Look. I get it, Randolph Union High School. Your mascot is the “Galloping Ghost(s).” What I don’t think you get is that a ghost on a horse kind of looks like a guy in a white sheet on a horse, which kind of looks like a member of the Klu Klux Klan. And when I say kind of, what I mean is that I can assure you 15 year-olds come into your gym, see that beautiful mural on your wall and say, “Wait a minute…”
I can assure you of this because I was once one of those 15 year-old kids, and several of my basketball teammates made the same association as I did.
A little background knowledge for those of you who have never heard of Randolph, Vermont: with a population of 4,778, Randolph is the biggest town in Orange County (though it is Bradford that stakes claim to the county’s only stoplight). As far as Vermont towns go, Randolph is par for the course in terms of diversity, meaning it is 97.77% white. So perhaps it’s not surprising that locals aren’t up-in-arms about the dude in a sheet on horseback in a mural on the gymnasium wall and his possible affiliation with an unseemly organization associated with white supremacy.
And it’s possible I’m being too sensitive, and completely unfair (especially as a Cleveland Indians fan), but that dude on horseback is totally wearing a sheet. It makes sense that they put a caption underneath the mural that reads “We believe in ghosts,” because you’d really, really have to believe in ghosts to dispute the fact that that is a man, on horseback, wearing a sheet.
39 comments
Eben says:
Feb 9, 2014
Wow, you couldn’t be more wrong, and more of a complete and utter dickish asshole. I can guarantee you that no one in town, including the few minority students (who were friends of mine) thought that our mascot had ANYTHING to do with racism or the Klan.
You’re really fucking reaching for something here. I think that you and your 15 year old friends were just butthurt at getting beat in a game or something and had to find something to disparage us, and thus, your claims of sub-conscious racism are born.
Seriously, kill yourself.
Lil' RoRo says:
Feb 9, 2014
Hi Eben! We’re so glad you stopped by – we’ve been wondering when we might be noticed by a wandering troll hiding behind the anonymity of the internet spewing vitriol and hate. You’re that guy! It must feel awesome to be the first. Go ahead, pat yourself on the back and yell upstairs to your parents: I’m sure they’ll be very proud.
As for us, while I can’t guarantee that we’ll take our own lives because we pointed out that your high school mascot really does look like a member of the KKK on horseback (do a google search!), we’ll do our best and let you know. I know when I’m doing my daily search of articles written by idiots (that’s us!) about my high school mascot, I sure want to kill myself, mostly because it means I don’t have anything better to do. And I mean nothing better to do, like living my life, or loving my girlfriend, or being a contributing member of society. Then again, my high school mascot was a tree until it got turned into a badger, so there’s some weird Animorphs shit going on there that makes it a bit more interesting.
Anyway, tell your friends about our site (we need traffic, Eben) – we’ll keep fucking reaching for things that piss you off, because we really don’t have anything better to do and seem to be good at it. And that brings us joy.
Love,
The Clown Show
JayJay says:
Oct 19, 2015
Best response I’ve read in a long time!
synftw says:
Oct 22, 2015
Did you really just pull the ‘I have black friends’ card to justify your argument against racial sensitivity?
RickyAutomatic says:
Feb 9, 2014
EBEN!
So glad you found us. It’s crazy how times have changed. Apparently, 16 years ago (when you graduated from RUHS) nobody thought your Alma mater’s mascot resembled a member of the Klan?
See, I actually worked with another former Galloping Ghost in Austin, Texas of all places. It was a shitty sales job, and I spent about three days shadowing him before moving on to greener pastures. One thing the two of us loved to joke about over the course of those three days, though, was how your Galloping Ghost looked like a member of the Klan. This was information he offered without my twisting his arm, and he even made it seem like it was a running joke in the school! But he did graduate in 2006, right around when you were becoming an esteemed Dungeon Master in your parent’s basement (did any of your minority friends play with you, by the way?).
Regardless of whether or not this former coworker of mine was an anomaly, you missed my greater point. Really, it’s the only point I’m making in the above post: though Randolph has not taken any steps to change their mascot, and thus seem comfortable in that it is not an offensive one to have, the people who visit the gym see that mural and think: KKK. Maybe we are delusional. Maybe we are reading too much into the fact that there was a surprisingly active branch of the Klan in central Vermont during the first half of the 20th century (see: “Fiery Crosses in the Green Mountains: The Story of the Klu Klux Klan In Vermont” by Maudean Neill). Maybe everybody in this whole society is too sensitive. But that’s what I see. That’s what several of my friends saw. An elderly high school teacher of mine extracted the same thing decades ago, and even pointed me toward that aforementioned book about the Klan’s unfortunate presence in a state that is as liberal as it gets.
