Students put twist on mascots - The Fighting WHITIES

Argus Leader Newspaper, South Dakota ^

[chance33_98]

Indian students in Colorado have turned the tables in a debate on racism by naming their intramural basketball team "The Fighting Whities."

The students, at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, chose a white man as a mascot after failing to persuade nearby Eaton High School to drop a nickname they say offends them.

[chance33_98]

Sweeeeet - GO WHITIES!

[JAWs]

This is wrong. It should be the "Flammin' Caucasians!"

[follow your bliss]

Honk, honk, honk...for the Honkies!

[yeswecan]

Borrowing a little from "Dances with Wolves", how about the "Honky Tatonkies"?

[Still Thinking]

"The message is, let's do something that will let people see the other side of what it's like to be a mascot," said Solomon Little Owl, director of Native American Student Services at UNC.

As a lifetime honky, I have absolutely no problem with this. I think they may have a legal problem, though, if they limit team eligibility by race, just like a team would be if they refused to accept non-whites.

[PeoplesRepublicOfWashington]

Any white folk here feel offended?

[Walkingfeather]

I thought I was going to be offended and then I remembered I was a redskin.... so never mind.

[follow your bliss]

I suppose I could get offended...if the price is right.

Are you a lawyer?

[fire and forget]

Now that's hillarious! I expect the rage of whites to this horrendous affront will far eclipse that of Indians for the same offense! (Sarcasm)

Fantastic! This hasn't happened before. Never have whites or any other ethnic group honored Europeans in such a way. Perhaps now all those Indians who have (and their liberal "friends" who've managed to crush the Indians' spirit and hopes) will finally realize what a non-issue, or more, what a compliment it is, for their race and tribes to be commemorated in sports.

Let's not miss a golden opportunity: let's start naming teams after European ethnicities with all abandon! :-)

[cactmh]

No, in fact it really describes my highschool football team...

[smith288]

not me...their logo should be a saltine

[Rebforever]

a Mohawk team member. Excuse being picky; but, I thought Mohawks were only in NY State.

[concerned about politics]

Wow. I just became a fighting Whities fan. I like it!

Funny, but it doesn't bother me at all. To each their own.

[martian_22]

What is the ultimate aim of these yahoos?

Will they find happiness when every image, word and symbol of American Indian culture is totally removed from our remembrance?

Great warriors of every culture make good sport mascots. Why should Red Men feel ashamed?

[knarf]

"Let's not miss a golden opportunity: let's start naming teams after European ethnicities with all abandon! :-)"

PHHHHT

That's the sound of a freeze-dried can o' worms bein' opened.

Duelin' Danes
Friggin' French ('couldn't resist that one)
And in the back field ... the Euro Beaureau! (I know, it's spelled wrong .. too lazy to look it up)

Go get 'em, Freepers.

[concerned about politics]

Will they find happiness when every image, word and symbol of American Indian culture is totally removed from our remembrance?

Last I knew, they were also fighting to keep their culture. It seems as though political correctness will steal it from them, then they'll ask what happened to their people.
It's really kind of sad.

[savedbygrace]

Here's where this thing breaks: We accept at face value what they say is their motivation. But they refuse to take at face value the assertion by others that the naming of certain teams is not motivated by hate or prejudice.

They assume the teams are lying. But everyone is expected to believe THEM without reservation.

My opinion is that if you get offended by the name of a sports team, you have bigger personality problems than a name-change will solve.

And what I just wrote says NOTHING about any underlying hate and prejudice that anyone has had to live under. I recognize that these things exist, but sports team name-changes won't come close to touching the problem.

[07055]

Perry Ford, men's basketball coach at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, said, "I don't think any group should use any nickname that other people find offensive."

Wow, don't you think that's a little broad, guy?

Should the PETA crowd be able to veto all of the animal mascots?

[fire and forget]

Yeah. No offense to the French, but I think on balance I'd prefer Indian names and the memory of their fighting accomplishments to anything French in this venue.

Take that, Kimosave!