Union College: 2022-2023

[Chuck Murray]

I'm pretty sure Dutchman can respond on his own behalf, but as an observer to the discussion here, I believe his overriding point was that your new president has shown poor judgment in the issues he's chosen to engage upon during his time in Schenectady. And the example he points out here (apparently repeatedly - although it's a first time view for me, an infrequent visitor) seems to highlight his questioning of Harris' priorities in deciding to intervene on this issue with the community, as it comes across to me as clear "grandstanding" on a fringe issue that pitted the school against a community where anyone with a passing familiarity with Schenectady had to know would create an unnecessary adversarial relationship.

Dutchman finishes by questioning whether "working-class Schenectady will still support the hockey program?"

The nickname change does nothing to allay concerns your new president is out of touch with his host community.

Throwing around typical liberal accusations of "-phobic" behavior doesn't address Harris' own out of touch behavior.

 

[Thomas Kaine]

I'm pretty sure Dutchman can respond on his own behalf, but as an observer to the discussion here, I believe his overriding point was that your new president has shown poor judgment in the issues he's chosen to engage upon during his time in Schenectady. And the example he points out here (apparently repeatedly - although it's a first time view for me, an infrequent visitor) seems to highlight his questioning of Harris' priorities in deciding to intervene on this issue with the community, as it comes across to me as clear "grandstanding" on a fringe issue that pitted the school against a community where anyone with a passing familiarity with Schenectady had to know would create an unnecessary adversarial relationship.

Dutchman finishes by questioning whether "working-class Schenectady will still support the hockey program?"

The nickname change does nothing to allay concerns your new president is out of touch with his host community.

Throwing around typical liberal accusations of "-phobic" behavior doesn't address Harris' own out of touch behavior.

Yeah, sure, the college president should side with some local idiot harassing his students for being gay, to show he’s appropriately “in touch” with the worst Schenectady has to offer. Harris works for the students, alumni, and faculty, not the city. People come to Union in spite of Schenectady, not because of it. And “working class Schenectady residents” probably constitute less than 5% of folks attending hockey games at Union, and less than 1% of the hockey program’s financial support. Most city residents couldn’t tell you Union’s old nickname if you paid them a hundred bucks. Their views on the nickname are the last thing Harris should care about.

 

[Engineers]

Yeah, sure, the college president should side with some local idiot harassing his students for being gay, to show he’s appropriately “in touch” with the worst Schenectady has to offer. Harris works for the students, alumni, and faculty, not the city. People come to Union in spite of Schenectady, not because of it. And “working class Schenectady residents” probably constitute less than 5% of folks attending hockey games at Union, and less than 1% of the hockey program’s financial support. Most city residents couldn’t tell you Union’s old nickname if you paid them a hundred bucks. Their views on the nickname are the last thing Harris should care about.

No that’s not correct. Schenectady has supported union hockey. Working class Schenectady residents make up more than 5% of attendance. Your claim of 1% financial support is also inaccurate. Contrary to your claim Schenectady cares about the program and the name. Not sure where your getting your numbers and facts from. This coming from a RPI fan.

 

[Whalers]

Let me know if any of that is unclear. If so, I guess I could try to do it with stick figures for you.

Yes, please send me a stick figure outline so I can try and comprehend the situation. Make sure that said stick figure has painted nails.

Since when is Union part of the ivy league? I expect this sort of condescension from the Keplers and his supposed big brained cornell types hiding in the cafe'. A family friend who graduated from RPI said it was really nice that Schenectady Community College finally won a national championship in hockey.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Yeah, sure, the college president should side with some local idiot harassing his students for being gay, to show he’s appropriately “in touch” with the worst Schenectady has to offer. Harris works for the students, alumni, and faculty, not the city. People come to Union in spite of Schenectady, not because of it. And “working class Schenectady residents” probably constitute less than 5% of folks attending hockey games at Union, and less than 1% of the hockey program’s financial support. Most city residents couldn’t tell you Union’s old nickname if you paid them a hundred bucks. Their views on the nickname are the last thing Harris should care about.

If the incident didn't occur on the Union campus, then why is it a cause celebre for Union's president?

ANSWER: Because he wanted to grandstand, and virtue signal to his Woke crowd of supporters. Did anyone bother to investigate the accuracy of the student's allegations/accusations, or is/was he just going on faith?? I ask in all sincerity, because I don't know for sure, I have my suspicions, but also concede I could well be wrong.

