Bull Whip Ban

[parttime]

There was a thread started on COW some time back by loiuefoxx, about a bull whip ban at a college.

Some of you may be following it and if so I found another article on the subject and posted the link on COW.

This was my post;

"I don't know if this is the same information that louiefoxx started this thread with or if it is the next page of a story that is unfolding, but I found this article and I believe Rhett Kelly did well in making his point.

freedomoutpost.com/2013/04/cracking-bullwhips-banned-at-olympic-college/

Fellow members we need to watch this issue closely.
The Federal Government may take our whips before they get our guns.

I fear that this "bull whip thing" may be under a much larger microscope before this is over, and as all things of this nature it will get worse before it gets better. If it gets better.
We must watch are P's & Q's when practicing and performing our craft in the public eye."

This is obviously going to be a back door issue that will not effect the mass population of the Country other than one less liberty for all, but it will effect us.

-Dusty

[Mr. Fusion]

I sincerely hope this doesn't become a problem. I'd hate to go somewhere in my Indy gear and have some idiot think, "Look at that plantation owner and his whip!"

-Josh

[niagrawhipco]

I copied and pasted Louie's form letter to the dean of the school. This woman ironically has no real world context of the history of whips. While there were certainly whips used against slaves, that was NOT and NEVER was their intended purpose. If this idiot is offended by the sight and sound of an inanimate object, then I would seriously question her intelligence. This political correct BS has got to stop. To me it just sounds like someone who is trying to assert authority where they have none. From all accounts the student went through all of the proper channels to make sure it would be 1. safe, and 2. permissable via the school staff that he be able to use his whip. He did nothing wrong.

If this kind of nonsense flies, then my faith in humanity will have died just one little bit more. There are FAR more important things a college should be concerned with than a student responsibly using a piece of sporting equipment. This professor needs a history lesson!

Are we going to just live in a bubble and not live our lives because we might do something to offend someone? I'm sorry, but if that's the kind of world we're going to have to live in, and we can't speak our minds, then I want out. If the student in question was harassing other students with offensive language or he was using racist remarks directed towards students of a different ethnicity than him, then I could completely understand the school taking action and disciplining him.

To me it comes down to context. If the student was using his whip, and pretending to punish an epitaph of a person with it, then yes, given that context his actions it would be wrong. But he was sport cracking for recreation. What exactly is the issue here? The KKK will burn a crucifix at their absurdly stupid and pointless meetings. Does the sight of a cross atop a church steeple offend professor Bolton? I would hazard a guess and say not because the context is completely different. The object itself is not at fault, it's the way in which it is perceived. The question should REALLY be, in what context is the whip being used. It's simply utilitarian use alone shouldn't be considered an offense.

[California Jones]

WHAT IN THE HELL IS WRONG AND GOING ON IN THIS COUNTRY!!!!!!! NAZIS I HATE THIS GUYS

[ThrowMeTheWhip]

Her staff email and phone number:

Karen Bolton
[phone]
[e-mail]

[Robby]

This is the text I posted into the Whip Basics forum:


I'm from germany, and I thought it wouldn't help in any way to write something. Well, it's even another continent... But Rhett Kelly told me that it would be good, if I would write. So I did it. And that's what I wrote to Dr. Mitchell from Olympic College:



Dear Dr. Mitchell

My name is Robert Amper. I‘m a sports whip cracking Coach and I‘m from Germany. I heard about the „Situation“ you have at hand and I‘d like to share my thoughts on that with you. The United States have a History, so do we Germans. But all that „History“ is past now for long Years. You don‘t fight Slavery and/or Racism at your Campus - you fight a Monster called „Political Correctness“. I am german. Some of my best Friends are from Turkey, Poland and the States. Even an american Jew. No one - absolutely no one - would point at me and say: „Look, he‘s cracking a Whip! Germans tortured Jews in the past! Seeing him cracking a Whip reminds me on the terrible things germans did in the Past!“ They don‘t say such things, because it‘s Nonsense. The same Nonsense, someone saying: “I‘m black. Seeing a white Man cracking a Whip reminds me what happened Decades ago in the times of Slavery!“

I appologize, if this is harsh or rude. But it‘s the Truth. We all - white, black, red People, Asians - life now. In the Presence. What happened in the Past - is the Past. Whips are tools. For herding Cattle and for Sports. Bows and Arrows are for Hunting and Sports. BBQ sets are for BBQs. But you can use all these things to injure and kill People, too. And - yes - Whips were used to punish people. From the old Rome up until today in arabian countries. And that‘s terrible and inhuman. Against all humans on god‘s earth. White People, black People, Indians and Asians.

