I see a great deal of convenient moral misdirection here. The college doesn't want to take responsibility for sharing the name of a bad guy, so it shifts the moral burden to the town.
"When it incorporated, the colonial governor assigned the town the name Amherst after Jeffery Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst." So Amherst the town named after Lord Jeffrey Amherst, and Amherst College named after the town. But students wouldn't dare change the college's name, just the mascot. Confusing indeed. [-(
Some changes are easier to make than others, seems logical to pick the low hanging fruit. Also a mascot is a unique figure, one that is supposed to rally the students and alumni behind it, something to hold the community together. Clearly LJ doesn't.
Perhaps in time the town and college will also change names.
I see a great deal of convenient moral misdirection here. The college doesn't want to take responsibility for sharing the name of a bad guy, so it shifts the moral burden to the town.
Perhaps in time the town and college will also change names.
Proposed solution: the town could officially change its name to honor the famous English gardening historian Alicia Amherst. So the new town name would be "Amherst".
The college, of course, would then have to be renamed to match the new name of the town. So the new college name would be "Amherst College".
There would be precedent for such a move. The home county of Seattle, Washington was originally named as "King County", for Vice President William Rufus King. But in 1986, it was officially renamed as "King County", to honor Martin Luther King Jr.
Or they could keep the name of the town, college, and mascot! You can't erase history, and if you're getting offender by a mascot, you've got bigger things to worry about.
If people don't like the mascot, I have no problem with the change. For people who didn't like Lord Jeff because of who he was, I don't understand how these people can feel like the situation has improved...they still go to Hitler College in the town of Hitler.
MaineLonghorn39520 replies2176 threadsSuper Moderator
My daughter goes to Susquehanna University. They were the Crusaders. Had nothing to do with religion - it was a reference an early 20th-century coach made to the sports teams. But it's not PC, so they had to change it. They're the River Hawks now, which I like better, anyway.
Replies to: Goodbye Lord Jeff
Perhaps in time the town and college will also change names.
In the meantime there's still the Inn.
The college, of course, would then have to be renamed to match the new name of the town. So the new college name would be "Amherst College".
There would be precedent for such a move. The home county of Seattle, Washington was originally named as "King County", for Vice President William Rufus King. But in 1986, it was officially renamed as "King County", to honor Martin Luther King Jr.
Don't forget UMass-Amherst will also need to change its name from UMass-Amherst to UMass-Amherst
The envelope, please.
Per my son (so, not official yet), it's the Amherst Mammoths.
What is the problem with the guy? Schools do not often change mascots. Was it a PC thing?
He advocated for the total extermination of Native Americans via biological warfare, among other methods.
https://www.umass.edu/legal/derrico/amherst/lord_jeff.html
Not a figure everyone wanted to rally around and cheer for.
WOW. No wonder the people are upset. I too would be upset at the school if the position was to exterminate Native Americans. What a crazy thing.
https://mcaf.ee/h7k68z