I mention it, as I do seem to recall a similar incident that occurred on the mean streets of Chicago a couple of winters ago ... some Jussie Smollett character, I think?? A lot of folks seemed to simply take him at his word, in a rush to be the first to grandstand about their virtuous support, and it turned out to be nothing more than an abject fraud perpetrated for the purported "victim's" attention-seeking behavior. How did that turn out?

 

[Thomas Kaine]

If the incident didn't occur on the Union campus, then why is it a cause celebre for Union's president?

ANSWER: Because he wanted to grandstand, and virtue signal to his Woke crowd of supporters. Did anyone bother to investigate the accuracy of the student's allegations/accusations, or is/was he just going on faith?? I ask in all sincerity, because I don't know for sure, I have my suspicions, but also concede I could well be wrong.

I mention it, as I do seem to recall a similar incident that occurred on the mean streets of Chicago a couple of winters ago ... some Jussie Smollett character, I think?? A lot of folks seemed to simply take him at his word, in a rush to be the first to grandstand about their virtuous support, and it turned out to be nothing more than an abject fraud perpetrated for the purported "victim's" attention-seeking behavior. How did that turn out?

Why? Because it was a Union student, duh.

This dumb anti-woke stuff is just nonsense. Just admit you're a homophobic dinosaur and move on to the important life work of hitting 16,000 posts on an online hockey message board.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Why? Because it was a Union student, duh.

OK, so let's go with that supposition then, Mr. Simpleton. Let's say some Union student - in his/her/xir spare time, in town but off Union campus, decides to rob a bank. Using your basic guidelines stated above, "because it was a Union student" then President Harris is obligated to do ... what? Deny any and all Union legal liability/responsibility? Argue the robbery was justified because of the student's gender status?? Or will he say jack squat, because it's not his time, his place nor his standing to get involved in what Union students do off campus on their own time???

I think we all know the answer. The only question I have is, whether "light has dawned on Marblehead" or not ...

 

[rpi82]

Is the “gay student in a blue collar Schenectady bar” story even true? Below is a link to a story in the college newspaper that said the nail painting was triggered by an incident at a party in a house with some relationship to a campus fraternity.

https://concordiensis.com/1328/cover...btq-community/

 

[Thomas Kaine]

OK, so let's go with that supposition then, Mr. Simpleton. Let's say some Union student - in his/her/xir spare time, in town but off Union campus, decides to rob a bank. Using your basic guidelines stated above, "because it was a Union student" then President Harris is obligated to do ... what? Deny any and all Union legal liability/responsibility? Argue the robbery was justified because of the student's gender status?? Or will he say jack squat, because it's not his time, his place nor his standing to get involved in what Union students do off campus on their own time???

I think we all know the answer. The only question I have is, whether "light has dawned on Marblehead" or not ...

That is a stupid hypothetical. (And on the merits, Harris should investigate and if it turns out there is credible evidence the kid committed robbery, Harris should kick him out of school, because part of his job is to ensure Union students don't go to school with violent criminals.)

Let's try a not stupid one. Union student walks a block off campus and gets robbed at gunpoint. Should the President care? Of course he should. Because again, part of his job is to ensure that Union students can attend college and inhabit the surrounding area safely.

 

[Thomas Kaine]

Is the “gay student in a blue collar Schenectady bar” story even true? Below is a link to a story in the college newspaper that said the nail painting was triggered by an incident at a party in a house with some relationship to a campus fraternity.

https://concordiensis.com/1328/cover...btq-community/

Wait, is Dutchman the Justin Smollet here, fabricating a tall tale about how Harris disrespected the working class people of Schenectady who were just exercising their god-given right to harrass a gay kid in one of their bars? Because that would be hilarious.

 

[Chuck Murray]

That is a stupid hypothetical.

The only thing that's "stupid" is your inability to logically address a legitimate question. Because being Woke means you never have to be logical, you're always the virtuous one grandstanding what a wonderful person you are.

So you lose. As does Union. Revel in the virtue of your school's super fantastic new Woke nickname.

 

[Thomas Kaine]

The only thing that's "stupid" is your inability to logically address a legitimate question. Because being Woke means you never have to be logical, you're always the virtuous one grandstanding what a wonderful person you are.

So you lose. As does Union. Revel in the virtue of your school's super fantastic new Woke nickname.

Dude, I quite specifically addressed your dumb hypothetical, and told you why a president should care about a student committing a crime off campus. And then I gave you a more apt hypothetical, where the student is victim not perpetrator.

But rather than respond to that you've chosen to be the triggered snowflake who cries woke.