As a (presumed) native Vermonter yourself, I’m sure you know that for all Vermont’s left-leaning, progressive politics, there is a great deal of unchecked racism in the state that has everything to do with a lack of exposure to people that are not white. It’s not unique in that sense. All prejudice is derived from that lack of exposure, or lack of education about the “other” in question. I’m not saying the Galloping Ghosts is an inherently racist mascot. I’m not even saying the mural on your gym’s wall is abject racism. I’m just saying that if multiple 15 year-olds can walk into the gym and wonder, independently, if Randolph was once associated with the Klu Klux Klan, there is a message being sent that makes at least one member of the Randolph community uncomfortable (that’s you, Eden!).
One last thing: we scrimmaged the Galloping Ghosts prior to every high school basketball season I was ever a part of, and I never, ever lost to a shitty Randolph Union High School team. And I find it incredibly offensive that you would suggest such a thing.
Sincerely,
“Complete and Utter Dickish Asshole”
AKA Ricky Automatic
JayJay says:
Oct 19, 2015
I was looking up R. U. High this morning. (I used to live in Vermont) I had never before seen or heard of their mascot until today. I had just finished telling my friend that the ghost looked like a KKK member that had evolved through the years to lose the point on top of their head. Then I found this article. I believe you to be more “Observant and Honest” than “Complete and Utter Dickish Asshole”.
A Student says:
Jul 11, 2014
A: Can you not use my email? I just want this to be anonymous.
B: I am a current student at the school, and everyone agrees – it looks like a KKK member. Even my friend, who is black. She doesn’t take offense to it though. She just laughs at how ridiculous it is. And it’s ridiculous how non-diverse we are.
Nope. says:
Feb 10, 2015
Randolph is a deeply disturbing town. Racism not only runs rampant here, but seems to be a point of pride for some people. I really don’t get it and it’s fucking disgusting.
Ghost Class of '99 says:
Oct 21, 2015
it is at least better than the old painting that used to be on the wall!!!
Class of 2014 says:
Oct 22, 2015
Agreed!!!
strangephish says:
Oct 30, 2015
I agree, that one looked more like a KKK member than the current one too bad I can’t find a pic
Class of '02 says:
Oct 21, 2015
If you think this is bad, you should have seen what was on the wall previously . . lahd have mercy.
I don’t think it’s meant to be an allusion to the KKK, I just think everyone is too sheltered to realize it resembles the KKK.
Anon Nope says:
Oct 22, 2015
Did everyone forget the KKK had pointed hats, belled sleeves and emblems on their chests?
Classic example of an individual making something out of nothing.
This has been a joke with a long history for Randolph, but I’m sure with social media fueled by SJW and bored housewives, it’ll become a “big deal.”
J.J. Watson says:
Oct 22, 2015
SJW and bored housewives are what’s really wrong in this world — you’re right, ANON NOPE. I can’t believe I’ve never seen it before, but the growing tide of people who want equal rights and fair treatment by government institutions really are what’s wrong with America these days, not racist people who somehow know highly specific things about KKK outfits (cough). You’ve really given us food for thought, ANON NOPE, even if that food is utterly devoid of any nutritional value and looks like regurgitated hard tack.
DeeTeeBee says:
Oct 22, 2015
I graduated from RUHS in 2006, and have several mixed feelings about this discussion. First, I don’t think it’s a stretch to draw similarities between the featured mascot and the KKK; I can totally see the angle everyone is coming from with that. It does look like a guy wearing a sheet – on a horse – but that’s where it stops. I mean, if you saw a kid in a ghost costume for Halloween, and the costume was fashioned out of a sheet, would you chastise the parents for dressing him up as a Klan member? No, because that’s ridiculous. The mural presented in the picture is essentially someone in a makeshift ghost costume riding a horse. End of story.
Now, that being said, the artwork that used to be featured on the gymnasium floor – as some former students may remember – was a little harder to argue in favor of. The ghost on the horse carried a sword and – while it also did not have a pointed cap – truly looked like a Klannie to me as a kid. The mural presented above was actually part of (I believe) an effort to “re-brand” the mascot, and I’d argue they did a good job removing the ambiguity. If the mascot is rooted in racism, that’s unfortunate, but talk to me when we no longer have Army bases named after Confederate generals.
As for Randolph being “disturbing” or “racist,” well… that’s subjective. Randolph is like much of Vermont; predominantly white, and a strange mix of old-school, short-sighted people and very progressive, forward-thinking individuals. If anything is scary there these days, it’s growing heroin problem, not racism.
