Is it worth screaming over a demon mascot? Isn’t Demons better than the Chipmunks?
UPDATE AUG. 9: Warner Robins police say they’ve charged pastor Donald Crosby with picketing without a license for protesting Warner Robins High School’s “Demon” nickname and mascot. Police spokeswoman Tabitha Pugh says 36-year-old Crosby was arrested on Monday after police told him he didn’t have a permit, as required by the city.
Crosby and supporters set up the protest outside the school on the opening day of classes because of their opposition to the nickname. He says his son attends the school and he doesn’t want him exposed to the name’s connotations
Original blog:
The crusade to rid Warner Robins High School of its demon name and mascot seems as silly to me as an effort I once read about to ban devil costumes from school Halloween parades.
I understand the concerns of the pastor leading the effort but don’t believe that cheering on their football team iby exhorting “Go demons” is going to lead Warner Robins High students astray.
Mascot fervor seems to depend on the school. Some schools have mascots that they never mention, while others revere their their mascots and consider them a sacred tradition. (See UGA bulldogs.)
(I am one of those parents who goes to soccer games and yells, “Go blue.” I never use the team’s official name or mascot name.)
I found an interesting array of high school team names online, including the Criminals, the Poets (my favorite), Rice Birds, Daredevils, Dirt Devils, Horned Toads, Fighting Zee-Bees, Fighting Zebras , Fighting Sandcrabs and Fighting Frogs, Jack Rabbits, Honkers, Winged Beavers, Berries, Cavemen and Chipmunks.
As a reporter, I have covered other debates over school mascots, including in schools that use Indian names. I am not sure why schools even began using mascots. Why can’t the crowds just yell “Go Warner Robins,” rather than “Go Demons”?
Anyone know the history of mascots in general?
Here is the AJC story. See what you think:
A Warner Robins pastor is on a crusade against something sacred to many in the middle Georgia town: high school football.
The devil is at the center of a fight that seems to start every few years when someone new to Warner Robins realizes that the city’s oldest high school, which has one of the most successful football programs in Georgia, rallies around a green-eyed, pitchfork-carrying demon.
The Warner Robins High School Demons.
A pastor at Kingdom Builders Church of Jesus Christ was shocked when he realized his own son could be among the hundreds of students shouting ‘Go Demons!’ to cheer on the school’s sports teams, but particularly in football, where the Demons have won four state championships over the years.
“It’s the equivalent of us gathering into a church on Sunday morning and shouting ‘Go Jesus’ or ‘Hallelujah Jesus,’” Donald Crosby, a Warner Robins resident for about a year, told Macon television station WMAZ.
The preacher has tried to move his ninth-grade son to a different school, one with a mascot more to the family’s liking. In the meanwhile, he is collecting signatures on a petition to change the symbol.
“Again?” was the reaction from Jenni Ruff, class of ’81 and mother of two Demons.
“This is not something new.” Ruff told the AJC on Wednesday. “This is typical when you have somebody new to the community. We’ve had people complain about this … I just don’t even connect that with Satan. It’s just a mascot.”
Crosby begs to differ.
“A demon never has a good connotation. Never,” Crosby told the Macon TV station. “If you look it up in Webster’s Dictionary, there’s nothing good about a demon.”
Brian Ruff, class of ‘82, told the AJC that’s part of the point. “Most mascots are supposed to strike fear,” Ruff told the AJC.
His 15-year-old daughter, Brianna, doesn’t get the preacher’s argument either. “I’ve been part of Demon football since I was a baby,” she said.
Her father was president of the football booster club from 2004-07.
“It has nothing to do with worshiping the Devil. I’m a Christian myself. I love God to death. But the demon mascot has never changed my thoughts about worshiping the Devil.”
Brian Ruff says he researched the mascot’s history. He said the Air Force paid to have the high school built and the mascot was chosen to honor the 7th fighter squadron the “Screamin’ Demons” which came to Robins Air Force Base for repairs. Warner Robins High School adopted the mascot when it opened in 1946.
