(left) DU student Tess Cromer teed off on the Clarion staff for having the audacity to ask candidates how they felt about Boone mascot & then proceeded to tell the Clarion what they should and shouldn't write about in the school newspaperThe DU student newspaper the Clarion asked potential AUSA Senate Candidates if they, "Would like Boone to be placed next to your information in this week's insert on the election for the AUSA Senate?"
Eleven students choose to have the Boone logo affixed to their candidate resumes.
The current DU Senate Affairs Committee strongly encouraged candidates to not use Boone as a campaigning tool. Not only that, but they also felt the need to tell the Clarion how to run the newspaper.
Its ironic that neither the Senate, nor students have ever been given a vote in the Boone Issue. Chancellor Coombe used strong-arm tactics last year to jam his political agenda down the throats of the DU community and has been fielding questions from alums ever since.
Eleven students choose to have the Boone logo affixed to their candidate resumes.
The current DU Senate Affairs Committee strongly encouraged candidates to not use Boone as a campaigning tool. Not only that, but they also felt the need to tell the Clarion how to run the newspaper.
Its ironic that neither the Senate, nor students have ever been given a vote in the Boone Issue. Chancellor Coombe used strong-arm tactics last year to jam his political agenda down the throats of the DU community and has been fielding questions from alums ever since.
John McMahon and Tess Cromer - Chair and Vice-Chair of the Senate Affairs Committee
We are disappointed in the Clarion's decision to force the candidates for AUSA Senate into answering a question regarding Boone. Chancellor Coombe and this year's Senate (2008-2009) have already made a decision regarding the official use of Boone. Consequently, next year's Senate will have no influence on the future of Boone. Because of this, we believe that the sole purpose of the Clarion's actions is to be divisive and controversial.
Furthermore, by focusing on the issue of Boone, the Clarion is minimizing the actual substantive issues over which next year's Senate will be exercising control.
The role of a student newspaper should be to inform students about relevant and substantive issues and enable them to make educated decisions, not to divide them over an already decided issue.
38 comments:
She's a DU student and is entitled to her opinion.
Let's keep the name calling to a minimum. :-)
Still it's pathetic. Boone is a major issue now whether the suits up stairs likes it or not. If the candidates want to campaign with him and try to bring him back that's their say.
Yeah take a real election as an example. Birth control, gun rights, etc. These are all issues and Boone is no exception. Coombe might be a sandy vagina about the whole thing, but a pro-Boone crowd in office will help more than anything.
Agreed.
How awesome is that 11 students choose to attach the Boone caricature to their Senate candidate resume.
The momentum is building everywhere you look. Hopefully the students will continue the pressure the administration and force a campus wide election.
You gotta believe that summer can't come soon enough for Coombe.
I thought something smelled fishy. After doing a little research, I was informed that Ms. Cromer was in fact (maybe still is) a major player in the infamous Disclaimer newspaper.
While I'm not trying to throw tomatoes here, both the Disclaimer and the Clarion have had massive rivalries over past years (despite both being different media - Disclaimer as a forum and Clarion as a school-funded student newspaper). This issue is no different than O'Reilly calling the "left-wing" media extremist and in support of Obama.
Honestly Ms. Cromer, wake up a smell the roses. Boone is coming back and WILL be an issue for the "student" elections.
Does the Disclaimer have a link or available online?
The Clarion is really kicking ass this year. Its great to see. :-)
Could this election turn into a Booneslide?
Ms. Cromer --You are WRONG!!You present the situation as "already decided" implying that there is no opportunity to reverse the Coombe dictum. Next years senate can indeed change the previous senate ruling and support bringing back Boone. Coombe will not change but the senate can.
I bet if you asked, most DU students wouldn't really care any more about all of the other issues related to AUSA Senate than they do Boone. To not recognize that it is a big deal is a big mistake. This isn't the US Senate, it's student elections. And students care about Boone.
I think McMahon and Cromer need a lesson in politics. To say "next year's Senate will have no influence on the future of Boone" is ridiculous. Those in the current Senate (2008-09) have no say on what next year's Senate will do or what issues they will tackle. That's why there are elections. If you don't like how one group is governing, by a majority vote, you can put in another group to try to do better!
Here is the deal with Tess Cromer and John McMahon. They are both angry DU students who feel like they need to make everyone else at this school angry. The Disclaimer is the biggest joke on campus. No one reads or enjoys this publication. The only issue I ever read was an article written by McMahon, personally attacking school senators who do good things and are nice people. Senators he didn't know at all. Talking with current senators, having to deal with his bullshit every single senate meeting is worse than going to your own mothers funeral.
John McMahon and Tess Cromer - No one besides your pissed off little group of friends like you - that is something the DU community can unite over. Stop everything you think is progressive and helpful to the DU community because it's not.
