“These people are supposed to be educated and they sound like a bunch of lunatics searching for any piece of racist symbolism. “
The United States has been understandably on edge following the violence in Charlottesville that claimed the life of a counter protester. While dialogue about racism and white supremacy continue to dominate headlines as Confederate monuments are being removed across the country, some have found themselves reaching for random acts of racism.
Case in point, the University of Southern California where the mascot—a white horse named Traveler— is now being called into question. According to Saphia Jackson, a co-director of the USC Black Student Assembly, the horse was named after Robert E. Lee’s horse Traveller and therefore it is a racist act right in their own backyard. She spoke at a rally where people gathered to oppose the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, VA, and encouraged the crowd not to remain silent.
Perhaps Jackson should have remained silent. According to the school, the school’s mascot is not named after Robert E. Lee’s horse. The school’s website released a statement saying, “USC’s mascot horse is a symbol of ancient Troy. Its rider, with costume and sword, is a symbol of a Trojan warrior. The name Traveler, spelled with one ‘l’, is a common name among horses. USC’s Traveler is and has always been a proud symbol of Troy. There is no truth to any other claims or rumors about its name.”
Naturally, representatives from the Black Student Assembly declined to respond to requests for interviews from multiple media outlets following this story. This is a prime example of misinformation and the hysteria that has gripped the nation in the wake of the violent clash in Charlottesville. While it’s important to highlight racism and other social issues, this is the ultimate reach.
USC’s mascot horse is a symbol of ancient Troy. Its rider, with costume and sword, is a symbol of a Trojan warrior
I feel that it’s my duty to point out that mascots such as the “redskins” are still socially acceptable, although the name truly is disparaging to Native Americans. On that principle alone, I think Jackson is a complete and utter moron. I question some of these social justice warriors because of incidents like this. Where are the facts actually coming from? Why do they feel the need to make things up to support their argument? Not only that, as a so-called leader, Jackson should have given a public statement correcting the misinformation she passed off as racism occurring so close to them.
Words can actually be a very powerful influence on a mob mentality. Standing in front of 100 people united for a cause and telling false anecdotes sets a very dangerous precedent. This is how the dialogue breaks down between people. These people are supposed to be educated and they sound like a bunch of lunatics searching for any piece of racist symbolism. Newsflash: You’d be hard pressed to find a monument of great significance in the United States that wasn’t built before the Civil Rights Era.
While I agree that Confederate monuments should be removed from the general public—at this point vandalism is making that necessary—I don’t think a horse is going to challenge my civil rights.
