Posted on 06/22/2021 12:50:29 PM PDT by Red Badger
Schools are now so fearful of racism allegations that making a tree a mascot is considered a concern because black Americans were once hanged using trees.
In Portland, Oregon, Ida B. Wells-Barnett High School has delayed a vote to adopt an evergreen tree as its mascot because some fear such a mascot would be reminiscent of lynching, the Portland Tribune reported. The school’s current mascot is the Trojans but was set to be changed to evergreens following the suggestion from a committee “comprised of students, staff and community members,” the outlet reported.
“But just before the Portland Public Schools Board of Education’s vote to approve the new mascot Tuesday, March 30, Director Michelle DePass shared community concerns of an unwanted correlation between Ida B. Wells—the historic Black activist, and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who documented and crusaded against lynching—and a tree which could conjure up reminders of hanging people with ropes from branches,” the Tribune reported.
DePass asked the mascot committee if they considered any concerns when coming up with the new mascot.
“I think everyone comes with blind spots and I think that might’ve been a really big blind spot,” she said.
It is unclear just how many community members expressed concern about a connection between a tree as a mascot and lynching – or whether those concerns were genuine.
Mascot committee member Martin Osborne told the Tribune that the lynching connection was discussed, but those concerns were put to rest.
“We did talk about it, but we were looking at the symbolism more as a tree of life, than a tree of death,” Osborne, who is black, said in response to DePass’ comments. “You could certainly take it either way, depending upon your position.”
Osborne added that the committee’s suggestion of the evergreen “had nothing to do with the horrible history of lynching in the United States.”
“Lynching trees typically are not evergreens,” Osborne informed the committee, explaining that trees with larger lower branches were what were used in the south.
DePass, who is also black, called on other board members to agree with her in viewing the new mascot as a racist symbol.
“Lynching is a really difficult topic to talk about and as a sole Black board member, I invite you, beg you, implore you to join me in disrupting the situations, practices, that are racist. I can’t do this by myself,” she said, according to the Tribune.
Filip Hristic, the Wells-Barnett High School’s principal, told the board that Wells’ family has generally been supportive of the school’s attempts to honor her legacy, though he said he, too, worried about the perceived connection to lynching.
“We take this seriously and I definitely want to follow that commitment to protect, preserve and promote the legacy of Ida B. Wells,” Hristic said, adding that the Wells-Barnett family hadn’t been contacted about the mascot.
“The focus and opportunity was really to marry this sentiment that we heard from a lot of our stakeholders during our naming process, which was the desire for a local connection,” Hristic added. “Ida B. Wells was somebody who stood strong and stood proud against what Woodrow Wilson and many others promoted.”
I’ve never heard of using an evergreen for a lynching. Oak trees are preferred, although other deciduous trees can be used if an oak isn’t available.
Everything can be racist, if you really want it to be.
I think I figured it out.
Somebody is putting LSD in the water supply of blue cities.
Stupid things like BLM, CRT, and antifa comes out like excrement down the sewer from these democrat cities.
PSA: Do not feed the bears or the alligators. It’s bad juju.
5.56mm
“Lynching trees typically are not evergreens,” Osborne informed the committee, explaining that trees with larger lower branches were what were used in the south.
+++++++++
Uh, yes. But let’s not have any common sense here, okay?
And the trees are all made equal
By hatchet, axe and saw!
The apparent fear of using solid obscenities and curse words is s major hindrance in these times, because so many leftist idiots deserve to be cursed out and chased from the room.
You can’t deal civilly with these destructive morons, they need to be condemned in no uncertain terms.
You can’t use a minority as the mascot, you can’t use a white, can’t use trees.
Can you use an image of your foot planted squarely in a communist ass?
Holy God! I just realized we can’t hang Christmas ornaments from a tree any longer!
Ban Christmas trees too. /s
No, that will happen when 50% of the schools are named Barack H. Obama Elementary Schools and the other 50% are named George Floyd High School, with the mascot for the elementary being the Fighting Slaves, and the high schools the Shaka Zulus.
And earth!
After all, that’s what trees grow in.
So, to make everyone feel safe, tell them to get off the EARTH—ASAP!!
You ain’t seen nothing yet.
My inclination would be to call all this talk “horse$h!+”, but they would think that is racist, too. . . . Maybe they will wear their hands out one of these days from all the hand-wringing . . . somehow, that’s gotta be racist. . . .
Sheesh!
Everbody knows it takes a big hardwood tree for a good lynching.
The only way to make up for the epidemic of lynching of black people in Oregon is to start lynching white people in Oregon.
The only question is how many white people will need to be lynched to end racism.
They teach that to elementary school students, right?
i take it they’ve never seen an evergreen...
or maybe they’d like to enlighten us as to how they would do it
I never equated an evergreen with a lynching tree. In my expert experience, you want a good old oak tree. Now that is a mighty fine tree for a hangin’. I really couldn’t recommend better. These leftist are really screwed up. They don’t teach anything in school these. Evergreen tree ... idiots.
Gonna do away with ropes too? They were the thing that actually killed the lynch-ees.
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