Posted on 11/17/2005 9:24:16 AM PST by 11th_VA
"We've all heard the pleas for sports teams to leave behind the derisive nicknames of another era. And perhaps we can agree that there's little defense for some names. Take, for example, the Southeastern Oklahoma State University Savages. (Women's teams: the Lady Savages. I kid you not.)
But, wait: Turns out that the chief of the Choctaw Nation defends the Savages. Instead of ripping the college for insensitivity, tribal officials are proud of the name and emphasize the school's support for the quarter of its students who are Indians.
Sometimes when you look beyond the easy slogans of activists, you find something more interesting: Most people simultaneously cherish history and want to do the right thing.
Two major studies show that while activists are busy suing teams, many Indians take no offense. A survey of Indians conducted in 2002 for Sports Illustrated found that 81 percent don't think high school or college teams should drop Indian nicknames. Asked about the Redskins, 75 percent said the name doesn't offend them. Last year, the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg Election Survey found that 90 percent of Indians did not consider "Redskins" offensive."
Well, DUH! It's not about the Indians......it's about the liberals!
If Conservatives were to come out for a ban on Indian mascots because they keep the Indian cultures alive and we wish to assimilate Native Americans into American culture, Liberals would SCREAM that it amounted to cultural genocide and demand that ALL schools adopt an Indian mascot.....
We hear of "savages" in Africa and pay little attention.
Races were distguished by color and characteristics in this same book.
I believe the revival of Indian references was started circa 1930 (I think that's right) to "include" them in History.
Also, looking at me you would never know I have Indian blood...somewhere along the line the white man infiltrated my people.....ha!ha! just kidding.
Proud American!
My younger brother was a Bacone Warrior (baseball) his first two years of college. Lots of Indians there, all seemingly proud of the mascot name.
Most Indians don't know what mascots are. Heck, most Indians don't even know what football, baseball, and other American sports are. Now if it was cricket....
We have tons of Freepers with Indian blood. I would have it too but my people got here late in 1903. I see many rural people in the South who claim to be a bit Cherokee and they look it
The only problem I've ever had with the term 'savage' is once when I accidentally wandered into a gay bar ... a guy wearing cowboy boots and leather chaps called me a savage and tried to kiss me.
Too late. The YMCA (Chicago Headquarters Parent/Child Programs - Barb Taylor, and Indianapolis CEO - Norris Lineweaver) already terminated the Indian Guides programs based on bogus complaint(s?) from liberals.
The Indian "activists" are on par with the NAACP. If the Indian "activists" were that interested in their fellow Indians, the reservations wouldn't be in the shape they're in today.
A lot of people don't mind the mascot names. Its just the people that have a cottage industry of going around complaining about everything.
Did you savage him?
But the activists will claim that if ONE Indian is offended, the names must go....
Good one, lol.
You know, Ward Churchill is not going to like this article. But, since the University of Colorado is paying him about $94k to teach no classes this year, I guess he can't be too upset in general, even if he is not a real Indian.
Apparently the school has taken a page from the fed program that pays agri-biz not to grow certain crops, which are over-supplied because of fed subsidies...I'm getting headache now, see ya later.
Go Indians, Braves, Redskins, Chiefs, Seminoles, and so on...
I guess you could say that ... I tore off his right arm and beat him to death with it.
I was amused, when the NCAA tried to enforce their ludicrous "no Indian mascots" rule on UNC-Pembroke, a university which was founded in 1887 to serve the Lumbee tribe. To make a long story short, UNC-Pembroke is keeping their "Braves" mascot.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.