This group of Clarion folks is the most engaged and independent since the mid-1980s.
Bravo.
C'mon Boone!
I wish DU law students could vote in this election. I'd go with the Boone slate for sure!
Go Tess .. Go Tess ... Go Tess!
Don't let these overly vocal decriers of political correctness cause you to back down. Boone is a stupid looking 60's cartoon drawn by a fascist. If DU were my school I'd be horrified to have that joke as my mascot (cue the genius "UAA sucks so shut up" responses).
Never forget that things are considered "politically correct" for ONE reason ... because they are CORRECT. Should we still call those of African heritage niggers? Should we call those of Chinese decent chinks? Should we use decapitated heads of vanquished aboriginals as logos? No, no and no again.
Likewise, the use of a queerly bearded smiling BOY to represent an otherwise Title IX compliant school is an affront to women. Pioneers are both sexes and were multicultural as opposed to just caucasians as Boone represents.
Don't be marginalized! Fight the good fight!
First of all, it is extremely misogynistic to only include a picture of Tess whilst referring to her as a "bitch" in this publication.
Trust me, as a writer and organizer for the [dis]claimer, an AUSA Senator, and a student leader I love the idea of free speech through the press, but I disagree with blatant and anti-feministic hate speech, which by the way is not protected under the First Amendment as it is considered defaming to Mrs. Cromer's character, and I would make the argument that this could negatively affect her future income, and thus this publication should be liable for damages (wow, run on...)
On the issue of Boone, Cromer and McMahon are correct. The future Senate will have little ability to change policy surrounding Boone. The mascot was out of commission before Chancellor Coombe took his position, and the AUSA Senate does not have the clout or autonomy to make such a far reaching policy decision; that power lies with the Chancellor and the BOT-SAAC.
I would like to caution us all against pure democracy in regards to an issue that is as culturally sensitive as Boone is. In general, the idea of democratic ideals is wonderful, but I believe Thomas Jefferson stated it best when he said "A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine".
When a minority group is being discriminated upon, no matter how small, it is the duty of a just society to disregard public majority.
If a majority of Americans favored reinstating slavery, would it make it right?
If you feel this strongly about this issue, why don't you show up to a Senate session? We will be convening at 6:30P this Wednesday the 29th, and we normally convene every Tuesday at 6P. We hold session in the Driscoll Gallery. I look forward to seeing you there!
Anon@958:
I dated your mom in high school. She could suck a golf ball through a garden hose!
Haha...comparing the fight to bring back Boone to the ridiculous idea of a majority trying to bring back slavery...is quite possibly the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Try pulling your head out of your ass.
Dillon,
When is the last time you got laid?
Anon@1113:
He was trying to make a point about a principle that the founders of this fine country thought was very important. He didn't make a "comparison" he used an "example". I guess DU isn't big on teaching such differences.
While Democracy means "majority rule" the founding fathers were also concerned about oppression/suppression of the minority view.
They thought it was so important that they designed three separate branches in order that the minority be protected against the unreasonable majority.
No surprise that American-hating people like you don't get it.
DU has three branches of government as well.
There's King George = Chancellor Coombe
The students = Suckers who mortgage their future to the tune of 45 Grand per year
The alumni = Smartasses who have nothing better to do than drum up school spirit
Donald -
How old were you when you're mother told you how much she hated you?
Was that before or after you father started drinking because of you?
I enjoy your blog and I think you're a fantastic writer but why is it that you get off on being the voice of dissent on this forum, even when you come across as an idiot in doing so?
Post your comments on duclarion.com too. We publish web comments in the print edition each week!
Anon@1159:
First ... um ... what's your dysfunction with "you, your and you're"? For 45K a year I'd think the profs at DU would have fixed that by now.
Second ... to answer your ridiculous questions in order.
She didn't.
He didn't.
Because the overwhelming hubris of the majority in this particular situation requires someone to speak truth. Boone is stupid-looking. And the unreasoned passion of too many Boone supporters here is insipid.
Bring Back Boone is a product of nearly a decade of unrelenting disdain from Pio opponents for the even stupider Jelly-Donut.
Damien and others were so legitimately sick and tired of defending the stupid logo that they felt they had no choice but to go retro and attempt to bring Boone back. They've created a helluva nice little movement. Unfortunately the whole thing reminds me of exchanging a load of bear scat for some moose turds. The moose turds are cuter and don't smell as much but they're still SHIT.
Mr. Dunlop, I appreciate the fact that you have a right to post whatever you want in any venue.
But for the love of god, have you nothing constructive to add to this situation? You seem to enjoy the roll of agitator in this instance. While I have nothing particularly against you or this roll, this is not the correct time and place for it.