Houston County school officials said it was unlikely the mascot would be changed
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90 comments Add your comment
TMC
August 2nd, 2010
9:37 pm
As a Bible reading Jesus loving freak and Warner Robins High School graduate…I say, really??? Is this really the focus? Seriously, after reading my Bible through and through year after year (so that I won’t be ignorant when I speak) never did I read about Jesus being focused on mascots. I do remember Him saying, pray for one another, carry one anothers burdens, love one another…etc. we haven’t even got the “one anothers right”. I do remember Him saying it’s the things of the heart the dirt and filth inside us that make us unclean…HE was talking about piousness, arrogance, and hate. I cheered for the WRHS Demons and never once thought I was on satans side…it’s not in my heart. To the athiest I say…shame on you for denying the ONE and ONLY who truly loves you just as you are and sent HIS Son to save you so HE could spend time with you and love on you. To the church, I say get out and help people…Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace….when we are spending our time in what JESUS spent His time doing…these things are very small and truly not the battle. John 3:17 “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”
jkmckay
August 7th, 2010
1:34 pm
“Preacher, are you stupid or something.”
Alex
August 9th, 2010
6:07 pm
How about spending time complaining about poverty?…or racism??..or drugs…this loser chooses about number 1,052 on the IMPORTANT LIST. This people is why the world hates us. Becuase of these type of idiots…then the fact that we report on them…and finally the fact I am spending my time typing this comment !…LOL !
Terry G
August 9th, 2010
7:19 pm
You would hear from the ACLU if the nickname was The Christian Soldiers. Yes, demon worship can be a religion also. Just saying.
T
August 9th, 2010
7:32 pm
Most “Christians” from the Bible Belt are ignorant in their knowledge of Christianity, they can quote the bible for days and days, but ask them a simple question about the history of Christianity and they draw a blank! It is funny to see caucasians(especially southerners), blacks and latinas put their salvation in the hands of a Jewish Carpenter from Isreal….. VERY FUNNY!
Cookiemae
August 9th, 2010
7:51 pm
I am from Wonderful Robins. The pastor needs to research the history of religious nuts trying to kill the Warner Robins Demon…R and I am a Northside fan!!
If I were him, I’d think about this a long while before I took action!
Hetch Hetchy
August 9th, 2010
8:12 pm
I never understood satanic mascots in the bible belt. Wake Forest (the Demon Deacons) has a divinity school. Kooky.
HS Math Teacher
August 9th, 2010
8:13 pm
World’s greatest evangelist? Billy Graham. What state is he from? North Carolina. What are two mascots from two prominent universities in that state? The Demon Decons & The Blue Devils. I’ve never heard the good Reverend take on this issue with these colleges…have you?
HS Math Teacher
August 9th, 2010
8:16 pm
Oh, and I looked on this tempest in a teapot with particular interest – I grew up there as a kid. I lived on the northside of town, though. Ha! In the 70’s, Warner Robins didn’t need a mascot to scare anyone….they just dominated everyone they played.
Hetch Hetchy
August 9th, 2010
8:29 pm
I don’t agree with offending the dominate religion in the area. That would be hs football.
Dashboard Jesus
August 9th, 2010
8:57 pm
People……Everything I spoke of and preached is not being practiced! There is WAY too much hate. Stop it!
Kurt Martin
August 9th, 2010
9:03 pm
I don’t like the idea of the government (state, county, or city) requiring a permit to hold a small protest or demonstration. On the other hand, if the people wanting to exercise their first amendment rights are so kooky and controversial that they are likely to prompt a violent confrontation with the public or counter-protesters, it would be nice if the police had a heads-up so they could prepare. But then that would require different levels of regulation of a first amendment activity based on the expected content of the speech, which is a big no-no. Oh well. I wonder how difficult or time-consuming it is to get a demonstration permit?
Hetch Hetchy
August 9th, 2010
9:08 pm
15 dollars, stamp, out the door
Aquagirl
August 9th, 2010
9:14 pm
Please stop giving this idiot media coverage. He is of absolutely no consequence.
Dave
August 9th, 2010
9:23 pm
I seem to remember a certain middle Georgia minor league hockey team during my days at Mercer in the 1970’s. As a future pastor, I thought the Macon Whoopee, as a team name, was hilarious. Sadly, After a number of years in the pastorate, I have found few issues more ridiculous and frankly, stupid, than this one being discussed here..
