Dear Editor,
Many people are loudly heckling the religious minority in Springville that wants to change their public school's mascot from a 'red devil' to something else because of its association with evil. Those who want to keep the mascot essentially claim a 'red devil' is a synonym for 'little rascal,' and is not religious, and think the minority should just 'get a life.'
However, what if Springville had chosen a 'White Savior' for its mascot. Would this not have offended countless Jews, Native Americans and others?
One could argue that a 'White Savior' is merely a synonym for 'valiant hero,' and is not religious. Yet, nobody would support such a public mascot.
A 'red devil' has its roots in religion just as much as a 'White Savior' does.
To defend the former as being proper for a mascot, while rejecting the latter, is irrational. Majorities often don't care about rational thought, so the Founders rightfully adopted the Bill of Rights. Many schools, including the U of U, have changed their mascots while successfully keeping alive its traditions.
Telling those who are offended by the 'red devil' to 'go to another school,' is not the answer because Springville is a public school. Everyone in the community is taxed to support it.
Certainly there are limits to this reasoning. However, changing the mascot would hurt nobody in Springville, and many would feel much better about the community.
History has proven that imposing religious views and symbols on people is a very bad idea, which is often accompanied by fanatical resistance. Springville should pick a non-religious mascot.
Greg Smith
West Jordan, Utah