If anything, this is when DU as a campus must come together and find some moderate resolution. I fail to see how you have any relevant viewpoint to add, judging from past posts on your behalf.
Not quite true Donald.
We've spent five years building school spirit at DU. We've met with the AD, started this blog, spoke to DU classes, worked with DU student committees & organizations and spent thousands to dollars with one goal in mind. Build school spirit at DU.
Boone is a tiny part of the movement and we didn't come up with it. Peter Mannino & Skinner did.
Now the students are getting passionate about the school and its history.
Issues held dear simply do not die and go away as Ms. Cromer wishes. She is (or at least was) a Political Science major. She should know these things. Just look at the gay marriage debate in California. A court ruling stated that gay marriage was in fact ok. The mayor of San Francisco went so far as to make an infamous speech that "whether you like it or not" gays will get married. It went to a statewide vote in which gay marriage was overturned by a majority vote. It has once again wound up back in Sacramento courts. Issues don't die. The Boone issue won't go away just because a leader said so. In politics, it's generally the loud MINORITY clamoring injustice. The Boone issue is an example where the MAJORITY (as proven with several school wide polls) is claiming injustice. I saw a red tailed hawk flying while I was driving to work yesterday and it was majestic. I just didn't see it as a Pioneer. It was a scavenger over a dump. I would much rather have Boone than a hawk. Am I racist because I don't like the bird and instead want a white cartoon? I mean seriously, I find Rosa Parks more of a Pioneer than I do a red-tailed hawk. What would the backlash be if Ms. Parks was our mascot. I'm sure the DU community could find something. Replace the hawk, bring back Boone (or a another human pioneer), and if you don't, be prepared for the DU community to continue to fight for Boone. Boone won't die.
Anon@1230:
Thanks for asking. Yes. I'll save you any excess diatribe here as well.
The Red Tailed Hawk was a bad mistake. In one sense it was good because it connected the school with the region.
I think nicknames like Tigers are absolutely beyond absurd unless the team is in India or Sumatra.
Pioneers is perfectly good nickname. But it isn't easy to represent that broad "milieux" with an single image.
I believe it would have been possible to design something that wasn't a 60's cartoon. It's a "CARTOON" ... the fitst connotation that occurs to me with that word is "silly".
If it were my choice today to fix I'd create a new logo ... perhaps some artistic but identifiable image of what is clearly a man and a woman view from behind (perhaps in outline reaching their hands out to the future and beckoning the challenges ahead) but at the same time vague enough to be incluslive. Men and Women "conquered" the west together along with a variety of other ethnic peoples (especially in the case of Colorado history).
You see ... honor the heritage appropriately. Constructive enough? If not I apologize, that was just off the top of my head.
As to the rest of your comments ... It is what it is. Your expectations (i.e you said ... "you seem to") are your responsibility. I certainly choose my words carefully but it isn't up to me how you read them.
DG:
Skinner and Mannino thought/advocated it, you guys (in Pio-parlance) "drove the wagon train" as you described. It was not my intention to misstate your efforts (hey ... I let Boone ride in my car didn't I?) but to focus on the aspect/perspective that was apparent from afar.
And yes the passion it has created is certainly a good thing overall ... but it seems to have created some divisiveness as well.
Your a proud alumnus who backs up his passion with your efforts here and the money you've spent/contributed.
and another thing. If you're going to attack the Clarion, don't use placing Boone next to the Candidates' pictures as your excuse. IF anything attack them for writing an article on how DU needed a baseball team because baseball players were " hot ".
Wow, where to start...
As with all of the wonderful anonymous comments here (and yes I do promote anonymous posting - It keeps things interesting), I would like to take the time to comment on everyone:
DG:
Great blog. Who would have thought traffic would be through the roof?! Can't beat that. Think of the Google Adword potential... Great work.
Donald:
You're from Alaska (at least I hope not). Get back to your bumfuck state and stay out of the normal U.S. you prick. The fact that you're ass is even on this blog more than most people is downright disgusting. End of discussion. Sometimes I see you post something intelligent, while other times are interesting attempts at pissing in the wind.
Dillion:
You're right. Calling Tess a bitch was out of line. Instead, I'll call you a bitch! Wasn't it your stupid ass that wanted to record senate meetings? Get a life kid. You have a lot of growing up to do. And while you're at it, realize the complexities of First Amendment Law with regards to a blog (especially regarding opinions on a posted news story). As a member of the senate and a "performing arts major" (wtf?) I would expect a lot more out of you. Boone will be at your doorstep soon enough. Might as well get out the milk and cookies.
Oh and another thing. To quote Sarah Silverman, "I love Chinks."
