Posted on 08/15/2005 5:25:01 AM PDT by SJackson
A non-Indian committee has decided that American Indians cannot bear the shame of an Indian mascot. The National Collegiate Association of Athletes, the latest great white father figure, has banned the use of American Indian mascots and logos during post-season games and tournaments. Put simply, if the Florida State Seminoles football team wins their division, they won’t be able to wear their official uniforms in any championship games after February 1, 2006.
The use of Indian names, logos, or mascots is “abusive” and “hostile” toward Indians, say these non-Indian committeemen. Of course, they’re basing their theoretical righteousness on the presumptuous statement created by another non-Indian committee, United States Commission on Civil Rights (2001). Elsie Meeks, the blue-eyed, white-skinned “Indian” from South Dakota served as the first (and last?) such Indian on the USCCR, and was responsible for the much doubted and disputed research allegedly forming the foundation of the artificial statement. NCAA Executive Committee Chairman Walt Harrison (also president of the University of Harford), says “we do not think these types of mascots are appropriate for NCAA championships” and then disguises the NCAA ruling as a gesture of freedom for the university! We want “to say to the [college] institution that you have the autonomy to deal with it as you wish." Vernon Bellecourt, brother of Clyde—the great Chippewa anti-“warrior” who preaches that Indians are more pitiful than a helpless, dying woman, is pleased with the NCAA’s decision, but it’s still not enough for him. He wants all Indian names and logos removed from all teams, everywhere. This grand vision is the antithesis of the spirit that made Indians great, but, it’s what we expect from anti-Indians. These Leftist-trained protesters wreak their ethnic cleansing in ever-increasing intensity. They won’t be happy until every Indian name is removed from every river, state, county and town in America. Never mind what real Indians think. There has been only one national, professional survey (Peter Harris) of their thoughts, and 83 percent were not offended, even by names like the Washington Redskins. That survey was published in Sports Illustrated, May 4, 2002. But the NCAA doesn’t care what Indians think. The Florida Seminole Tribe was ignored completely, even after they unanimously supported the used of the Florida State “Seminole” name and mascot. And the Florida State Seminoles aren’t going to take this tyrannical ruling by the NCAA, either. Florida State University president T. K. Wetherell said, “I intend to pursue all legal avenues to insure that this unacceptable decision is overturned, and that this university will ever be associated with the’ unconquered’ spirits of the Seminole Tribe of Florida.” Wetherell shows more respect for Indians than the Bellecourt brothers. And Florida Governor Jeb Bush supports letting FSU keep its nickname and mascot, a spokeswoman said Friday. ''The governor agrees with the Seminole Indian tribe that the term Seminole and the symbol of Chief Osceola are not offensive and are a rich part of the Florida State University tradition.” Why doesn’t this matter to Harrison and the NCAA? Why don’t they care what other people—particularly Indians—think? Where does the committee get such peremptory authority? The same tyranny happened in the Nyack Indians story in New York. A small high school board ruled against the community to remove the school’s Indian logo, yet there wasn’t an Indian living in a fifty mile radius of the school. In fact, the Nyack Indians disappeared some 350 years ago. But the presumptuous school board, anxious to keep pace with the national trends of tyranny in the Leftist-controlled education system, overruled the people, declared the Nyack Indians logo offensive, and removed it. Committees within the American educational system, even elected committees, simply do not consult the people. Committees make their own decisions. It’s all about power, indeed, tyranny. It’s not about what the people want. It’s about power grabbing by a very few individuals—dictating to the masses, even when the masses are opposed. Communism is alive and well in the education system. But the NCAA is not even an educational body, and their mission statement addresses no such concerns as mascots. The blurb about “institutional autonomy” which Harrison quotes is wholly ironic, since the NCAA rule against mascots distinctly robs the college institution of its freedom to choose. “You do what we say, or you can’t play.” That’s the NCAA position on a school’s athletic activity. The NCAA doesn’t control the 28 college bowl games yet, but just 88 post-season tournaments. That should satisfy them for now.
Does anyone know if there are other schools, besides Florida State, that are fighting to keep their Indian mascot?
This definitely falls in the category of "Some people just have too much time on their hands." If the Texas UIL, controlling high school athletics, follows suit, our local Lakeview Chiefs will be in need of a new logo and mascot. I tried the "Lakeview Inclusionary Multiculturalists", but it just doesn't trip lightly off the tongue, and frankly my imagination hit a dry hole trying to come up with a graphic logo to go with it. Maybe someone from the NCAA's committee, now that their work limiting freedom of speech is done, perhaps they might have the spare time to help us out.
Sure, let's get rid of these names. Just forget the Seminoles ever existed, out of respect. Unnamed, forgotten, respected. /sarc
I don't see an Indian name as derogatory because I have respect and admiration for Native American Indians and their history and culture. I guess it's the people who claim it to be offensive that are the true bigots. I have always said Liberal Democrats of today are at heart the most hateful bigots around, so much so they have to disguise it by joining a "cause" out of guilt.
Also, I'm going to keep reiterating my favorite rant, so my apologies to anyone who reads it more than four or five hundred times and finds it redundant:
The University of Oklahoma lost its mascot, Little Red, back in 1972 because of this kind of stuff.
Don't let this happen to your school.
BTW, this Yeagley dude must be the real deal. The fact that he's a conservative Native American holding his own in the OU Liberal Studies program (trust me here, I've met the dean) speaks volumes about him.
Ted Turner - relinquish your marketing deals! (Not gonna happen? Why not?)
My question is why does anybody pay attention to these nuts? They are not the law of the land. Make them irrelevant. Ignore them. They only get their power if folks pay attention to them.
Fighting spirit is a bad thing now.
That and the war dance that would follow every football score! LOL! Oh the good ol' days....
That's why Florida State hasn't named its team the "Surrendering Franch Soldiers."
Actually, some teams don't seem to give it much thought. In FSU's case, they bothered to consult with the Seminole tribe, I believe might even pay them a token copyright. On the other hand, within just my state we have a good dozen or more "Steers", the nearest being the Big Spring high school. Why one wants to name one's prize collection of rough, tuff, battle-hardened athletes after an emasculated meat animal still escapes me. I look for PETA to take up that case any day now.
How soon before we start re-naming the cities, steets, lakes, counties, mountains and valleys? About half the names of these places in Florida are named after indian, oops, I mean Orignal/Native/Indigent Americans.
It's too late! It has been happening to all schools, including public high schools, nationwide for quite some time now.
Maybe the NCAA could learn something from the Native American Sports Council (NASC)regarding how to be proud of warrior images instead of offended by them. Seems the NASC loves their warrior image! Ask yourself this..if it's really so offensive, why would the NASC use this image? http://www.nascsports.org/
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