Gator Bait - the horror! (1 Viewer)

[Joe Mammy]

I've participated in gator chomping at the swamp. I really never gave it a second thought. I've participated in the tomahawk chop at Doak Campbell. I had considered that to be offensive to Seminoles but still did it.

After hearing yesterday that UF was doing away with the chomp I wondered why? Then after investigating the history it is horrific. Many turn of the century news outlets covered the practice of "Pickaninnies" being used to lure alligators (and crocs in S. FL) in for the kill. Some babies were even allowed to be taken. 

Proceed with caution.

 

[Snorkelson]

I've participated in gator chomping at the swamp. I really never gave it a second thought. I've participated in the tomahawk chop at Doak Campbell. I had considered that to be offensive to Seminoles but still did it.

After hearing yesterday that UF was doing away with the chomp I wondered why? Then after investigating the history it is horrific. Many turn of the century news outlets covered the practice of "Pickaninnies" being used to lure alligators (and crocs in S. FL) in for the kill. Some babies were even allowed to be taken. 

Proceed with caution.

There is likely a large swath of history like this that most of us will never discover. 

 

[Joe Mammy]

There is likely a large swath of history like this that most of us will never discover. 

When I was a kid growing up in Miami my family would go to this swimming hole called Mineral Springs. There were always a few gators in the water with us but they usually kept to the far side of the spring fed lake away from the swimming area. You could easily keep an eye on them.  I can remember one day when my sister was only about 2 years old and she was sitting on the bank when 2 large gators approached getting very close to her. My parents snatched her up and took her away from the water. My mother didn't want us to go back after that day. They definitely are attracted to small children.

Early Florida man using human babies as bait is just very troubling for me. And the practice of snatching black babies for this purpose is simply appalling. 

I realize that 99% of gator fans just thought "gator bait" was the opponent, myself included. It'll never be the same...

 

[SoBeDad]

The Snopes fact-check: https://www.snopes.com/news/2017/06/09/black-children-alligator-bait/

>> Despite confirming the widespread dissemination of such grotesque representations of African Americans in the 19th and 20th centuries, however, the existence of these artifacts does not suffice to prove that black children were literally used as alligator bait in the South. Neither do press reports dating back to the time period when the practice was supposedly commonplace. <<

 

[Joe Mammy]

The Snopes fact-check: https://www.snopes.com/news/2017/06/09/black-children-alligator-bait/

>> Despite confirming the widespread dissemination of such grotesque representations of African Americans in the 19th and 20th centuries, however, the existence of these artifacts does not suffice to prove that black children were literally used as alligator bait in the South. Neither do press reports dating back to the time period when the practice was supposedly commonplace. <<

I just read the entire snopes page you linked. I do feel a little better that it is probably folklore.

It does prove how horribly blacks were regarded at the time but that is no surprise. Those postcards were considered humorous.

However,

"We are unable to prove the negative, of course. We cannot demonstrate that no infant anywhere, irrespective of color or creed, was ever used as reptile bait. But neither has anyone proved to date that infants were, in fact, used in such a manner."