Jacey Tanioka/The Mossy Log
Voting for Lewis & Clark’s new mascot has been open since Sept. 10, as LC has decided that a mascot change would help us put our best foot forward with the general public as well as better represent our school community. While I do not fully agree with this sentiment, I think separating ourselves from the colonial connotations of the Pioneers is ultimately a good decision. I have heard many competing arguments of what would best represent our school. Looking at the discourse, the two standout options seem to be the River Otters and the Lynx.
There are some strong arguments to be made for both sides. The Lynx are fierce, agile and resilient. However, I am of the opinion that the River Otters would best represent our school as a whole. While it is true that the Lynx would evoke a more intimidating image, which could be seen as a benefit to a competitive sports player, the school mascot is not just representative of student athletes. It is meant to embody the values of the school as a collective. Besides, I would not entirely discount the ferocity of a river otter. Their main source of food is fish with the occasional amphibian or mollusk. Last time I went to the Oregon Zoo I observed a river otter diving after a fish, and it changed my perspective on their cute and cuddly appearance.
River otters are known for being lighthearted and joyful, and from my experience on campus that seems to be a through line between the prospective mascot and the student body. Our community is known for being inclusive and friendly. Having a mascot that is the embodiment of peace and love seems incredibly fitting for a school that is full of students with similar virtues.
Lynx, on the other hand, are known as independent creatures. This is a strong trait in a mascot, but not particularly representative of LC’s collaborative and supportive values. River otters are highly social creatures. The Oregon Zoo’s website states that “groups usually hunt and travel together, and use the same den and resting sites.” This is another parallel to the college experience. We are all living, learning and eating together, sharing experiences and working through hardships as a community.
Another advantage of the river otter is that they are adaptable, evolving to live an amphibious lifestyle as a mammal. While lynx are also adaptable — being able to live in harsh arid environments — the river otter’s adaptations are far superior. They adapt a thick outer and inner coat to be able to repel water and stay warm for extended dives in freezing temperatures. Being able to adapt to spend the majority of the time in the water as a mammal is impressive, and far outweighs any coat adaptations the lynx has made. The river otter’s adaptability is another analogy to the LC experience. Our community is able to adapt and collaborate with one another to overcome difficulties and situations that we do not know how to handle or agree with.
Our collective push for a mascot change is an example of this attitude. The community decided that the colonial message the Pioneers are associated with fails to meet our collective values. Because of this, we worked together to pick a more representative mascot, and I think the River Otters perfectly capture that sentiment.
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i wholeheartedly agree my vote goes to the river Otters!! hail to the Spirit of the Otter !!!