The scene at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium prior to kickoff. (File photo: Kelsi Bevington/UAA Communications)
Carter's Corner: Reads Related to 'Gator Bait' Debate
Friday, June 19, 2020 | General, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – When I woke up Thursday morning, I had never heard of the ugly past related to the term "Gator Bait." So, when a friend called later that morning to ask what I knew of an upcoming announcement from University of Florida President Kent Fuchs about UF discontinuing its famous "Gator Bait" cheer, I was confused.
Not only had I been out of town for a couple of days, but I was having difficulty connecting the dots of how the "Gator Bait" cheer registered on the racial sensitivity scale. I anxiously awaited his letter.
Of course, perhaps like many of you after you heard the news, I researched the history of the term on Google and was surprised by what I found. In this day and age and considering my role with the Gators, I was amazed that I had never heard of the phrase's original connotation.
From there, my thoughts swirled in a stew of logic and emotion.
On one hand, it was easy to disassociate the two. One had nothing to do with the other. On the other hand, considering the term's disgusting origin according to history, it was easy to see why UF would want to cut ties with the cheer.
Of course, when it comes to race in America, oftentimes little is truly black and white other than for skin tone. Much of what makes decisions like UF's so polarizing lies in the gray and the nuances of the human experience.
Once Fuchs released his letter publicly, one that included many other initiatives besides the discontinuation of the "Gator Bait" cheer, the social media firestorm began as expected. Regardless of where you stand on the issue, Thursday's news created passionate reactions on both sides, some predictable and some not.
Here are some notable links from Thursday's announcement from around the internet in case you missed them or want to read more on the issue:
Not only had I been out of town for a couple of days, but I was having difficulty connecting the dots of how the "Gator Bait" cheer registered on the racial sensitivity scale. I anxiously awaited his letter.
A letter to @UF community from Dr. Fuchs on "The Decade Ahead" plan for university amidst current climate ... #Gators ... pic.twitter.com/bnEkF90lVZ
— Scott Carter (@GatorsScott) June 18, 2020
Of course, perhaps like many of you after you heard the news, I researched the history of the term on Google and was surprised by what I found. In this day and age and considering my role with the Gators, I was amazed that I had never heard of the phrase's original connotation.
From there, my thoughts swirled in a stew of logic and emotion.
On one hand, it was easy to disassociate the two. One had nothing to do with the other. On the other hand, considering the term's disgusting origin according to history, it was easy to see why UF would want to cut ties with the cheer.
Of course, when it comes to race in America, oftentimes little is truly black and white other than for skin tone. Much of what makes decisions like UF's so polarizing lies in the gray and the nuances of the human experience.
Once Fuchs released his letter publicly, one that included many other initiatives besides the discontinuation of the "Gator Bait" cheer, the social media firestorm began as expected. Regardless of where you stand on the issue, Thursday's news created passionate reactions on both sides, some predictable and some not.
Here are some notable links from Thursday's announcement from around the internet in case you missed them or want to read more on the issue:
- 'Gator Bait' and the collision of history we don't know with history we do from Andy Staples of TheAthletic.com (subscription site).
- Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times spoke to UF history professor Paul Ortiz about the phrase's use in the past in Florida tourism.
- Former Gators defensive back Lawrence Wright, the person most responsible for taking the "Gator Bait" phrase mainstream in the 1990s, is not pleased at UF's decision writes Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun.
- This story resurfaced Thursday and is an interesting historical read about the issue from Domonique Foxworth of The Undefeated.
- In this news story on decision, Graham Hall of the Gainesville Sun talked to David Stirt, who founded Gator Bait magazine in 1980.
- A background study from Ferris State University that was published in 2013 related to the term and its usage in historical context.
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