U. of Illinois bars Indian symbol

AP ^ | 2/16/2007 | David Mercer

[AT7Saluki]

URBANA, Ill. (AP) -- The University of Illinois will drop its 81-year-old American Indian mascot, Chief Illiniwek, following the last men's basketball home game of the season on Wednesday, officials said.

The move makes the school eligible to host postseason NCAA championship events.

The NCAA in 2005 deemed Illiniwek -- portrayed by buckskin-clad students who dance at home football and basketball games and other athletic events -- an offensive use of American Indian imagery and barred the university from hosting postseason events.

[AT7Saluki]

Waiting until SPCA declares my home mascot offensive.

[Rb ver. 2.0]

Relegating American Indians to obscurity seems to be popular these days.

[Brilliant]

Seems like they ought to change the name of their State. It's demeaning to name your State after an Indian.

[Shermy]

Another example of the white folk believing Native Americans are insulted.

What Native Americans actually think is irrelevant, it is how the whites think Native Americans should think which prevails. A mix of guilt and patronization.

[Graybeard58]

Ping

[MPJackal]

Once again liberalism generates the exact opposite of it's stated intent.

[EagleUSA]

Just the radical socialist left exercising its fanatic desire to control what society can and cannot do. God help us if a Marxist gets in the White House in 2008...

[Long Island Pete]

an offensive use of American Indian imagery

How can wearing traditional American Indian clothes be offensive? Do you mean to tell me white kids dressing like black rappers is offensive to blacks? I only thought blacks got offended when you call them articulate. People, we have to lighten up and stop being offended so easiily.

[Molly Pitcher]

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

[Spok]

We have a high school who go by the Saxons. First the Norman Conquest and now this. I weep at its mention.

[mnehring]

As someone of Native American descent, I am highly offended by this attempt to eradicate the history of my ancestors, akin to a cultural genocide by the politically correct.

[muawiyah]

Just more NCAA racism intended to obliterate Indians and Indian imagery from the American mind.

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

The NCAA in 2005 deemed Illiniwek -- portrayed by buckskin-clad students who dance at home football and basketball games and other athletic events -- an offensive use of American Indian imagery

Maybe they should depict the American Indian in their more accepted roles--running gambling casinos and selling tax-free cigarettes.

[wastedyears]

I can sympathize, but not empathize.

[Non-Sequitur]

I've just barred University of Illinois alumni donation solicitations from my desk. They will not go directly into the circular file.

[GAB-1955]

Well, I have known some Indians who were insulted by Indian stereotypes. They see them not representing who they are, reducing them to cartoon characters, like, say, "Ikey the Jewish peddler" or "Mike the drunk Irishman". It's perhaps part of the cultural heritage, but not all of the cultural heritage. Ira Hayes was an Indian warrior, but he didn't carry a tomahawk to Iwo Jima.

I don't like being forced to say things, but I do think it's good manners to refrain from saying things which are insulting.

[dinoparty]

I am a U. of Illinois alum. This has been brewing for quite a long time. The threatened NCAA sanctions were the last straw for the University, in my opinion. Its too bad...but I can assure you that the fans and students will buy "Chief" merchandise and costumes now like crazy, and the stands will be full of unofficial "Chiefs" dancing in the aisles.

[sneakers]

Our mascot was an Indian Chief. They got rid of that last year. (Our university football team was the Indiana University of Pennsylvania "Big Indians". They are now the "Crimson something-or-other", and their mascot is a bear. Yuck.

Our high school football team was and is still the Indiana Sr. High School Lil' Indians. I'm waiting for that to change too. Down will come our totem pole, probably. The High School and University theme song is "Cherokee". I think they kept that. Political Correctness will probably take over there as well, but we won't go down without a fight on that one!

I hate this whole PC thing. >:-(

[art_rocks]

Or as a Marine, Sailor or Airmen?

[Mrs. Don-o]

Suggested names:

• The University of Illinois Highly Sensitives
• the U of I Diverse Cooperators
• the Compassion Team