Editor, Manteca Bulletin,
I would just like to point out that I am offended how this lady (Your views: “Ripon High school’s Indian mascot makes mockery of Native Americans”, Monday, Aug. 21) seemed to have degraded our school and made us seem like a disrespectful town.
We are the Ripon Indians because of the Indians that were once there, and because back way long ago there was a battle near Spring Creek, our mascot is Estanislao, a brave Indian leader who helped his brothers gain freedom from missionaries. He is held so highly that the name of our river, adjacent county, and our old city was after him, Stanislaus.
Another thing is that I know at least the JROTC mascot uniform was made specially for us with specific meanings with approval of Native Americans, if they didn’t like our mascot they would’ve said no. We are a very respectful school, and this article makes it sounds like we are going out of our way to mock people. And to top it off this person thinks we should lose funding because of it. I’m glad you’re willing to take away school programs because a school hours away from you has a mascot you don’t like. This was part of a post I had written on Facebook as a rebuttal to the letter posted dealing with our mascot. I received many comments saying they supported what I said and that they are and will always be proud to be an Indian.
I have left Ripon and moved to Hawaii and I still brag to others how great our school and how I am a proud Riponite. Never once has any Native American told me that they were offended by our mascot or by anything we do. I think we can come to an agreement and make students learn the history of our school and town more, however I see no need to spend all the money to try and repaint and replace all of our schools things just because one person is misinterpreting why we are the Indians. I would just like to say, don’t judge a book by its cover, because from what I read in that letter, she claims to make all accusations from just walking into an office and eavesdropping on a conversation, maybe if she would’ve sat down with some students, teachers, or even read our town history on our website, she’d know it wasn’t a mockery to choose a Native American but an honorable thing. We are proud to be Ripon Indians and always will be. Thank you for taking your time to read this.

Adrionna Varelas
Ripon High Alumni
Honolulu, HI