I am sensitive to plight of the native American. Our treatment of this group of people is a massive scar on the face of this nation in my opinion. However, there is one point that is always missed on the mascot discussions;

People choose to identify themselves with these mascots FOR THEIR POSITIVE traits! I graduated from Lamar High School, home of the Savages, and I more than sure the school identifies itself with the honor and tenacity of the native American spirit. Not sure I see the insult or injury in that. The county Lamar is in was name after a man who was married to Native American women, her father was Chief Ochinee, of the Cheyenne tribe. Ochinee was better known as One-Eyed Chief. He was later killed in Sand Creek.

Maybe savage wasn't the best name of choice judging all of the past but it's carried proudly. Maybe you'll think worse of the name cause of it's past but it was a given name, but maybe it's what makes the Savage name more proud to carry, you want to give honor and respect to those Native Americas.

This isn't just a racial issue it is also a matter of political correctness you don't have to agree but it is. We are trying to change something so someone or somebodies isn't hurt/offend. That is political correctness. Again you don't have to agree. Maybe I'm dancing on a fine line here.

Truthfully Sen. Williams has never visted Lamar high school. She's yet to drive down Savage Ave. (that's right it has it's very own street name) and see the senior statues inside or out there is a variety of art left behind by former students, every year a new one is added. Anything with the name Savage on it has to go, it would be the law if of course they weren't approved. All these would have be no more, the school would be inasense "bare".To many it's just a name you change it, has anyone stopped to think how much this will cost...anyone. It's not cheap, Like many of the other schools Savage Logo is all over, from the High School, to right when you enter town, to the Community building, and Savage Staduim.

THE COLORADO STATESMAN- "Other Colorado schools estimate it would cost between $100,000 to $200,000 to change mascot logos printed on uniforms, gymnasium floors and walls, dugouts, scoreboards, yearbooks, trophies, stationary and buses. Those expenses would have to be covered by the individual school districts, according to the bill."

That money could be use better. Sure some of you might say that it will pay for itself later, hmm...I'd love to give you the benifit of the doubt on that one but that's a lot of money that could be better use somewhere else. Education is important but hey lets not buy new books or computers, lets give the school a whole new make over beacaues again agree of not that what will happen.

School districts should show some respect and sensitivity, but you cannot legislate that any more than you can morality

This is a topic were it seems everybody as an opinion, and it is some thing we need to talk about, because PEOPLE are involved. But with all respect, the issue is NOT racism. Did the U.S. government wrong the American Indians? Yes they did, but like I posted its the government "feeling" guilty about the issue. Does that mean everybody is guilty? No, why should leave a school taking the blame. And I'am not trying to be mean, but we should be over this issue. The way something is viewed is in the eye of each person. And to say everybody views it one way of another is wrong, do you know what other people think?
People change, culture changes so we must realize that times change.
As much as I like the way of life in the past, America is not the same as it was.

I find it very interesting that such a simple idea can cause so much feeling that shows prejudice and self centered beliefs. Yes, using a characture and name that depicts another as 'less than', or bad, or different (not in a good way), is wrong. But you may not feel that way because it does not attack you or your family. Think!

I have seen many, many, cartoons of what 'city folk' think a cowboy is and it is not nice. And we all profess the 'cowboy way' that does not show red neck, tobacco chewing, double wide, illiterate, tank top, slack eyed, dirt encrusted cowboy hat, gopher shooting, cowboy image that some schools might use as a mascot - yahoo cowboys... Think! Because that image is out there.

It is a very little thing to ask others not to characterize other people. Just as you would want and expect other people to 'not' make fun of your beliefs and style (and believe me there is a whole world out there that can make fun of you for your different beliefs), I would ask each and every one of you to THINK before saying 'get over it' and political correctness is bad. Another word for 'political correctness' is RESPECT. If you respect your elders, how would you like to have a cartoon character of your grandparent as an 'old' fool as a mascot? They could call the high school - 'Geezers' and have a motto of 'grandma smells like ben-gay'. Now that's funny, except to grandmas... I for one, am glad that society has rules and regulations that stop others from hurting my grandma or my cowboy friends...

Well finally the pollyteeshuns in Denver have found something that MAYBE they can handle. They haven't shown much in the way of handling anything else in this state without causing it to go bankrupt. When I grew up I had some black friends and mexican friends and indian friends right along with white ones. We joked and kidded each other about our differences in culture and color. We enjoyed each other and our different backgrounds. Now days in the "politically correct" environment it seems that the attorneys have decided that we can't make any mention of anything that might offend someone who knows an attorney. Now I know that alot of people have been repeatedly taught what the attorneys think we can or cannot say and how we should act around other people. It seems to me that when I was young we didn't have nearly as much problem with each other until we were taught otherwise. I was called on the carpet once in high school because a faculty member heard me call to a friend to wait for me. I was told that I couldn't call him Taco. So I told them to tell him not to call me Doughboy anymore then. Now maybe there are some people nowadays that are offended by words that are spoken without malicious intent and to them I say it must be a little wonderland that they're living in. It seems to me that all the attorneys are doing is stirring the pot to keep themselves employed. What's the number to that pollyteeshun in Denver? I've got an old pony that gets his feelings hurt everytime he hears about the Broncos not being as good as someone else. Maybe we can get those fellas in Denver to change their football team name so as not to offend our equine friends? To my red brothers if I have offended you and not the attorneys, Wonumayin kola.