End of the line for Illiniwek?
From the Sun-Times:The last dance for Chief Illiniwek
After 80 years, Chief Illiniwek on Saturday will begin what is likely to be his last year of dancing at University of Illinois football games, university sources said.The chief, who will appear at the season opener at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, will also dance at home basketball games this winter.
But after that, he will no longer be an official university symbol, the sources said.
I attended my first and last U of I football game as a freshman at U of I back in the 80's. My best friend since first grade is Native American, and I was repulsed by the display I saw. I joined a student-led effort back then to send a message to the administration that this symbol was doing more harm to the University than good, and while some of the most offensive wounds were closed (Kam's dropped its "home of the Drinking Illini" ad campaign, and "Sexiest Squaw" contests disappeared), this last vestige of our genocidal past remained.
Since then, I've politely replied to solicitations from the University Alumni Association that I'll be more than happy to write checks when the University drops the Chief. I'm looking foward to making good on that promise. The Chief is a blemish on an otherwise outstanding institution.
I know this issue has been a sore spot for many who, like me, love U of I and the time they spent in Champaign-Urbana, but don't see eye-to-eye with Chief opponents. I think that they will look back years from now and realize that U of I and Champaign-Urbana are no less a place for the Chief's passing into history.
7 comments:
The extermination of the Chief has made my wallet very tight. I don't care for places that don't respect their traditions.
Didn't we already debate this on cap fax? Try being original for once YDD>
Oh yeah. "Anonymous," that's original.
For the record, I never got further down that the Topinka "zoo" photo until later in the day, Rich had so many threads open.
Sorry if the duplication annoyed you, but then again, nobody forced you to read it. Or post.
Anonymous 5:33 -- I doubt alligator arms is a new affliction for you, but I could be wrong. Why don't you tell us about all the money you've given to the university over the years? Is your last name Beckman or Krannert?
I am sad to see Illiniwek go, but if others were offended by him, then its a sacrifice that needs to be made. I did however want to note that a kid from my hometown will be the chief this year. They did an article in the newspaper a couple weeks ago talking about him. Hooray for Galesburg!
The Chief feeds a bitter controversy and is viewed by a lot of people as racist. (You might not agree that he's racist, but right or wrong, a lot of people think he is.) Seems to me those are two serious strikes against any school mascot. Shouldn't a school symbol be a uniting, universally positive image? Wouldn't the University be better off with a new mascot that 1) doesn't create bitter controversy, and 2) isn't viewed by some as racist? Objectively speaking, isn't that obvious?
As alum, I won’t be sad if the Chief is retired. I thought his dance routine was disrespectful of Native American traditions. I also would like to see a mascot that unifies the students, teachers, and alumni; something that doesn’t promote a dehumanizing stereotype.
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