yell at them regardless of what was going on. Is it okay for Elspeth Geiger to dress up as the Pope at one of the meetings? It is okay to mock another's religion but not hers? Is it okay for this Activst Group to harass & bully the students at sporting events and they plan on protesting at Graduation? These seniors have worked 12-13 years for their special day. If the vote is to keep the Mascot, then the Activist Group needs to go through legal means if that is what they have to do.
Clinton Mascot
Every community has people who are capable of acting out in an inappropriate manner; just as there are people who can speak their minds calmly and respectfully. Clinton Community Schools are quality schools with high academic standards. Hopefully things will not get out of hand on Thursday evening. I will be there and showing my support of the Clinton Redskin Mascot. If anyone acts out negatively, that is giving the Geiger's and their group power. You must not resort to swearing, giving the finger, etc. Show strength of character. Support your school district by acting in a postive manner and speaking your mind calmly and with respect for all in attendance.
High Academic Standards?
I thought we had high academic standards until I heard David Pray quoting Wikipedia. This whole mess is starting to make us look pretty bad. If we can't say anything intelligent, we need to quit posting here.
well...
if they don't like the name, why don't they just move or something? When Clinton chose the Redskins as their mascot, it obviously wasn't meant in a derogatory way, because then they would be putting themselves down. I'm Native American too, and it really doesn't bother me. It's just a name for Pete's sake.
students
They have started harrassing our students events,,so how is that different than what they are complaining about Clinton,,I absolutely do not believe the rock throwing incident,,
We stayed away for 17 months hoping our board could handle this whole thing,,but now the protesters have crossed the line by trying to bully our kids,,,and the Mama bear syndrome kicks in,,we will be there at the meeting and back our boards decision.
At the last meeting only the protesters got of line in the meeting,,they were the only ones to yell at the board because they were told to address the board only and not the kids and the only ones to complain when the 30 minutes were up for public comment,,one of their members threw a fit that she didn;t get a turn,,they had the whole 30 minutes for months so guess that is where they think they didn;t get their say,,one meeting they had to share,,,
How would you like your child's graduation day ruined because someone doesn't agree with your opinion ?? I am sure you would be mad,,well we are and we have every right to be,
As for Kylista saying if one person is offended it should be changed,,,I am offended that we can't have a CHRISTMAS program at school...so is that going to change,,that;s what I thought,,there is nothing in this world that someone isn't offended by..So if we change everything someone is offended by we will be changing everything everyday..
We will be at the meeting and be respectful to the board and the protesters..
Clinton Redkins Forever
I agree with the above comments (Sally, Shelby and Linda). Going so far as to harass our teams and spectators at sporting events and threatening to spoil graduation?! I see, it is OK for the Geigers and their group to be "in your face" but they whine when someone speaks, yells, or gestures inappropriately at them! I do not want people to act inappropriately at the meeting tonight, but you can bet that I will be there to show my support of my school, my school board and the students of Clinton Community School District. Redskin Proud!
Redskin Pride!
The school board meeeting is tonight at 7:07 pm, just in case anyone wants to come. We know that the Geigers have been protesting this for about 18 months. Now though, it's starting to get out of hand. Protesting at sporting events ,harassing students and threatening to ruin graduation is way out of line people! I know what "Redskin" means. But that is not what our school intended when it choose our chief as its mascot. But come on! Generations later you decide to give us crap over our name! Give it up! I'm part indian too and I'm not offended by this. All i can say is stop harassing the students!
Clinton Redskins
The bottom line is that the majority of school mascots were chosen LONG BEFORE any of us were even alive! (check out your schools history on their websites) It's such bull that it's all the sudden a "problem" in todays world. You can't say Christmas, you can't say Indians or Redskins, for fear of insulting someone. It's insane! Why stop at school mascots? What about forcing city's to change their names as well? How about a school with a Ram as a mascot, aren't we disrespecting animals? Farmers? How about PETA? What about shunning businesses that decorate with "insulting" images of the area. I grew up in Tecumseh and even as a kid, I remember going to McDonald's and looking at and reading about the the man that our town was named for. It was interesting and gave me a sense of pride. I didn't raise a stink because I'm white and those native american paintings offended me....come on!!! Tecumseh Public Schools teaches it's students the history of the land, the different tribes that were in the area, takes field trips of the trails, etc...in a completely RESPECTFUL way!
