"U. of Mass. Mascot, ''Minutemen,'' Offensive to Some" (barf, retch, hurl, blood pressure, alert)

ChronWatch ^ | 8 MAY 03 | JIm Sparkman

[tomakaze]

"U. of Mass. Mascot, ''Minutemen,'' Offensive to Some"

Posted by the ChronWatch Founder, Jim Sparkman

Thursday, May 08, 2003

Ron Chimelis, writing in the Amherst Republican, tells us of the campaign to change the University of Massachusetts nickname for tis sport's teams. It seems the current name, the Minutemen, is offensive to some.

AMHERST - Having stood up bravely to the British more than 200 years ago, the Minuteman is finding he may be no match for 21st century political correctness and marketing savvy at the University of Massachusetts.

By September, the UMass Gray Wolves men's and women's teams may be charging onto the field, while the gun-toting, single-gender Minuteman - a UMass symbol since 1972 - is sent to the showers for good.

Not since the arrow was removed from the pilgrim's hat on the Turnpike signs has such a debate raged over how the Colonial period is being portrayed in modern Massachusetts.

"Am I for the change? I'm for the process," UMass Athletic Director Ian J. McCaw said. That process began with the hiring of Phoenix Design Works of New York City, which introduced the Gray Wolves to eight focus groups involving 85 people.

The passion of the debate has not matched the levels reached in 1972, when the Minutemen nickname replaced the ethnically controversial Redmen name.

"Gray Wolves would be unique in Division I college sports, and it's indigenous to the area," McCaw said. "The design company expressed some concern with the single-gender ethnicity of the Minuteman, and the fact he's carrying a firearm (in the logo) is also a concern."

McCaw said social and practical reasons exist for change. For one thing, the women's teams are called the Minutewomen, even though no colonial Minutewomen ever actually existed.

McCaw said the design experts are looking into using two different Gray Wolves logos. One would reflect an aggressive, ferocious animal, suitable for the competitive sports.

The other could be a more child-friendly and marketable animal mascot, which are very popular in sports.

According to Springfield Republican outdoors writer Frank Sousa, however, the portrayal of a cuddly wolf is ridiculous.

"Wolves attack only the sick, injured and helpless," said Sousa, one of the region's foremost outdoors spokesmen.

"Besides, the last gray wolf sighting around here was in the late 1890s, in a barrel outside Thompson's Clothing Store in Amherst after being shot in Northampton," Sousa said. "And those were skinned."

UMass is the nation's only college that calls its teams the Minutemen. Locally, changes have been made at Springfield College (Chiefs to Pride), Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (Mohawks to Trailblazers) and a high school, Frontier Regional in South Deerfield (Redskins to Redhawks).

The Minuteman may be the next to go.

"Nobody wants something that looks too much like the UConn Husky," Krohn said. "But whatever they pick, I'm sure some people won't like it."

---

[tomakaze]

More insane B.S. from the northeast.
I swear, there are some people in this country in dire need of a good beating, maybe with a pillow case full of doorknobs.

[Alouette]

Gray Wolves

Wait for the AARP to complain.

[Pikachu_Dad]

"single-gender Minuteman"

Yes, we more MULTIgendered people in the world !!!

Perhaps this is how they intend to make 'masturbation more accessible'. Oh wait, if you are multi-gendered then I guess it would be just sex and not masturbation that is more accessible. Could we then sue ourselves for rape?

[4CJ]

More insane B.S. from the northeast.

More insanity from DIMS/liberals. It's ethnic cleansing.

[mhking]

That's simply pathetic. Sounds like Massachusetts is the east coast equivalent of California....

"Hold muh beer 'n watch this!" PING....

If you want on or off this list, please let me know!

[dpa5923]

McCaw said social and practical reasons exist for change. For one thing, the women's teams are called the Minutewomen, even though no colonial Minutewomen ever actually existed.

In English, man is a gender neutral term that can mean either male or female depending on it's usage. Either these people are stupid or too scared to admit to their only true agenda: Get rid of weapons of defense wherever they are found, even in pictures and mascots.

[Zavien Doombringer]

Have you seen any red-liberals in these parts?

