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Team picks white man mascot to make point
Greeley Tribune ^ | 10 Mar 02 | Julio Ochoa

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."


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: mascot
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To: JackFromTexas
Razorbacks are hogs.

What an offensive thing to say. They are not hogs. they are differently snouted Americans.

201 posted on 03/10/2002 10:07:02 AM PST by liberalism=failure
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To: Tall_Texan
Hey TT, I resemble that remark!
202 posted on 03/10/2002 10:12:01 AM PST by xfmrman
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To: Polybius
Come on! You made that up! How can you have a black cracker?
203 posted on 03/10/2002 10:12:24 AM PST by JamesWilson
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Comment #204 Removed by Moderator

Comment #205 Removed by Moderator

To: Tall_Texan
TT, I forgot to ask my question. If they are called the caucasians, what would their nickname be?
206 posted on 03/10/2002 10:14:15 AM PST by xfmrman
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To: uncbob
Beverly High School is know all around for their "Hillbillies", a bunch of low life whites, as mascots for its sports teams.
207 posted on 03/10/2002 10:20:38 AM PST by The_Media_never_lie
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Comment #208 Removed by Moderator

To: real saxophonist
I think it's safe to say that Mr. Little Owl's attempt to make Whitey feel guilty is a colossal failure. I am just as proud to be white as Mr. Little Owl is to be a Native American. If there was a White History Month we would need a whole year to just begin cataloging our achievements. BTW, I hope his team kicks ass.
209 posted on 03/10/2002 10:22:46 AM PST by arm958
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To: Yehuda
Wasn't there some talk a while back about an FR sponsored race car

I don't know - sounds good to me, though.

Maybe someone could do an FR commemorative firearm?

Homer Simpson voice: "Ummmmmm, pistol whip."

Oh, sorry. You threw me into a stupor. What were talking about? Oh, yeah, guns! I'm all for 'em! "Ummmmmm, pistol whip."

210 posted on 03/10/2002 10:23:08 AM PST by JamesWilson
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To: liberalism=failure
You have helped me immensely! I have one more problem. My kids, three boys, are part Indian. Can they refer to themselves as Indian or should they use my ancestry which is an oleo of a little bit of everybody. Should I call them Mutts? Or Whiteys? Or Indio-Americans? Or should I just call them on time for dinner?
211 posted on 03/10/2002 10:24:36 AM PST by Jaidyn
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To: real saxophonist
I'm thinking of asking the state of VT to name me as aminority person....male, white, Irish....so I can open an Irish casino-bar-cathouse-chapel-restaurant.

No British need apply!

212 posted on 03/10/2002 10:24:48 AM PST by JimVT
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To: aculeus; dighton

Now what?

213 posted on 03/10/2002 10:24:49 AM PST by Orual
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To: weegee
Or maybe they think that Irish aren't really white.

They aren't. They're green, aren't they ;-)

214 posted on 03/10/2002 10:25:07 AM PST by varon
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To: arm958
If there was a White History Month . . . .

Aahh, we already got Presidents' Day.

215 posted on 03/10/2002 10:25:12 AM PST by JamesWilson
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To: uncbob
"Indian mascots are usually BRAVES so therefore the White mascot should be a MARINE or MINUTE MAN not some wimp in a suit>"

The Fightin' Whitey has a concealed carry permit. It's good to see a fighting, take no prisoners salesman as a mascot, just like me.

216 posted on 03/10/2002 10:27:53 AM PST by Kermit
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To: JimVT
I'm thinking of asking the state of VT to name me as aminority person....male, white, Irish....so I can open an Irish casino-bar-cathouse-chapel-restaurant.

Vermont? It might just work. Add Gun Shop, Snow Shoe Repair and Maple Syrup Distributor to your list and you're in like Flynn.

217 posted on 03/10/2002 10:29:44 AM PST by arm958
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To: uncbob
All things considered, I think "BREWERS" best represents white contributions to sport. ;^)
218 posted on 03/10/2002 10:35:08 AM PST by headsonpikes
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To: JamesWilson
Now all you people just take a deep breath and relax.

In 100 years, White People will be the main attraction in Petting Zoos. I envision tourist stops like The Desert of Maine, and the Trolley Museum (don't miss that one).This could give America's suddenly new majorities a chance to link up with American tradition. It could be a valuable learning experience, teaching newcomers about the old ways of road paving, hygiene, public sanitation, etc. You know, stuff they would never get to see in the old country.

In fact, my home town would make a really good location for this kind of tourist attraction. Nothing much been happening since the bobbin factory closed down and the paper mill moved to Chile. Every year there's fewer people (white included), and the jobs would be welcome.

So don't knock it. This Fightin' Whities could be the start of something really big! I can see it now:

!Visite el Museo de los Blancos!
!Mira mira Mamacita, que pintorescos!

219 posted on 03/10/2002 10:40:11 AM PST by Kenny Bunk
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To: luvbach1
So this has been done before but nobody noticed.

In a word, yes. But we are not supposed to notice, much less actually talk about that now, are we?

220 posted on 03/10/2002 10:41:44 AM PST by rdb3
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