I believe that everyone in this country has a right to voice their opinion but if these protestors do something to interupt Clinton's graduation ceremonies this year, they will be hurting a group of young adults on their special day for something that a few people decided on 100 years ago....it's not right.
Issue settled?
The board and the community have spoken! You (the Geigers and their supporters) have had their say for 18 months. You spew forth the same rheortic over and over and over again and again. The Clinton Community Schools Board of Education HAS SAID NO! Not once, but TWICE! Butl you cannot accept that! You threaten to come back "again and again and again". I was there! I heard you!. Get a life! if you feel that convicted to your belief system; then continue to pursue it. But, GET ANOTHER ARENA. You are DONE on a local level. Stop wasting the time of the our Board of Education witih your same arguments over and over and over again. Your next step is the state or federal level. Stop harassing our board, our students and our spectators at events.... including graduation. You are self centered and self serving. You whine when you feel you are singled out for unfair treatment. Some of you complain that your kids are treated badly in school, supposedly due to their heritage. Well, welcome to reality. Kids are cruel. Kids are singled out and bullied for many more reasons than just their heritage. is it right? No! Can you change it.? Doubt it. But, you can work with counselors in school systems to address bullying problems; show the schools things that you feel are misunderstood and have it taught so that possibly a new understanding can be achieved. Keep harrassing the student body and the board? NO! NO! NO! Thank You Clinton Board of Education for standing up for the majority of your community! Oh yeah, want to whine that the vote took place before the public comment? Go ahead! You were given an agenda when you walked in. It stated that the Geigers would be given yet ANOTHER opportunity, a half hour, to present their argument and then the vote would take place. The Geigers and supporters speak at every school board meeting. All of the input has taken place. It is just repetition now. The meeting lasted for 3 hours; I stayed the entire time. The unanimous vote stands.................We are the Clinton Redskins!
It's about treating other people the way we'd like to be treated
This is NOT about the Geigers. If you can't understand that, there's NO hope for you.
Clinton Redskin Mascot
I'm submitting a letter to the editor to the Tecumseh Herald this week regarding this issue. I've just read this thread for the first time. Gee, stone throwing? Someone threw stones? When? Where? Baloney!!
Jeanette Henagan wasn't the best person to represent this (or any) cause.
Picture this, it's June of 1987. I'm going pee in the ground floor bathroom of Pray-Harold Building at EMU Campus. I'm 8 mos. pregnant. I hear a loud noise/disturbance next thing I know, my little bathroom stall door is kicked in and I've got 5 Black Women, with angry faces, screaming at me...."Black Rights!!!" (Back then it wasn't called African-American). I ask you-what? I'm 8mos. preggers, I'm not a slave owner, I'm just trying to go pee...Fast Forward many years...I'm 3yrs old. I'm at the State Fair in Detroit. Watching a Horse Race. A black woman sits in my seat at the race. I'm the youngest of 8 at that time, my Mom looks down the row of kids and saw me looking at this person with a puzzled look upon my face. At age 3, I was called a White Bitch for the 1st time. My Mom and my older brothers took care of me...I still remember the police, sirens, and panic I think something bad at the Fair happened that year.
I really haven't paid much attention to any "race" issues. I believe a person is based upon their own personal worth...not who they claim to be or where they came from. 'What your worth' is my philosophy.
So this whole blog started out with someone claiming that rocks were thrown??? You want to talk about rocks? Clinton's School Rock has not been painted with anything derogatory. Yet, somehow, we are portrayed as backward, racist, and ignorant. I'm Pottawattamie Kickapoo blood-yet I don't count, because I don't find the Mascot offensive.
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