Dave says:
Oct 22, 2015
Ricky Automatic is a great writer, as expected, that’s what you get paid to do, very little, much like our educators at public schools such as Randolph High. R U High is just like any other small public school in Vermont, small classrooms teaching lower and middle class students with very little exposure to city life. As a graduate of the 1999 class (div 2 athletic powerhouse, so Ricky your basketball team would have been smoked, I mean you were probably keeping the bench warm anyway)racism was never an issue in our school, quite frankly because we were all white and the few that were considered minorities, were just viewed as any other student. There were no “race wars” or “gang wars”. No drive-by shootings. You didn’t have white, Mexicans, Latinos or Blacks. We had hippies, jocks, losers, granolas, over-achievers and pot heads. The mascot that had been drawn on our gym wall was grotesque and resembled racism, even though this was not meant to be what it actually portrayed, the mural was finally removed and re-done. This new mural, although well drawn, still appears to offend some. So I say we call a meeting of the mascots, and perhaps we can ask the Washington Redskins what we should do next?
Charise russ says:
Oct 22, 2015
This sounds like a crock of shit if u ask me… I used to attend this school… Let me tell u what it really is there is so much bullshit racist shit in the world that when one person sees one thing could be picture person anything and they are so quick to judge… Stop damn judging and move on!! Life’s to short to be worrying about the small stuff!!
Maggie says:
Oct 22, 2015
You were a 15 year old when you saw it, so of course you would relate it to the most inappropriate thing you could think of. This mural is a representation of a ghost. In no way were they trying to be racist when putting this up. So get over it.
Kate says:
Oct 22, 2015
I write this response as a Randolph Union High school Alum, former employee and community member. I understand that our mascot could look like a KKK member.
What you do not see in this painting is the history of where our mascot comes from. During a boys basketball playoff game a local newspaper reporter described a Randolph player as moving on the court “like a galloping ghost”. It was not meant to have any racist undertone or bigoted view. Rather he saw a greatness in a high school athlete, pure and simple.
This painting was also a gift from a local parent who has a strong passion for the arts. And this was his gift realizing our mascot needed an upgrade. The old mural, was also someoneks painting, was outdated and looked more of a KKK Member. This painting was was also shown to the whole school after the murder of a beautiful young lady in our community that still haunts us all. It was a beautiful gift on the heals of such anger in sadness in our community.
So yes, you can make us wrong for thinking our mascot is racist, but your missing the history and intention. So doesn’t that make you as ignorant as you are claiming us to be?
class 2012 says:
Oct 22, 2015
my god who ever think it racist can go suck a dick for one u need to lean on the high school history and how it got it name and all that the you all will under stand about the galloping ghost and before you judge something look up how they got that mascot name. it was in the 50s or 60s they didet have a name at the time and the basketball team then was at a tournament and they ran fast and i gess that where galloping comes in then the ghost was thay needed a name at the time so it stuck since then
Gene says:
Oct 22, 2015
I went to Randolph Union High School, Graduated in 2000. This story is nothing more than a ignorant, tofu farting loony liberal trying to stir up a shit storm. It was never a racist thing when it started. My mother went to that very same school when the “Galloping Ghost” was created\updated. There was never any hatred involved. This story is nothing more than a libtard causing issues….
Alma Greene. says:
Oct 23, 2015
How do you know it’s a white rider if it’s totally cover? Your mind is twisted. And by the way I’m now a white skin person and i did not see anything wrong with the image. I’m proudly Hispanic and your comment about this looks like a kkk is really inappropriate and disgusting racist about white people.
A.G. says:
Oct 23, 2015
How do you know it’s white if is totally covered? Your comment about this image looks like a kkk is totally inappropriate and racist against white people, why? Because your twisted mind is putting prototypes on people, not all white are members of the kkk. I’m Hispanic, not white skin,by the way, born in another country and its a shame find comments like this full of racism, it doesn’t matter if are white, black, pink, or blue. With my background and education (I got an MBA, hopefully you are not thinking that Hispanics are poor, not educated and illegal) I have been in that place and when I saw the image I never thought it was a white or a member of the KKK. Go to a therapist to get some help about it.
Ghost Writer says:
Oct 23, 2015
Wow! What a fantastic piece of journalism. It must have taken you minutes to think this article out! The way you just ignored how White men from Randolph fought and died at many civil war battles to free Blacks from slavery, or the fact that due to some overly sensative whiner cried about the last Ghost mural so the school spent thousands to change it to be more politically correct, or that there are happy, successful Black students who also took pride in belonging to the Galloping Ghost sports teams, and get right to the meat and potatos of exceptional journalism by
pointing out that the Ghost might, possibly, perhaps, maybe could look like a KKK rider, even without a KKK emblem, or pointed hood. Thats GREAT journalism these days! Race baiting at its finest! Lord knows theres nothing better out there to report on, like Obama and our reps in DC giving millions of dollars in taxpayers money to nations that vow to destroy Americans, or how the budget for military Veterans and social security pensioners has been slashed and given to illegal aliens, whoops, i mean “undocumented laborers”. (whew! Glad i caught that slip up) Lets just ignore the high taxes and low wages in Vermont,or that businesses are leaving faster than Hillary Clinton can delete e-mails, or the -30 degree weather and 10 feet of snow and six months of winter that keeps most sane Black people out of here and blame the demographics on those White racist Crackers who sacrifice material things in their lives and the many generations before them who put it all on the line to live here because of pride, deep roots in the community, and independence. Yes sir, you are a real deal up and coming journalist indeed to write an article you know nothing about and bring it all together the way you did by making that mural about something its clearly is not takes a great deal of journalistic talent these days! You’ll go far my friend, writing about things such as if the dress is blue or red, or a netwlrk that reports hourly updates on a guy who OD’s in a whorehouse. Shoot for the stars, but if you miss, theres always a job as a used car salesman waiting for you………
Mary Larson says:
Oct 23, 2015
Wow. Reaching is right. This kind of drivel is what sets our kids up to be the PC crowd we have today.
