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| Gillie Dog Davis (photo credit: Sky Davis) |
I love sharing a good guest post, and this one is a first. It's from the dog of Sky Davis, a Native activist in Massachusetts whose daughter Lily sent a wonderful email to the school board in Skowhegan a couple of months ago (you can read it here).
Gillie Dog Davis is responding to Skowhegan "Indian Pride" supporter Nichole LaChapelle who is getting a lot of attention on social media for asking if next we would be asking dogs for permission to be used as mascots.
to: MSAD 54 school board
date: 3/1/19
Re: The Mascot
Hi!
My name is Gillie Davis and I am a Miniature American Shepherd! I am a certified service animal for two super amazing kids who just happen to be Indigenous! Cool right?
One of my humans, I call her the Deliverer of the Food!, tells me that last night during your meeting a member of the Skowhegan community equated Native American Peoples to dogs. While it's really awesome to be a dog I have to tell you, this is highly problematic and indicative of the issue at hand. When people draw this conclusion it highlights why using humans as mascots is so highly problematic. Mascots or 'names' or inaccurate symbols taint living People to the point where they are dehumanized, and that is exactly what happened last night. It was said out loud and it was blatant. Dogs, cats, birds or other animals of course are not going to tell a school district to discontinue using our names or images because, well, first of all most critters are not allowed access to electronics but most importantly animals do not have civil rights protections under the law nor will the use of our likeness or image or 'name' cause us harm in any way as we are not affected in the same manner as human beings. This should be common sense. But I understand, humans are complicated.
In all honesty, this has become as ridiculous as a dog addressing a school board. The fact that individuals are so opposed to change, so opposed to being kind and understanding, so opposed to recognizing that something has been proven time and again to be harmful yet still wishing to hold on to something that has no shown benefit is a fantastic example of the failure of society. When doing the right thing is so far removed from ones realm it is no wonder that human society is devolving into a cold and heartless place. Kids should feel welcomed in school. All kids. My kids would not feel welcome in your school, I can tell you that right now. Because they are 'Indian'. They were born that way and they will be 'Indian' every single day for the rest of their lives. Diminishing their sense of self is not educating as NAGA puts it. Retiring the mascot, oops, I mean name and symbol, is not going to lead to Native Peoples being forgotten, they have been here forever and will continue to be here long after each and every one of you are gone. They are members of sovereign Nations and cannot be disappeared so easily. If you disagree with that then you honestly do not have the respect and honor you claim to have and you need to recognize and own that. That's all I have to say. I've got some squirrels to chase. Woof.
Sincerely,
Gillie Dog Davis
One of my humans, I call her the Deliverer of the Food!, tells me that last night during your meeting a member of the Skowhegan community equated Native American Peoples to dogs. While it's really awesome to be a dog I have to tell you, this is highly problematic and indicative of the issue at hand. When people draw this conclusion it highlights why using humans as mascots is so highly problematic. Mascots or 'names' or inaccurate symbols taint living People to the point where they are dehumanized, and that is exactly what happened last night. It was said out loud and it was blatant. Dogs, cats, birds or other animals of course are not going to tell a school district to discontinue using our names or images because, well, first of all most critters are not allowed access to electronics but most importantly animals do not have civil rights protections under the law nor will the use of our likeness or image or 'name' cause us harm in any way as we are not affected in the same manner as human beings. This should be common sense. But I understand, humans are complicated.
In all honesty, this has become as ridiculous as a dog addressing a school board. The fact that individuals are so opposed to change, so opposed to being kind and understanding, so opposed to recognizing that something has been proven time and again to be harmful yet still wishing to hold on to something that has no shown benefit is a fantastic example of the failure of society. When doing the right thing is so far removed from ones realm it is no wonder that human society is devolving into a cold and heartless place. Kids should feel welcomed in school. All kids. My kids would not feel welcome in your school, I can tell you that right now. Because they are 'Indian'. They were born that way and they will be 'Indian' every single day for the rest of their lives. Diminishing their sense of self is not educating as NAGA puts it. Retiring the mascot, oops, I mean name and symbol, is not going to lead to Native Peoples being forgotten, they have been here forever and will continue to be here long after each and every one of you are gone. They are members of sovereign Nations and cannot be disappeared so easily. If you disagree with that then you honestly do not have the respect and honor you claim to have and you need to recognize and own that. That's all I have to say. I've got some squirrels to chase. Woof.
Sincerely,
Gillie Dog Davis
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| Gillie and family (photo credit: Sky Davis) |
Bernie Sanders' previous campaign advisor and Native activist Tara Houska weighed in yesterday on Twitter:
Skowhegan, ME: Native parents call for “Indians” to #ChangeTheName.— tara houska (@zhaabowekwe) March 2, 2019
At the school board hearing, a mascot defender: “What’s next, are we going to ask dogs how they feel about being a mascot?”
Native people = Dogs.
Still think mascots aren’t dehumanizing? #NoHonorInRacism pic.twitter.com/DFDXSlc9cA
If you want to hear it for yourself, here's a complete video of all visitors' remarks at the meeting. Nichole LaChapelle's now infamous remarks begin at the 4:56 mark and include "We didn't ask the dog for permission to be a mascot." Skowhegan "Indian Pride" members are now claiming LaChapelle was denied the opportunity to finish what she was saying so it is being taken out of context.
2 comments:
Love Gilly's letter! Good dog Gilly! Woof!
Love,
Buddy Dog
ARooo! Glad to hear your perspective Gilly Dog!
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