The funny part is, as a stated at the top, I think Harris is a poor president and the name change is terrible. But, contra Dutchman, the fact that Harris showed support for a gay student is not a bad thing, nor relevant to either issue.

I don’t happen to think you’re a bad person, but you might want to do some thinking about why you’re spending so much time and energy publicly defending the right of people to harass gay kids with impunity, and what that says about you.

 

[sk8tronthepond]

Dude, I quite specifically addressed your dumb hypothetical, and told you why a president should care about a student committing a crime off campus. And then I gave you a more apt hypothetical, where the student is victim not perpetrator.

But rather than respond to that you've chosen to be the triggered snowflake who cries woke.

The funny part is, as a stated at the top, I think Harris is a poor president and the name change is terrible. But, contra Dutchman, the fact that Harris showed support for a gay student is not a bad thing, nor relevant to either issue.

I don’t happen to think you’re a bad person, but you might want to do some thinking about why you’re spending so much time and energy publicly defending the right of people to harass gay kids with impunity, and what that says about you.

Isn't there another web site you can take this? This is a College Hockey forum, not an advocacy site!

 

[Thomas Kaine]

Isn't there another web site you can take this? This is a College Hockey forum, not an advocacy site!

You can blame Dutchman, who on four different occasions has criticized Union's president on this board for defending a gay student. I would be the first person to agree that has nothing to do at all with college hockey. But if he and others are going to continue to introduce that topic, I am absolutely going to weigh in, because I don’t want any reader to think the average Union fan shares their views.

 

[vicious]

Fantastic post. We need many more like you chiming in on the Woke overreach pervading Academia.

Not on a college hockey board, thanks. There are other places for that stuff.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Dude, I quite specifically addressed your dumb hypothetical, and told you why a president should care about a student committing a crime off campus. And then I gave you a more apt hypothetical, where the student is victim not perpetrator.

Boy, that's a mighty big assumption on your part. But "student as victim, not perp" fits your narrative, so you go, girl.

It's funny how you criticize Dutchman's repetition, yet all I see here is you invoking "Dutchman" in all your responses.

Apparently you two have a long-standing tiff, so don't let any of us get in your way. "Garnet Chargers" lolololol ...

 

[Dutchman]

The "Union College Hockey Fans" Facebook site posted 92 comments in response to the recently announced name change. This is a site that may draw 1-2 comments in the off-season in response to an article about the team. This has drawn 92 so far. They are, for the most part, absolutely hilarious! One photo shows a battery charger. The logo change also offends.

"Whoever made this ridiculous decision should be fired."

"Dutchmen for life! I hope they banked enough Alumni donations to survive this mistake."

"Ridiculous, saw the writing on the wall when new admin came in. Slow subtle changes at first then came the bigger ones!!! Maybe I should say I’m offended!"

"I very rarely share opinions/thoughts on social media but I’d like to say this as respectfully as possible, this is really beyond poor. I don’t believe this decision was made because the name “Dutchmen” was considered offensive. I wholeheartedly believe Union just wanted to reignite some school spirit with the new name. With that being said, this is beyond porous. I am not only saddened as a life long Union College hockey and football fan, I am personally bothered at how horrible this came out. What a disgrace and most importantly, what an insult to the past, present, and future Union College Dutchmen and Dutchwomen student athletes. I will 100% refuse to even acknowledge this name change and will call out the names Dutchmen and Dutchwomen from now until the very end from the sidelines and in the stands at Messa Rink. Garnet Chargers…could this be any more elementary?"

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http...UiQ_D_RFi3G5ijSQVEX6-TeF8lUEzMOtzgXCocKIGXQbw

There is hope. As they found out in North Dakota, there is no way to scrub the "Dutchmen" and "Dutchwomen" from all the trophies, awards, plaques, banners, apparel, etc.

The Sioux Nickname Is Gone, but North Dakota Hockey Fans Haven’t Moved On
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/03/...e.html?auth=login-google1tap&login=google1tap

 

[Dutchman]

Reaching out to the Union College Ticket office, the Athletic Department, the Union Fan Facebook site, season ticket holders, etc., it would appear that about 25% of Union College Hocks Frans are students, parents, faculty/staff and alums. The remaining 75% of paying fans are, for the most part, greater Schenectady area residents seeking a local team to cheer for. Union College youth hockey programs help to cement this relationship. Many of these are most loyal fans. Based on posts from the Facebook fan page, they are irate.

 

[board]

Please keep the discussions here hockey-focused. We will begin deleting non-hockey posts on this thread if we see more.

Thanks,

The mods