Razorbacks are wild boar hogs.
Posted on 03/10/2002 7:27:34 AM PST by real saxophonist
Team picks white man mascot to make point
Story By Julio Ochoa
An intramural basketball team at the University of Northern Colorado called "The Fighting Whities" is turning the tables on the Eaton mascot issue.
Led by Solomon Little Owl, director of Native American Student Services at UNC, the team chose a white man as its mascot to raise awareness and understanding of stereotypes that some cultures endure.
"The message is, let's do something that will let people see the other side of what it's like to be a mascot," Little Owl said. "I am really offended by this mascot issue, and I hope the people that support the Eaton mascot will get offended by this."
The players, made up of a mixture of American Indian, Hispanic and caucasian students, wear white jerseys with the picture of a white man in a suit on the front and the slogan "Every thang's gonna be all white!" printed beneath.
"It's not meant to be vicious, it is meant to be humorous," said Ray White, a Mohawk American Indian on the team. "It puts people in our shoes, and then we can say, 'Now you know how it is, and now you can make a judgement.' "
Judging right or wrong is hard when you don't understand how it feels to be stereotyped, White said.
"We are looking for understanding," he said. "We want change, but you can't force change."
American Indians could go through the general assembly or town meetings to try to change mascots, but the same message might not get through, White said.
"We all live in the same community and want the same things, so it is good to be standing in each other's shoes for a while," he said.
Charles Cuny, an Ogalala Lakota and member of the team, said he went to an American Indian Catholic high school with a mascot called the Red Cloud Crusaders, after a famous chief of the Lakota Indians.
The problem with Eaton's mascot is a matter of respect, he said.
"There are certain words that are accepted and certain words that are unacceptable," Cuny said. "Really a mascot is something that you look up to, and on one hand that is nice, but maybe we could go about it another way."
Having a white mascot is a way to make people more aware of American Indian issues, he said.
"We live in a politically correct society, and sometimes indians get overlooked," he said. "There are so few indians who have clout that there are a lot of things that go unsettled."
Ohmygawdddd is that HILARIOUS or what!!
I LOVE IT!!!
Mr. Little Owl's one smart bird, for crying out loud.
Maybe one day his team of White Men can face-off against the, "Fightin' Illini"!!
Now can'tcha just imagine the ensueing brawl? :o)
Razorbacks are wild boar hogs.
I have a better slogan, When your white your right!
ohhh yahhh ; )
Isn't that the Klan's motto?
but whatcha wanna bet they can find some whiney campus liberal to be theatrically offended, just to try to make their bogus point, lol.
Very good, but sorry that's way too un PC. I think little owl might be offended
It really needs to have more apologetic
Perhaps Something like:
We're the fighting whities
We always try not to win
we're deeply ashamed of the color of our skin
We are the cause of all world oppressions
we should give reparations for our transgressions
We like being scapegoated
for every failure known to man
So sorry, that we were ever included in Go..., er, nature's plan
We're the fighting whities
So sorry to offend
we promise never to harm your self esteem again
lose on! fighting whities, lose on!
Vanderbilt commodore is white, but there is always that question about gender.
The old Boston/New England Patriot on the side of the helmet was white, but I think he was gay. That crouching wink always bothered me.
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