Azzalea
August 9th, 2010
9:29 pm
Seriously, this guy needs to know how ignorant he’s making Christians in general look. He’s not just some garden-variety flake, he’s supposedly the pastor of a church. There are so much more important things that he needs to give his attention to. Are there no poor people in Warner Robins? No widows, orphans, lonely, old? Jesus spent his time helping the poor and downtrodden, not spinning his wheels over stupid stuff. “Render unto Caesar” and all that. If he doesn’t like it that his son’s high school mascot is a demon, screaming or otherwise, then he is free to homeschool his child, or move his son to a school with a mascot he has no issue with. Other than that, he needs to shut up. I hope the admin and the sane parents at the school will stand up to him.
ASHLEY
August 9th, 2010
9:40 pm
I guess his church pulpit isn’t a big enough platform for his assinine ramblings. The contempt he has for the Warner Robbins community is utterly shameful and ridiculous. The real devil I believe is the pastor himself.
Ed
August 9th, 2010
9:42 pm
This is funny. Can you imagine how embarrassed that Pastor’s kid must be? I can’t believe some of the things bible thumpers believe.
Terry G
August 9th, 2010
10:25 pm
Silence is not always Golden, sometimes it is just plain yellow!
Pastor
August 9th, 2010
11:05 pm
Just shows the stupidity of these right wing pastors, fighting imaginary evils. Give me a break!
light
August 10th, 2010
12:34 am
Let God will be done thru this blog http://lightoftheearth.blogspot.com/
Fred
August 10th, 2010
1:06 am
I have noticed over time Maureen, that you devote a lot of “ink” towards columns that reflect Christians in a negative light. While this guy, Donald Crosby, is a certifiable nutcase, in the end, what does he have to do with education or “getting schooled?”
Methinks you have another agenda here rather than schoolin’. You worry about a lot of things in your blog that don’t have any bearing on the poor education that public schools in Georgia provide, but you spend an inordinate amount of time on the religious aspects, especially if you can find a way to portray Christianity in a negative light.
Just sayin’…………
Demon Seed « red
August 10th, 2010
5:33 am
[...] enterprising writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution performed an online search and uncovered a number of other shockingly Wrong mascot-names infesting our [...]
Bobby
August 10th, 2010
6:32 am
In the name of political correctness “Dixie” was banned at the school. So why not take it one step further and change their mascot from Demons to Crusaders.
WR15
August 10th, 2010
7:46 am
as a graduate of Warner Robins High School (and a lifelong resident of WR), i am deeply offended by this man’s empty rhetoric. never mind that the very mascot you claim to abhor actually came from an AF squadron who helped to preserve your right to complain about it. and as many others have stated, there are far more important issues facing our communities today.
yesterday, more info came to light about this person. the ’son’ is actually a child that he has guardianship over. and, he is NOT an ordained minister; he got his ‘divinity’ off the internet (like so many do these days) and proclaims himself to be pastor. he is nothing more than a poor man’s Al Sharpton who wants his 15 minutes of fame. well, it’s 14:59 “pastor” and i’m ready for you to STFU.
Mr. Smith
August 10th, 2010
7:55 am
If we can’t have mascots with the likes of demons, Indians, fighting cocks, etc….then I say we use the logic as V for Vendetta says to use. We could have mascots like “SW Dekalb “Future Inmates”, how about the North Hall “Methheads”, or maybe the Forsyth County “No Teeth Rednecks”.
What is more impressive is that as of right now, not one person has mentioned what this is doing to his son. I only hope this young boy will not be the target of hate towards his father.
Scotto
August 10th, 2010
7:55 am
Please Rev – give it a rest! Such a silly, silly dispute.
Warner Robins Native
August 10th, 2010
8:14 am
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH, the name “Demons” refers to Warner Robins’ first Army Depot and the aircraft they repaired at that site in 1940. It was the P-40 aircraft and it was nicknamed Buynin or “Screamin’ Demon”. This is the reason why the mascot is the “Demon”. Likewise, we have a new high school here by the name of the Veterans’ Memorial High School Warhawks.
Reference link : http://www.macon.com/2010/08/08/1220849/the-foundation-of-the-warner-robins.html?storylink=addthis
If people would educate themselves, they would display such ignorance.