A whip is a Tool for Work and Sports. To say that a Whip is an instrument of Slavery is as stupid as to say: „All Germans are Nazis“. Or „All black People are Criminals“. Because they are not! When you start with banning sports whipcracking, you should go on and ban Marketplaces, too. And Ships! Marketplaces were used to sell slaves. Ships were used to transport these poor Souls. You should stand up and make a clear Statement that the sins of the Past are the sins of the Past. That Past is behind us. If you agree to ban that sports whipcracking, you open Pandora‘s box.

Some People cause Trouble to...cause Trouble. You can state that sports whipcracking has nothing to do with Slavery or hurting People. And let that student go on practicing. That way you would take away some Power from that beast called PC.


With all due Respect,
Robert Amper.
Munich, Germany





I'm not a native speaker, but I hope all that makes sense...

Robby

[niagrawhipco]

I agree. Anything can be used as a weapon. If the student in question was using his whip in an unsafe manner, or he was using in to whip an epitaph of a slave, the he would absolutely be in the wrong and the school should take action.

Context is the key to this issue. (Which in my opinion, this is not an issue at all.) But again, the context in which the whip is being used is what the real issue is. From all accounts the student was not using his whip in a way that could be construed as racist. It's simple use alone (sport cracking) shouldn't be considered offensive.

[niagrawhipco]

I just fired this e-mail off to the professor. While I personally find it ridiculous that this is such a hot button issue, I can acknowledge that she is entitled to her feelings. I think that those who decide write to her or the school, that they NOT do it in an abrasive manner. I think if she is presented the other side of this without being attacked for her opinion, she will be more receptive to hearing us out.

Greetings Professor Bolton,

My name is Nathan Andrews. I would like to take a moment to share my thoughts with you regarding sport whip cracking. I recently learned of the issue at the school that you teach, involving a student who used his bullwhip on the campus.

I myself am a sport whip cracker, and it is an enjoyable and small but slowly growing community of enthusiasts here in this country. I understand that the whip has had many good and bad representations throughout history. It's primary use being the herding of cattle and cracking for sport. Unfortunately whips were also used in the past to subjugate people of color, and to torture or inflict pain upon others, in some ways becoming a symbol of oppression. While I don't claim to be a student of history, I am aware of these things as I'm sure you and the student in question are as well.

What I would like to point out though is that just as you are not held responsible for the whip's use throughout history, neither should sport whip crackers be held responsible for it. Symbolically we are all able to take whatever meaning we choose with regards to material objects, and that is one of the greatest things about this country. We are given the freedom to openly talk about our opinions and beliefs without the fear of persecution and under our laws we have protection from it. I think the issue of this student using his whip is not as much about safety, at least as I understand it, as it is about symbolism.

The student went through all of the proper channels of the school, going so far as to contact campus security to have them observe his action with the whip in order to determine he was using it in a safe, responsible manner. When they observed him, they deemed it safe for him to proceed. This is something you will find with the vast majority of whip cracking enthusiasts. We try in earnest to always be aware of our surroundings and our proximity to others so that ourselves, and everyone around us, is safe. I think the key to this issue is context, above all else.

If the student was using his whip to crack against an epitaph of a slave, then he is clearly in the wrong. If he was cracking it and spouting hate filled messages against those of color, he would be unquestionably wrong. Just as the KKK will burn a cross which would symbolize hatred and intolerance, so a cross atop a church steeple would symbolize salvation and the hope of heaven to a church member. As a student of Joseph Campbell and his love of Jung's archetypes and symbols, I am aware of the dual nature of an object. The simple utilitarian use of a whip alone shouldn't be an offense. The context in which it is used could be considered an offense. But given the evidence in this situation, I don't think it is.

Thank you for giving me a moment to share my thoughts with you, and I would ask that you please consider what I've said in regards to this issue. I understand that there was an open forum at the school and I'm glad to see that there has been discussion of it in a public forum. My concern is that this can be resolved so that it won't discourage sport crackers from using their whips, as long as the individuals are using their equipment in a responsible manner. As I said before, it is a small, but growing community here in the United States and I would hate to see it squashed before it gets a chance to take off.