Ferne says:
Oct 23, 2015
wow what an idiot!
jenna james says:
Oct 23, 2015
I went to RUHIGH back in the 80’s. The school mascot is NOT any representation of the KKK. If you look further back at the mascot and how it started before the art evolved you’ll see that the one riding the horse is in fact a ghost. Not just a ghost but the Grim Reaper.
Linda Thresher says:
Oct 23, 2015
My father was one of the original 1940 Galloping Ghosts-the basketball players thundering down the court in their white uniforms-nicknamed that by a reporter covering the game! Interpretations beyond that are in the minds of those who like to stir things up!
josh says:
Oct 23, 2015
It looks more like voldemort from Harry Potter then a kkk member
Amie says:
Oct 23, 2015
I think everyone blowing this out of hand. No one really knows the color of the man under the sheet. So having this possibly being a rascal issue is just completely insane. Yea Randolph is 97.77% whites, but that doesn’t mean that there discrimination against different race. I know that anyone from any type of race would be welcome in that town with open arms.
DeeTeeBee says:
Oct 23, 2015
Heh, “rascal issue.”
Lovely says:
Oct 23, 2015
I respect that you have an opinion, and I assume good intentions with the article you wrote. However, it really was hurtful. I think it’s important for people to recognize how their actions affect others. It hurts because someone worked so hard to make that mural, and your words made something beautiful seem hideous. The people who live there know that the mural wasn’t intended to look like a kkk member, however now you are trying to make others think poorly of our town. What’s up with that? What are you trying to get out of this? Do you care that you have hurt others in the process?
Bluecraney says:
Oct 23, 2015
This mural was actually the 5th version of our mascot the one from the 1960s wore a pointed white cap, and a sheet covering the rest of the body on a horse at thet time we had a thriving klan now we are trying to stop the association with the klan
Christian says:
Oct 23, 2015
Not gonna lie man I live in Randolph and not once before reading this article had the thought of the mascot being a klan member ever crossed my mind.
Karen says:
Oct 24, 2015
I live in Randolph; didn’t attend here, but have children who do now. I’ve never really liked the mascot despite the back story about it. I will say that I believe there is no intended prejudice regarding the mascot. But just the fact that we, the Randolph public, disregard other people’s experience of the mascot makes me uncomfortable. The first time I saw it I couldn’t believe it either, and it bothered me. This was back when the other painting was on the wall. There’s a lot of deep feelings behind the mascot and the new painting due to how it all came to be. (Obviously as we can see from previous comments.) But if it could even potentially be taken the wrong way I think we should do what we can to change that. I want to be sensitive to all the minorities who attend the school so that maybe one day they won’t be minorities anymore, but can feel free to live here as much as the white population. Even something as simple as calling us the Galloping Blue Ghosts and changing the ghost to blue would help.
Keagan Jarvis says:
Oct 24, 2015
Sir. You most be joking. Nobody has mistaken it for being a member of the the Ku Klux Klan. If you and your friends even ever thought that, it must be because you were members of different school. They don’t really have a mascot anyway. They have a sticker up on the wall, and that shows pride and team spirt. Just because other members from other schools are saying that it’s because they are trying to start rumors. There was no reason to make an article about this. It’s completely rediculous, it’s a highschool. Randolph Union High School has African/American ‘black’ students in the school. Nobody is a racist in the school and or are ageinst those students. That’s what the highschool chose many years back to represent them. It obviously hasn’t caused to much commotion, because you are the only one that has ever really pointed out that fact. They are not going to change it now. So please do not start causing issues.
Student-Athlete says:
Oct 24, 2015
I really don’t think it’s racist I mean I am a student and I play sports at Oxbow and I have no problem with the mascot I think it’s pretty cool.
J says:
Oct 25, 2015
Absolutely agree it looks like a kkk member. Doesn’t mean Randolph is racist. We just need a new mural in the senior high gym.
jamin says:
May 2, 2018
yall tripin