PC strikes back
August 10th, 2010
8:57 am
Isn’t it funny that all these “open-minded” and “progressive” people come out to defend a Demon mascot? Wow! I’m just glad WR doesn’t have something really offensive, like “Rebels” as their mascot. If we have to get rid of “Rebels” and other offensive mascot names, it would seem to me that “Demons” is next on the list. Screaming Native American mascots are ok, though, right?
Tom
August 10th, 2010
9:03 am
Publicity-jonesing moonbat. Nothing to see here. Move along.
JOANN
August 10th, 2010
9:10 am
I can not believe that I sent my son to Avondale High School whose mascot is the Blue Devils. What on earth was my husband and I thinking. Thank God that he kept Brian safe.
ms obvious
August 10th, 2010
9:23 am
As a WRHS graduate, and an educator this guy just annoys the heck out of me, but what he doesn’t realize he isn’t the first one. He isn’t some special cupcake. I’m not really sure why he is getting so much attention. For those of you who don’t know, the air force more or less built WRHS back in the 40’s so out of respect the school named its mascot after a WWII fighter brigade known as the “screamin demons” We dropped the screamin part, and has been the demons since the 40’s. My great uncle actually was friends with some of those pilots, and was a huge supporter of the school. They even dedicated a football season to the guy back in 97 just before he passed. Oh yeah, and he was a devout Chrstian, nothing satanic about that man at all. This guy is a thorn in my side, but what annoys me the most is the fact that all you news agencies are giving him the attention he wants. There are 4 other high schools in houston county. This guy could have moved into a different district, but instead he chose the WRHS district. Well, it is a fantastic school, and I have several friends who teach there. Be proud that your son is a Warner Robins Demon. For he will go far in life!
ms obvious
August 10th, 2010
9:27 am
Oh and PC strikes back, our old fight song was dixie, but that was too racist. The band was once the dixie demon band, but that was too racist. They are now just the warner robins high school band, and I don’t even know what they use a fight song any more. I only recently found out that they can’t use dixie any more. I just hope this guy dosen’t get his way! (And I’m not exactly sure what the word dixie has to do with racism. My great grandparents picked cotton and were white.)
Gerald
August 10th, 2010
9:49 am
I know…”The Lycans” – peaceful kids who turn into Warewolves on the football field!
Mark
August 10th, 2010
11:18 am
Believing in an entity that doesn’t exist is for children and retards. Keep your voodoo within your own four walls.
Mary D.
August 10th, 2010
12:59 pm
I really think I would have my doubts about a city or town that the first thing that greets you as you exit off I 75 is a strip joint. I could maybe understand why a demon mascot is so highly thought of.
I can also believe in a day and time when you go to drop your kid off at high school, and you wonder is it halloween already, or if the girls main subject in school “is how to look and act like a cheap hooker. Yes I can see how parents could be upset about anyone having the gaul to stand up for something decent or moral. People, the demon mascot is nothing today, you better check the music and games your kids are playing. They are past childs play; they are already in the big time satan stuff. In the time probably these mascots were thought up, were a lot more innocent times, think back to the old movies of evil vampires and werewolfs. These are considered comedys today.
I think some of us see that we were like someone being put in a pot of water and the heat gradually being increased, until today we find ourselves in boiling water and Satan the chef is laughing his head off. So don’t be so quick to judge someone standing up for what he thinks is good.
nocumentum
August 10th, 2010
1:13 pm
What an idiot.
WR15
August 10th, 2010
1:24 pm
@Mary D.: And I certainly have my doubts about you since you have proven that you know absolutely NOTHING about my town (WR). That ’strip joint’ has been closed for years. And besides, I suspect there are more of those in ATL than anywhere else in GA.
The man is being judged simply because his motives don’t have anything to do with religion…just because he is putting it under the guise of religion doesn’t mean that’s why he’s doing it. He is a self-promoting shyster who wants his name in the paper so he can get the offering plate filled up on Sunday mornings. The mere fact that you are paying him ANY credence tells me a lot about you.
Mary D.
August 10th, 2010
1:29 pm
Yep! that’s me.
Barry
August 10th, 2010
1:37 pm
So, does anyone know if the other kids at the high school have beaten the crap out of the preacher’s son yet? He might as well have painted a target on the kid’s back.