Thank you again for your time, and I urge you to consider these points.

Nathan

[California Jones]

I'm Offended By People being overly sensitive and Offended by Stupid little B.S @#$% things the World is full of enough CRY BABYS already ... We need to planets LOl one For those who deal with life and one those who... complain bitch wine Cry Sue

[parttime]

"Political Correctness" is a crutch used to gain sympathy where sympathy is not deserved.

-Dusty

[niagrawhipco]

This was the response I got:

"This issue has been resloved. Should you have any further questions, you should contact the State Attorny General’s office or the Head of Secutiry, Ed Call ([e-mail]). It was their decision that said it was a weapon, and it should NOT be used on the campus. Put on your do not contact list please."

If this isn't a complete dismissal, then I don't know what is. Not only did she not even bother reading what I said, it's also rife with typos. Seems a shame that a college professor wouldn't take the time to spell check. I tried and can at least feel good about that.

I wouldn't have had as much of an issue with it if it was a concern of safety alone (though it still would have pissed me off), but the fact that race was brought into it was simply ridiculous.

It's things like this that make me doubt the human race.

[fifthchamber]

"It was their decision that said it was a weapon", indeed....They'd been forced to come to that conclusion due to the teachers ridiculously over the top and feigned "worry" about the whip being used as such...I'm sure if she made the same complaint about pretty much anything like a whip and used the same excuse she'd force them to at least have to think of a rule to encapsulate that particular "weapon"....She over-reacted and was reacted to, and that's what led to the moronic decision taken...Weak.

She's obviously being hassled by more than a few people who are stunned by her idiocy....Honestly, I hope so....She deserves it. She wanted attention, she reacted to something that had NOTHING to do with her and reacted badly (due to having watched a certain film recently, I suspect)....My mum reacts badly to dogs...She hates them...But that doesn't mean she'd be right in asking the owners to hide them indoors or kill them...It's called "life"..Sometimes, there's things that piss us off and we can't do anything about them....You get on with it...

Using race as an excuse like this is weak...And an abuse of that "power"...If something is REALLY wrong, or REALLY racist, we'll all line up to shoot it down....Because that's what decent people do....But this is just over reaction covered by a racist slant that was never there except in her head...

Weak...And yeah, humanity is pathetic..I gave up hope a loooong time back...

[Robby]

The problem is, that these folks will never read what's posted here into the forum. So if you - if anyone - will at least try to change something, you have to address your opinions and ideas to these folks directly. You know, all this isn't my problem. It's even not my country nor my continent. But I see these things as a general problem and issue. So if everyone who posted into that thread would mail directly to Dr. Mitchell... Who knows. One, three or four mails are easily ignored. 15 or 20 are not so easy to forget. But when the counter goes over 100...

Of course it's easy to say that one gave up a long time ago. And it's okay to complain. But it would be better to complain AND stand up against these things. In germany we have a poem. It says: "Imagine, it's war. And no one participates". Some anti military organisations used this for their campagnes. But there's a little problem. They left the last line. The whole thing says: "Imagine, it's war. And no one participates. Then the war will come to you". Same here. This thing is discussed in more forums. All the folks post and are really angry. But there are so little - too little - people who stand up and make a statement, write to these folks.

If nothing happens, if nothing changes in the end, the few who wrote are entitled to say "I tried to change something!" All the others can say then "I complained in my forum". All that isn't meant in a bad way. I've just seen too much of these situations, were a lot of people complained about something, but didn't do anything. In the end the decisions were made, and then it was "Ah, I didn't do anything, because no one listens anyway..." Well, if you don't make a noise - who shall hear you...?

Robby

[niagrawhipco]

True. But after doing some further research on this via the Olympic College's blog, the "issue" has been closed. I'm sure by now the student in question is no longer using his whip on campus and sees no further benefit with trying to pursue action. If the student were still fighting it, sure I would continue to write to the school. At this point, there's nothing any of us can do. Not to sound pessimistic, but I think all of us did all we could possibly do without going to the school itself and protesting.

So professor Bolton. You won. Good for you. Your short sightedness and sense of self entitlement has been rewarded. The school took your side and your ignorance has been backed up by the school. Way to go Olympic. What a bunch of cowards.