Redskins Forever!

To be or not to be … That is the question.

Yes, we should be Redskins.

As a 1957 graduate of Cooperstown Central School, and a participant in several varsity sports programs, I am very proud to be called a “Cooperstown Redskin,” and will be forever.

I am also proud to say that I was honored to be one of the “Bursey Boys” who labored under the coaching expertise of Lester G. “Red” Bursey. Red did more for this school and the town during his 46 years as a coach and athletic director than many of the people here know anything about. Not only was he a terrific coach, but he founded the summer playground program, swimming instruction at the gym, founded “The Redskins Booster Club,” worked for the American Red Cross, put on pageants at CCS, wrote “The American Indian” and did other endeavors too numerous to mention. He was proud of his “Redskins,” and his heritage was American Indian.

Because we live in small-town America, does not mean that we are not aware of the views of the nation on racial and political-correctness issues. However, in some cases there are factions that apparently want to create confrontation issues for the sake of creating an issue. How many times have our opponents ever said, “We’re not playing Cooperstown High because they are called Redskins?” None, to my knowledge and my guess is there won’t be, either. Not once during my years in Cooperstown have I ever heard anyone make a disparaging or offensive statement or racial slur relative to the word “Redskin.”

Apparently, when the majority of the Iroquois Nation informs us that they are against using the name “Redskins,” then we should consider a name change.

Until then, Cooperstown Redskins!

John Famulare

Fly Creek

Thanks from the SSPCA

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Susquehanna SPCA and our volunteers, we thank the following who donated their time during the Cooperstown Winter Carnival. We appreciate their energy and money to help our organization provide the best care for our furry friends while awaiting new homes:

•    Cooperstown Winter Carnival Committee, who pulled together the theme of “British Invasion” with great success.

•    Dog Wild Canine Supply for its sponsorship and donation of prizes for the Hounds of Baskerville SSPCA Dog Show. What great fun!!

•    Phil Andrews and staff at Nicoletta’s Italian Café, Main Street, for the wine, hors d’oeuvre samplings and collection of donations for our cause. (Lovely wines, tasty food and a great turnout!)

To all of you, Carnival participants, we say thank you!

Paula Bugonian

SSPCA Board Member

Rethink paid parking and mascot name change

I have lived in the Town of Otsego all my life. In addition to being a resident, I’ve been a local business owner, and the actions of the village trustees to force paid parking are not good for the residents or the businesses in Cooperstown. I understand the desire to find revenues, but this effort will simply hurt (and cost) the residents of the village and town.

People move to Cooperstown because it is a very nice place to live. Yes we all know it is a very nice place to live and raise our families, that is why a lot of us have lived here all of our lives. We all make an effort to visit Main Street business and support our local business people … all-year-round. But I find it curious that many people decide to move to Cooperstown because it is so unique, and then they make every effort to change it.

They come here to escape many of the disadvantages of their former communities, and decide to try to remake Cooperstown into that former community. That’s just crazy.

When asked about the effect on locals, the mayor’s answer was that any village residents can come to the village office and pay for a pass to park in the months that the village will be charging for parking. If the mayor was interested in working with and for the residents and business of Cooperstown and the people in the town of Otsego that shop in the village, he should have said that any resident of the village or the town of Otsego can get a parking pass. This short-sighted move will not be good for the businesses or residents of Cooperstown.

And finally, as the newer residents to our community continue to swing their sledgehammer, another victim is the pride and tradition of Cooperstown Redskins athletics. The board members fueling this change have little or no roots in CCS tradition and have even less understanding of what Redskins means to those of us who do.

Sheila M. Ross

Fly Creek