I’m tired of hearing about tradition. The mascot of the Rebel wouldn’t be so bad if the fight song wasn’t Dixie. At some point we need to value diversity over discrimination. This is not a school issue, really… It’s a community issue. At some point we need go forego tradition and seek equality. After all… Slavery was a tradition for many years.

I am encouraged that there are no more changes planned for the mascot. When people keep putting diversity ahead of history and tradition they loose their own culture. In a time when people are struggling to keep their families together, it is not the time to surrender traditions to bland non-descrip mascots that do not inspire any team spirit or community pride.

It’s interesting, this mascot and name have been used not even half a century and people are citing “tradition” to trump offensiveness. There have been numerous UNIVERSITIES that have changed their mascots that were considered offensive to Native Americans/Indians–and they had their “mascots” for over 80 years!! St. John’s University was the “Redmen” for over 85 years, yet they were sensitive enough to change their name to the “Red Storm”. Seattle University was the “Chieftans” for over 80 years and changed to the “Redhawks”.

And then you have the Florida State Seminoles. FSU gets approval from the Seminole tribe to use the likeness of Chief Osceola and their traditions. Perhaps if Hays High School gets approval from the descendents of former slaves to use the Rebel as its mascot, there won’t be a problem.

Stop being so stubborn, Hays. It’s not that big of a tradition. It shows where your priorities are, that’s for sure. I just feel icky looking at the little dude.

Wow Original Al, I totally agree with you!

HAHAHAHAHA!! Mark, I’m a “Tea Partier” and I fully oppose this racist and offensive symbol. Nice attempt at stereo-typing.

J Murrah,

Your entire argument was basically a “How can I be racist? I have a black friend!” mentality. You think a few black soldiers make up for slavery? For segregation? For years of bigotry? Please.

And if you think those communities have “deteriorated,” I would like to know the last time you actually visited them.

Al,

I do indeed associate bravery with being a rebel. Going into battles where you are most often out numbered and out gunned takes courage. It takes courage to stand for what is right rather than float along with popular opinions. When your homes, churches and communities are threatened with destruction just because you are serving your state, that is courage. Those men had a lower desertions rate and spent more time in combat than modern US soldiers, for less pay and worse food. I do indeed see them as brave.

I do not think it would have been brave to have been an abolitionist. They were the 19th century version of pro-choicers. Some issues become so polarized that discussion is not possible. The abolitionists only supported terrorists like John Brown who killed innocent families, solely based on their origins. That is the peak of abolitionist courage. They were not the ones on the battlefields.

My main point was that surrendering to diversity is a mistake. You are left with “rivers, rails and non-descrip mascots. They become so watered down, they mean nothing, they stand for nothing, they have no connection with the culture to motivate people. Your comment makes my point.

The Texas culture is worth preserving. Texans stood for what they believed, even when it came time to make a stand.

I refuse to lower myself to the personal attacks of other writers who want to make ad hominem attacks rather than address whether surrendering to diversity is more important that holding to traditions. How will surrendering to every group that wants a change help the community rally around the school and its teams?

Abolitionists as pro-choicers? With respect, I fail to see the connection. Does that mean those who endorsed slavery are equated with the pro-life movement? Really? If it weren’t brave to be an abolitionist, then why did people risk their lives and property to develop the Underground Railroad? An abolitionist from Texas during the Civil War was pretty rare, so I don’t think it was a “popular opinion”.

“It takes courage to stand for what is right…” EXACTLY! Rebels didn’t have the courage to stand for what is right–the abolition of slavery. And this mascot represents the rebels.

How is a mascot representing the Railroad, which is a major component of the development of the Kyle/Buda area, “non-descrip”? And I think I also mentioned “Rangers”, which is VERY Texan. I don’t think the Wallace Rangers is a “non-descrip” mascot–it represents very well.

I could care less about diversity. This has nothing to do with diversity. It has to do with holding onto a symbol that represents failure and the belief that keeping people enslaved was worth fighting for.

And the “tradition” argument is weak–the school has only been around since ’68!

I’m surprised more people around here weren’t for Lehman being called the “Lehman Lynch Mob”–now that’s a “tradition”, too, right?

. wow

Fact:
Jack Coffee Hays was a Texas Ranger (among other occupations). He was never associated, one way or the other, with the Confederacy.

The school was named in honor of Jack C. Hays.
The football team was named the “Rebels.”
Somewhere along the line, the two merged. And now we have a cartoon character named “Col. Jack.”

Makes you wonder what Jack C. Hays would think about the “tradition” his image now conveys.

POINT HE IS A CARTOON CHARACTER NAMED ” COL. JACK” AND HE IS JUST THAT A CARTOON. and like i said you have to be new to the town because as you called it a “community-conscious people will eventually reverse this poorly conceived choice of representation.” people have tred to change it many time and just like our sprit for our school The mascot and school fight song have stood the test of time and will continue to do so. It is not meant to offended you or any one else for that mater. It is a free country and just as you have the right to open your mouth and accuse our school and It’s tradition of being races. we have the right to have ” COL. JACK” as our mascot and Dixie as our school song. oh and one more thing just because you think you can change or fight song and mascot just remember they changed our FLAG and if you even bother to go to a football game our and school event you will still see the REBEL FLAG flying high in our trucks. so you may try and take it away from us as a school but we still have the right to play Dixie and where our shirts with ” COL. JACK” AND NO IT DOSE NOT MAKE US RACES. I AM JUST ONE VIOCE BUT THEY ARE COUNTLESS PEOPLE THAT WILL BACK UP WHAT I AM SAYING

Hey, I appreciate it when y’all fly your confederate flag on your trucks—it allows me to tell my kids, “Those are the folks you need to avoid in life”.

Jack C Hays alumni,

Most of the educated population is fully aware that taking away a flag won’t remove the ignorance bred into the minds of those who grew up with parents who found it acceptable to wave the Rebel flag.

You, my friend, are living proof.

But in case you were wondering….People didn’t call for the removal of the Rebel flag to change YOUR mind or people like you…they did it to say to the rest of us, “We no longer want to represent the bigotry, oppression, and slavery that this flag stands for.”

Open your eyes…It isn’t about you and yours.