Posted on 03/13/2002 9:53:47 AM PST by John Jorsett
The Fightin' Whities, an intramural basketball team of American Indians at the University of Northern Colorado, has been flooded with requests for T-shirts since news broke of the team's satirical mascot protest.
On Tuesday, the student basketball team set up an e-mail account to start taking orders - even though players have not yet figured out exactly how to mass-produce their shirts.
Would-be buyers may send T-shirt requests to fightingwhites@hotmail.com. The team will send back acknowledgments and more information. The system is meant to gauge demand while the team irons out copyright issues and checks university guidelines, said Jeff Van Iwarden, 21, one of the team's few Anglo players.
The Fightin' Whities expect to charge about $20 for their shirts and will donate all profits to a Native American cause that has yet to be determined, Van Iwarden said.
In the course of just two days, as news of the team has exploded nationwide, the players have gained countless fans across the country.
Many are clamoring for T-shirts bearing the team mascot - a 1950s-style caricature of a middle-aged white guy - and the phrase "Every thang's gonna be all white!"
The intramural basketball team's official name is "Native Pride." But the team calls itself the "Fightin' Whites" - and is widely known by the more in-your-face "Fightin' Whities" - as a jab at nearby Eaton High School.
School officials in Eaton, a farm town north of Greeley, have refused to discuss the school's mascot - the Fightin' Reds - despite complaints from area Native Americans who see it as a degrading stereotype.
Eaton High School's mascot is a caricature of an Indian with a misshapen nose, wearing a loincloth and eagle feather.
The UNC team was frustrated that pleas for tolerance were misunderstood or discounted, they said. So the players decided to use some provocative humor to stir up the debate.
"Walk in someone else's shoes, and then you can make a judgment," said Ryan White, 22, a team player and member of the Mohawk Nation.
I have indeed walked in your moccassins, Mr White, and I have made my judgment.
I've decided to order one Fightin' Reds T-shirt(sporting indian w/misshapen nose logo) for my Cherokee half sister and a Fightin' Whities t shirt for your's truly.
White on! ;-)
No way. It can't get any better than that. I want one of those t-shirts.
But there's still the problem: Some people will be buying these T-shirts Because They Like Them. The result will be Actual White People walking around with a T-shirt bearing the slogan "Every thang's gonna be all white!" which came from this university.
LOL
...or a bottle of whiskey and some beads?
For that reason alone, the University will put the kybosh on the whole deal.
"University tells the frat: You can sell the T-shirt, but only to non-whites, "
I smell discrimination lawsuit.
Speaking of Mascots, at a Catholic University about 100 miles from here, there is a mascot of a Leprechaun in a fightin' stance. They call themselves the Fighting Irish. I don't see the Irish upset over that. Or the Boston Celtics in a city known for Irish.
If you notice sports teams are named after "tough fighters or animals". You don't see the Detroit Bunny Rabbits, you see the Detroit Lions. There are a reason that you see team names like Bulldogs, Spartans, Wolverines, Fighting Irish, Celtics, Trojans, Jaguars, Lions, Tigers, Grizzlies, Bears, Chippewas, Hurons, Eagles, Timberwolves, Highlanders, Seminoles, and Vikings. You don't see teams named after the rabbits, mice, rats, squirrels, French, peaceniks, and the like.
It's a sign of toughness.
If they do, the students (if they're smart) will go into business for themselves. I hope for their sakes that they're hustling to get Fightin' Whities registered as a trademark.
I can make a judgement. I choose not to be offended when I see that mascot of a Leprechaun in a fighting stance from a paticular school in South Bend Indiana. I'm Irish. I'm not offended by Notre Dame unless they beat us in football.
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