Team picks white man mascot to make point

Greeley Tribune ^ | 10 Mar 02 | Julio Ochoa

[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."

[rbmillerjr]

..........of course the opposite side message will be....if your tribe chose the wrong side in the French and Indian War or Revolutionary War.......too damn bad hahahaha

[scholar]

...the more ardent and powerful the PC movement becomes.

Sadly, the PC agenda persists in convincing minorities that they are victims. Instead of helping them up, the liberals continue to promote social programs that actually contribute to keeping them down. I have actually talked to one Mexican immigrant(legal) who understood this.

Her son's school advisor called her and criticized her for not speaking Spanish at home. She told the advisor that as soon as speaking Spanish was going to help her son succeed in this country, she would do that. She also told me that she thought we Americans were getting shafted by illegal immigration.

[BronzePencil]

walpole (mass) high school called the rebels - their fans used to bring the confederate flag to games - this was in mid-80s, not sure if they still do

[rbmillerjr]

In Montgomery County Maryland SSR, the County is making a small, low population rural school called the Poolesville Indians change their name....in the populated suburban affluent section of the county the Sherwood Warriors are being left alone (their logo is a the FSU Seminol Arrowhead). Somebody told me this was not altered as it represents Sherwood Forest. So, I guess we cant interpret that white violence is OK as long as it is criminal and show to be stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. FYI, the state of Maryland has weighed in supporting this and are investigating about 14 schools names and logos.

[Bobby777]

I'm part Cherokee Indian and have NO PROBLEM watching the Kansas City "Chiefs" (except when we lose! LOL!) OR doing the "Tomahawk Chop" ... I also have NO PROBLEM with the Cleveland "Indians" ...

people need to be part of the solution instead of trying to create a "victim" mentatlity ... no one I know ever tried to oppress another after being "inspired" by a sports mascot ... simply ridiculous ...

[Nea Wood]

HA! I'm sure they want and expect whites to say, "Oh, no! This is awful! We're so offended! Now we know how you all feel! Oh, how could we have been so thoughtless and insensitive up till now? BOO HOO! Okay, okay, no more Native American mascots, just please drop the white man mascot! We've learned our lessons! Sniff, blubber, whine, grovel!" Instead, we all ought to say, "Hey! We like it! What a compliment! THANKS!!" :-D

[BronzePencil]

umass used to be called the redmen, but the school changed it to minutemen after protests from the 'native' americans quincy (mass) high school called the presidents because it's the birthplace of two presidents other white nicknames - providence friars, centenary gentlemen, indiana hoosiers didn't the university of hawaii drop their nickname (rainbows) because it was associated with gays?

[BronzePencil]

are gays offended by the green bay packers?

[kaylar]

I used to live in KC...was there from 1989-1993. Do the fans still go to the stadium with paper bags over their heads with 'Kansas Sh*tty Chiefs' written on the back, when the chiefs are on a losing streak?

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

ROFL!!

Anyone who wants a T-Shirt can make his own with the HP T-Shirt transfer kit. My daughter makes her own when she can't find ones she wants. You can buy them online at Staples here.

[Bonaparte]

"Does anybody know if Pekin, IL, still has the fighting Chinks?"

They were forced to change it years ago.

[Bonaparte]

In case you're nostalgic about the chinks, the Pekin High class of '61 offered ruby red "Pekin Chinks" commemorative mugs at their re-union last year. You may still be able to get one. The new team name, btw, is the dragons, although it could just as easily have been the drag-queens. The town is now dotted with gay bars, one of which was recently burned down. The usual accusations followed until the arsonist was arrested and convicted. He was the jilted ex-boyfriend of the bartender.

[KneelBeforeZod]

intramural basketball team

snoooze. about a 1.2 on the shock meter....

[KneelBeforeZod]

Sonoma State (CA) Cossacks

[nonliberal]

Fighting Whities.

That's kind of funny.

[SauronOfMordor]

Paradoxially, the further away we get from the past of slavery, et al, the more ardent and powerful the PC movement becomes.

Could you imagine the NAACP organizing a boycott of South Carolina over the Confederate flag in 1880? The would have been strung up from the nearest trees, and that would have ended the discussion

[KneelBeforeZod]

USL's baseball unis look like a potato chip bag. And they sure talked a lot of trash before we stomped their heads in and eliminated them from the CWS a few years ago!

[Utah Binger]

GREAT DANES!

[MotleyGirl70]

Dances With WolvesWhitie

[RWG]

a white man in a suit...hate crime?