[genefromjersey]

I suggest a lovely new nickname :

The UMASS MINCERS ... or:

THE FLIRTS

[Far Right Of Left]

Gray Wolves Wait for the AARP to complain.
And PETA. I thought "Minuteman" refered to Klintoon according to Monica...

[Kenton]

More insanity from DIMS/liberals. It's ethnic cleansing.

Bravo for you, you have hit the nail squarely on the head. It is nothing less than an attempt to eradicate the history of western civilization.

Whereas it might be quite appropriate to portray a woman of the revolutionary period in such an heroic pose, it would have had to have been in a frontier area such as the Ohio Valley, where many pioneer women had to defend their homes and families from raiding Indians. There just were no "MinuteWymyn" in the Massachusetts Militia.

But the historical revisionists on the left would just bitch about that too, I suppose.

[VMI70]

"Wolves attack only the sick, injured and helpless," said Sousa, one of the region's foremost outdoors spokesmen.

I would imagine that this would be a debating point.

[ctlpdad]

Western Mass. is typically conservative, but Amherst is a communist stronghold. I grew up 20 minutes away.
Right next door is Nrthampton, the lesbian capitol of the U.S.
How they get away with this PC BS is deeply saddening.

[Lazamataz]

"Gray Wolves would be unique in Division I college sports, and it's indigenous to the area," McCaw said. "The design company expressed some concern with the single-gender ethnicity of the Minuteman, and the fact he's carrying a firearm (in the logo) is also a concern."

"Additionally," McCaw said, "it is clear this Minuteman is not a woman of color, nor handicapped, so these groups are being discriminated against by using this logo. Furthermore, the Minuteman is not engaging in homosexual acts as portrayed, so the homosexual community feels alienated. The Minuteman represents a frontiersman who, typically, shot animals and consumed meat products, thusly alienating PETA members. Finally, the Minuteman has no discernable breasts, offending the transgender community."

The commitee will recommend a new portrayal of the Minuteman as a vegetable-eating unarmed black transgendered female being buggered by a gay guy while balancing on a wheelchair. The vote in favor is expected to be unanimous.

[Straight Vermonter]

There was a move to stop calling the VT air national guard the "Green Mountain Boys" a few years ago. The women in the guard put there foot down and said no way. So the PC bunch backed down!

[Lazamataz]

There just were no "MinuteWymyn" in the Massachusetts Militia.

Untrue. The typical Minuteman was a Organic vegetable eating, unarmed transgendered black lesbian woman in a wheelchair.

[Constitution Day]

Unbelievable.

[TheBattman]

OK - I"ve got a brilliant idea...

Let's just eliminate the use of all mascots!

Quite simply, it's now obvious that the use of any mascot is likely to cause offense to SOMEONE....weather it be some "American Indian" reference like Chiefs, Redskins, Worriors, Redmen, Apache, Braves, etc. or it be national sympols like Patriots, Minutemen.

Technically, most Christians and Jews should be offended by the use of pretty much any animal or other symbol as a mascot. In a very basic way this represents Idol worship. Fortunately, most Chiristians and Jews don't consider this idolatry, instead considering it just good fun. How about someone who's life has been devastated by natural disasters - Hurricanes, Cyclones, Tsunami would all represent names that will or could offend that group. BUT, if just one person in these groups is offended, shouldn't we remove this offense from their lives? (note the sarcasm in that sentence).

It is one thing to intentionally offend someone with a mascot or nickname - yet in every case I know of, the mascot/nickname should actually be considered a compliment - after all - what is a mascot suppose to do? Inspire pride, confidence, and strength. All traits that a thinking person should consider positive.

So, my proposal is open - either do away with any sort of mascot or nickname for a school's teams, or everyone just needs to shut up about it...

[Lazamataz]

Let's just eliminate the use of all mascots! Quite simply, it's now obvious that the use of any mascot is likely to cause offense to SOMEONE....

We in the "do not own a dog or cat" community are deeply offended by the absence of a mascot.

So this idea won't work either.

[mewzilla]

In addition to being about PC, it's also about marketing. I kid you not. Evidently the Minuteman doesn't sell well in terms of their merchandising so off he goes. It's all about making a buck. How incredibly...capitalist of these lefties. But isn't that usually the case? Their principles only last until there's money to be made...