Cromer and McMahon:
As you probably have witnessed from this blog alone (and maybe through some conversation): we hate your views. No seriously, we could care less but we want Boone. Do you think for a second that all of the work done on this new mascot was due to faculty and senate support? Check your radar because I see a storm coming. Attempting to push over a bulldozer is not a great move...Think of it this way: someone who supports Boone is elected. We have a great opportunity to part the seas and use internal resources for once to bring back a loved mascot. If someone who does not support Boone is elected, they will get hell from pro-Boone groups and may as well hide with Coombe while we rally the student body behind...you guessed it: a lovable mascot named Boone. Either way, it's happening. There's no stopping it.
Alums:
All has been said. You are great and I rally with you. We do what we can when we are called.
Anyone else:
Realize what is going on here. This isn't a couple of people bitching and moaning on a blog. This is an unstoppable movement against the forces of....retardation? idiocy? you name it. Look at the new mascot. Look at the CC game. A couple of people will whine all day long, picking up the change while the dollars fly by.
DG - Finale,
Monitoring this blog has to be a real pain in the ass but I love it. Just think...if this were any other Clarion article, you wouldn't have this many responses...there's the power of this topic and the support for Boone in action... take that diversity junkies!...well done.
If there's this many comments, then how is this not a substantive issue?
Just because the Senate takes itself too seriously doesn't mean that this will just go away because they think this is stupid. Perretta and Franceson have embraced the issue, and therefore embraced a platform that a majority of the population at DU has demonstrated is important. AUSA doesn't make life and death decisions, and 90% of students probably don't even know what AUSA stands for or care what they do.
It may seem trivial, but this is the kind of thing that alumni and students care about most, and it is ridiculous to downplay it because administration squashed it and candidates think they have bigger fish to fry. The money raised and spirit generated by DG and his crew rival any action Senate could ever take.
Folks, take Dunlop's comments with a microscopic grain of salt. He likes to spray his diarrhea from the mouth to get attention and further his smug and sardonic ways. He could care less what happens at DU--he's just bored and tired of doing the knuckle shuffle on the piss pump.
Donald Dunlop said... "First ... um ... what's your dysfunction with 'you, your and you're'? For 45K a year I'd think the profs at DU would have fixed that by now."
Then just a couple of hours later Donald Dunlop added, "Your a proud alumnus ...."
I say....
Donald, before you begin chastising others for careless errors with the use of "you", "your" and "you're", be sure to check what your blog comments before submitting them. OOOPS! EMBARRASSING!
Donald Dunlop said... "I dated your mom in high school. She could suck a golf ball through a garden hose!"
I say...
If you dated a DU blogger's mom, that makes you how old? Donald dear, you are one classy man.
Hmmmm... where is Mr. Dunlop now?
Or is it, wear is Mr. Dunlop?
or is it ware?
Mr. Dunlop, can you inform us all please? Thanks.
Friends,
I'm a current senator from AUSA senate, and a fellow supporter of Boone. I also agree with you that Boone is a major campus issue that should be addressed.
I do have some ideological differences with the other three senators who are involved with this blog. Believe me, tonight's meeting was a great example of this. Nevertheless, I know that all three of these senators work extremely hard for the undergraduate student body, and have strong intentions to make our campus a better place.
We can disagree with them for their beliefs, but I request for us to do it in a respectful manner. These senators work extremely hard for us, and they don't deserve to be called offensive terms such as "bitch", etc.
Let's keep up our debate for Boone, but in a respectful way.
Thanks!
DG never stop. And honestly, does any take an Anchorage Alaska alum seriously when he criticizes DU academics. Lets be real and accept the fact that he is just trying to stir some feathers because UAA recruits do nothing in the offseason besides moose hunting.
VIVA LA BOONE!
Senator20.
Free country. Fuck off.
First off: DG is my hero. Don't stop doing what you do. While it's a little sad that an alumnus is the reason that I feel proud to be a part of the DU community, the pride is there nonetheless. Keep it up; it's working.
Next--Miss Cromer needs to recognize that it is extremely apparent that students still consider Boone to be an important issue. Therefore, the Clarion was in no way out of line in identifying "pro-Boone" candidates. The issue of Boone is one that's very important to me as a student, and I will select my choices for AUSA senate accordingly. More power to the Clarion for addressing the real issues on campus, in contrast to some other student publications.
Finally, Mr. Dunlop, who has apparenly gone mute: Boone may be a cartoon character. You may consider him silly. But if we as a student body, and our alumni as past members of the community who still feel proud to have attended DU, want him as our mascot, then that should be the end of the story. He is not offensive, he is a representation of a pioneer. Which is our mascot, which last time I checked no one had a problem with.
End of story, BRING BACK BOONE!!!
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