Letters to the Editor
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The passing away of Chief Illiniwek
The Letters to the Editor sections of the local newspapers in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, in Springfield, Illinois (where I am) and elsewhere, have been filled with the impassioned whine of Chief Iliniwek fans claiming that the Native Americans are being honored everytime that the Chief prances. The Chief fan ignores the fact that the long, trailing eagle feather warbonnet is a Sioux Indian fixture and not a fixture of the long extinct Illini Nation: the ancient Illini are still being honored. The Chief fan ignores the fact that the dance does not emulate any of the movements of animals or birds that are usually found on the Midwestern prairie: the ancient Illini are still being honored. And, you are an unpatriotic piece of scum to continue to question how exactly the Chief honors the long extinct Illini. The Chief, and his ardent 'red meat' fans, will not go quietly. There have even been demands that the Urbana campus of the University of Illinois secede from the NCAA (the fact that such an action would prevent the Urbana campus from fielding any varsity athletic teams does not seem to made an impression on the ardent Chief fan). Yes, racism is very much alive and well in Urbana, Illinois: the new home of the Ku Klux Klan!
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Farewell to the Chief
I'm an Illinois graduate and have always been an avid fan of the hoops team, and let me be the first to say--thank you King, I think your take on this is exactly right. I've never understood the argument some of my fellow alums have made for keeping the Chief. Seriously, once Native Americans have made it perfectly clear to you that they find it offensive, why wouldn't you drop it? If for no other reason, just as a simple matter of good manners?
I can't even feel particularly proud of my alma mater for finally doing the right thing, because they did it under duress of an NCAA ban that would cost them money. But at least the Chief is finally gone. Good riddance.
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Very interested
Please tell me more about this canal! If I have any money left after I purchase Britney's hair and cigarette lighter, we might be able to make a deal.
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Bye bye Chief, and not a moment too soon
I grew up in Champaign, IL and went to the U of I. When I was a boy in the early 70s, I remember loving the Chief and his dance.
But as an adult, I would simply roll my eyes. You hit the nail right on the head with this analysis.
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Mr. Pamby:
I think you've skipped over why a lot of people have a problem with the re-branding of many schools and teams. The effort to get everyone on board with the P.C. agenda is a torturous annual uphill battle. Some teams, like the Miami of Ohio Redskins changed their name about a decade ago, while others are eventually cowed into doing so, like Illinois. If congress passed a law barring discriminatory mascots and team names, everyone would oblige instantaneously (no matter how un-PC many Americans are, they are not so un-PC that they will defy our nation's highest legislative power). The problem is that the masters of the liberal universe have spent over a decade beating people over the head about how racist they are. A lot of people find that piousness offensive because they truely mean no harm.
Either get congress on board, or you're going to get a lot of backlash.
Ok, King, I agree that the Illiwek is offensive and I have no problem making them change their mascot. But seriously, have most Americans heard of the Illiwek? NO. All Americans know about the Cleveland Indians, the Washington Redskins and the Atlanta Braves. You must agree that those are more offensive, simply because they reach a much much much larger audience. no?
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Drawing the line in words is difficult, but...
"Squirm-inducing" and "minstrel show" convinced me the the Chief should go. An analogy:
What if the M.I.T. "Fighting Geniuses" had a mascot named Rabbi Einstein?
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I Have Always Wondered...
How people would react if sports teams went further into the realm of "political incorrectness" and used more and more offensive imagery and symbolism and tried to justtify it as saying they intend it to be meant as a compliment.
For example, we can have the Washington Redskins and all their supporters saying that they are paying homage to the fighting spirit of the Native American. But what if Major League Baseball had decided to call its Washington team "The DC Niggaz" instead of "The Nationals." I mean, they could spin all kinds of stuff about honoring not only the African-American population of the Washington area, but they could also talk about the strength of this country being built in large part by the slave labor that was used extensively in Virginia and Maryland. They are only using "Niggaz" as a colloquialism because, hey, so many other black people say the same thing and we are just complimenting them by calling them what so many of them call themselves.
What if next year the New Orleans Saints decide to have a fan promotion where they will give away a free rosary to the first 10,000 fans to show up? They could have the stadium announcer exhort everyone to chant a Hail Mary to try and help the team get a first down. After all, they are simply honoring the God that is already being referenced by the name of the team.
Think anyone would be offended? Of course they would. But for some reason it's okay for people to support the "Redskins" (a slur every bit as racist as "Nigger," by the way) and watch some kid prance around a basketball court while wearing a cheap imitation of ceremonial garb that is taken very seriously by Native Americans. Why is it that wearing a sacred symbol like a headdress is OK, but it wouldn't be alright to give away rosaries and maybe have a guy dressed like a martyr drag around a giant cruciffix during the seventh inning stretch?
I am no PC pantywaist and I know that the Constitution doesn't give me the right to not be offended, but I think this is the right move by the NCAA. Every so often even THEY get one right.