I’m glad to know that everything’s absolutely fine down Rutland way. No issues, no challenges, just unicorns and rainbows all day long.
That must be the case, because otherwise how to explain a majority of the Board of Aldermen* voting in favor of amending the city charter (Rutland Herald story, you may encounter a paywall) to enshrine the “Raider” nickname for Rutland High’s sports teams? That’s right: Change the freakin’ charter because they’re butthurt over the loss of a racist nickname. As Rep. William Notte wrote in an essay submitted to the Herald, “Nothing positive will come of this discussion.” Because there’s no way the Legislature would ever approve this.
*Speaking of which, “AlderMEN”? Really? Is this 2021 or 1921, guys?
More on this in a moment, but first we have breaking news about an upcoming outbreak of racism town hall meeting scheduled for next Wednesday in Rutland. It will be a gathering of Vermont’s anti-“critical race theory” dead-enders. Yup, the handful of folks who believe that fighting racism in the public schools is a threat to our American way of life.
The details: It’s organized by a Rutland-based group called Vermonters for Vermont, last seen helping to bring a busload of Vermonters to the January 6 Capitol insurrection. They’ll be gathering at the Vermont State Fairgrounds at 6:30 on Wednesday, June 16 for an evening of rabble-rousing by the likes of Rep. Art Peterson, former gubernatorial candidate John Klar, Mill River Union School District troublemaker Todd Fillmore, and newly-elected Essex school board member (and proud anti-anti-racist) Liz Cady. Klan robes optional.
This event is the brainchild of Gregory Thayer, a former Alderman and city Republican party chair. He’s head of Vermonters for Vermont, an organization that claims to unite all the state’s disparate far-right causes under a single umbrella.
Thayer still believes Biden and the Democrats stole the election. And after the January 6 riot, he claimed the violence was all an Antifa/Black Lives Matter false flag operation. A real sweetheart, this guy.
He’s also one of the driving forces behind the “Raider” charter change, which makes sense. In for a penny, in for a pound, y’know.
The other ringleader is Alderman Thomas DePoy, already a Veepie recipient and angling for a second. He’s all hot and bothered about the nickname change, and seems to be willing to hijack the operations of both the school board and city board to restore the Raider nickname, without which the high school will, I guess, fall into the pit of Hell.
DePoy’s measure won on a 6-5 vote. It goes next to the Charter and Ordinance Committee; if that body approves, it would go to a citywide vote. If it wins there, it’s on to the Legislature. Which, as I said, is never in a million years going to approve this thing.
It pains me to say that the five-person minority didn’t exactly cover itself in glory, either. In the Herald account, no one is quoted as actually favoring the change from Raiders to Ravens. Instead, they relied on process arguments. Two aldermen argued that the board shouldn’t interfere in school affairs; one noted that the Legislature would be “incredibly unlikely” to approve the change.
It would have been nice if even one elected official had had the courage to state the obvious: This is a futile attempt to turn back the clock to a benighted era, and yet another stain on Rutland’s image. It’s a shame, because the city has struggled so hard to overcome huge obstacles, and plenty of good people are proud to call it home. But after this, and after next Wednesday’s hatefest, it’ll be hard to think of Rutland as anything other than a wellspring of devolutionary impulse.
The Vermont Political Observer. 
Why does the name being changed effect you? How does it affect you? Why would it be a tragedy to respect people who have lived in a country that was stolen from them? Why are you so angry? What are you losing here other than the respect from the public? Let people live and just treat them with respect. Please. It’s crazy that grown adults will argue about basic human rights. This is so childish. It’s disrespectful. It’s disgusting how out of their way some people will go to cover up the fact that they’re racist. Nothing will change for you. Nothing. Please just be nice. Stop making people beg for equity and equality. Just be a kind person. That’s all it takes.
ummm, how many papers (editors) have let you go (fired you) for untruths? What is that number, again?
None. One let me go for social media activity. The other let me go because of errors, which is NOT the same as untruths. Virtually all of my errors were minor — like misspellings and official titles — and none of them affected the meaning of my columns.
Why are you afraid of the truth and why do you keep deleting my comments
I haven’t deleted anything. I just fell behind by a day or so in approving comments. I almost never delete comments.
I read these ridiculous rants of yours and i always want to respond but speaking to ignorant people is like spitting into the wind.. It accomplishes nothing.
I was born and raised in Rutland and absolutely love the city… It’s the attempt by those that are never happy whatever takes place to destroy Rutland that is disenhartening.
Absolutely unnecessary garbage is being thrown into the minds of our children at the hands of these marxist organizations which are hell-bent on the destruction of america.
You make me laugh out loud when you try to chastise those that use common sense and a sense of reason to keep things as they have been because they work so well for over 200 years in this wonderful country we call america.
You are rants about black people being discriminated against are absolutely madness..
If black people are held back so strongly by the white racist in america how is it that so many of them that strive to succeed do that and go on to live full wonderful lives in accordance with people that respect them?
Time to stop the assault on america..
I don’t know i was agree with greg thayer but i certainly do agree with him on many issues and one of them is yes the election was stolen from Donald trump and it will be exposed at some point in time.. even you have to find it i run it that the democrat party would send hundreds of lawyers to try to stop a recount..
If you truly believe there has been no deception in the last vote why aren’t you calling for a complete recount so everyone in america can know the truth that you proclaim to have?
All i can say is God bless the Red Raiders! Some of the finest people that grace our streets came from that school unhindered by a name that seems to bother others.
We have been invaded by out of staters who have dragged that their corruption and garbage into the state of vermont.
If these people are not happy here maybe they should return to the wonderful places they decided to vacate.
Our schools are financed by the very people that they insult on a daily basis with their racist attitude and their racist agenda.
In the state of vermont it is about $18,000 out of taxpayer money to educate a child.
It is time to stop critical race theory and the racist garbage that’s being pumped into our children’s heads and teach them reading writing and arithmetic.
Teachers are there to teach not to destroy the childhoods of these students or to violate parental rights.
America is the last beacon of hope on the face of this earth and we need to chase every one of these MARXISTS out of our state.
All i see are criticisms when you put up an article how about doing something that will take away some of the problems that we encounter.
You could start with total honesty and a plea to make our voting fair and without fraud. You could call for an investigation into voting that took place in the last election and ask that it exposed any fraud that took place.
We don’t need help from alderman and the NAACP and anybody else involved with the destruction of Rutland vermont at a time when rutlanders are trying to rebuild our beautiful city.
Hey remind these marxists detroit and baltimore and many other places in america need help.. however the help that these people provide is not what is needed in any way shape or form.
Like i said we live in the best country in the world and every American should step up to defend it in every way they can.. that includes you who gets to use freedom of speech to try to destroy us.
God bless america and I hope everyone begins to fly our flag with pride… Let’s honor those people who have sacrificed so much to make us the wonderful country we are and kick the rest of these ignorant marxists to the curb…
Good grief, even I wouldn’t class myself as a potential destroyer of America. You give me far, far, far too much credit. And you seem to have very little faith in the resilience and strength of our country.
John I posted on this site earlier today and i’m wondering why it does not show up…
Because this ISN’T A JOB AND I HAVE OTHER THINGS TO DO so sometimes it takes me a day or so to process comments. If you wish to apply for a refund, please visit the customer service office. And bring your receipt.