Political Correctness Run Amuck
I like sports as much as the next guy. Ask most of my closest friends, and they will tell you that my blood is ice cold; ice as in a hockey rink. I am a "puckhead" above all, and I root for the Coyotes. I’m not ashamed of that. I believe the Coyotes have good chances, but much like my beloved, loser Cubs, they keep shooting themselves in the foot. But this post isn’t about the Coyotes, the Cubs, or where my loyalties lie in a particular sport.
No, this is about political correctness, and what happens when you allow bureaucrats to dictate terms.
The NCAA has decided that they want any and all NCAA colleges to strike from view any mascot that represents the Indians—nation and all—in a "hostile" or "abusive" way. This includes nicknames, mascots, and the like. Now, I know a few will say, "yeah, so what. It’s a limited ban, anyways." To them I submit this simple question: Where do you draw the line?
The NCAA Executive Committee yesterday announced a postseason ban of "hostile and abusive" American Indian nicknames and imagery for college sports teams, including those with spears in their logos and mascots that pose as American Indian warriors.
The 18 schools subject to the new policy, effective Feb. 1, include the Florida State Seminoles, Utah Utes and Illinois Fighting Illini.
Let it be known that I officially root for any of the three of these teams. (In the NCAA B-Ball tourney, if one makes it, and I pick them to advance, I will cheer them on, but this is nothing personal. It is strictly business. LOL)
The new NCAA policy covers only its 88 championship competitions, not regular-season games. It prohibits the 18 schools from hosting championship events and from wearing or displaying "hostile and abusive" references on their uniforms, mascots, dance team or cheerleaders, starting Aug. 1, 2008.
Schools already awarded the opportunity to host future championship events must take reasonable steps to cover up those references before those events, effective Feb. 1, according to the policy. Schools on the list can appeal before Feb. 1.
"An institution can adopt whatever mascot it wishes – that's an institutional matter," said Walter Harrison, chairman of the NCAA Executive Committee and president of the University of Hartford. "But as an association, we believe these sorts of mascots that are hostile or abusive are not the sorts of things we wish to see at events we (the NCAA) control."
Gee, that’s mighty nice of you to allow them to pick their mascot, yet you’re still willing to punish those universities and colleges because they have those mascots because (((GASP))) someone, somewhere MIGHT be offended. Do I care? Do the fans care? I think not. Those that are fans will watch regardless, and probably moreso because the NCAA is pitching a emotionally-driven, liberal fit.
Someone who graduated from Florida State University as a Seminole, or the University of Illionois as an Illini, would have a level in pride for accomplishing that. Add to the fact that the Seminole tribe in Florida wholeheartedly embrace the idea of Florida State picking them as their mascot. The NCAA had better understand what they have opened the door for.
No one ever bothers to look beyond the initial complaint and see that precedent is set in and outside of the law. If this doesn’t work, maybe this will. How about this? What about this? Where does it end? Will we strike the mascot of Notre Dame because it shows an angry Irishman on it’s logo? What if they construe him as being a drunk? Does "hostile" and "abusive" transfer to "belligerent" and "violent?" (Not to cast Irish, in general in a bad light. I’m over half Irish, TY very much.)
Where do you stop when this starts? What about the PETA people? Most of the colleges and universities utilize animals as mascots. Anyone ever heard of the UCLA Bruins? The Penn. State Nittany Lions? The Texas Longhorns? The University of Arizona Wildcats? Hello? Can anyone tell me what will happen if PETA lobbies the NCAA to ban animal mascots? This move by the NCAA to tuck it’s tail and cover just forces me to ask questions regarding the future. This whole decision follows the Left’s mind-set of "Well, let’s try this..."
It’s sickening. I root for the teams Based on their performance, based on their talents. Sports is like a ballet; everything, if put together properly, flows like one. We have seen giants and greats on the rinks, the courts, and the fields across this nation. Once the New York Yankees acquired Babe Ruth, they won World Series after World Series. Under Joe Torre, the Yankees of the late nineties and early millennium flourished into champions again. The Montreal Canadians did it under the helm of Scotty Bowman in the seventies, and again with the Detroit Red Wings in the same period. The New England Patriots are the first and only dynasty of the new millennium in football. And the Lakers closed out the old millennium with consecutive titles, after dominating the eighties with them as well.
These are teams with talent. The same goes for college, but those teams—unfortunately—change almost yearly with old players jumping to the big leagues. But the point being is I could give a rip where their mascot comes from. I don’t care if it’s an Indian or not. For that matter I could care less if it were an animal vegetable, or a mineral. Leave them as they are. If someone’s offended, tell them to get over it.
A long time ago, we forgot that inevitably, in this nation, the majority rules. The minority can make its voice heard, but don’t expect us to cave into you; you’re in the minority. Your votes counted, but you just didn’t have enough of them. You may win someday, but you won’t win today. Deal with defeat; deal with disappointment. Life is full of both, and is never fair.
Leave the colleges alone. Let them choose whom they want as a mascot. If they choose an Indian, fine. And to hell with the minority when they lose. Sorry, but you lost. Deal with it. Build a bridge and get over it. I don’t care if they choose Jackie Chan, just let them have the choice. And if anyone has a problem with them, they can take it up with the college, and not the NCAA. The NCAA has enough problems on its hands than just who takes an Indian as a mascot.
When they clean house, and take drug and alcohol abuse by its athletes seriously, then we can talk about school mascots. When they take care to make sure that the student emerges successful, and not just a good or great athlete, then we can discuss the odd occasional complaint from Indian special interests that don’t like their tribe being used here or there for a college mascot.
Keep the hell off the back of the colleges. Let them do their jobs, and quit threatening to punish them over slights like this.
Publius II
I like sports as much as the next guy. Ask most of my closest friends, and they will tell you that my blood is ice cold; ice as in a hockey rink. I am a "puckhead" above all, and I root for the Coyotes. I’m not ashamed of that. I believe the Coyotes have good chances, but much like my beloved, loser Cubs, they keep shooting themselves in the foot. But this post isn’t about the Coyotes, the Cubs, or where my loyalties lie in a particular sport.
No, this is about political correctness, and what happens when you allow bureaucrats to dictate terms.
The NCAA has decided that they want any and all NCAA colleges to strike from view any mascot that represents the Indians—nation and all—in a "hostile" or "abusive" way. This includes nicknames, mascots, and the like. Now, I know a few will say, "yeah, so what. It’s a limited ban, anyways." To them I submit this simple question: Where do you draw the line?
The NCAA Executive Committee yesterday announced a postseason ban of "hostile and abusive" American Indian nicknames and imagery for college sports teams, including those with spears in their logos and mascots that pose as American Indian warriors.
The 18 schools subject to the new policy, effective Feb. 1, include the Florida State Seminoles, Utah Utes and Illinois Fighting Illini.
Let it be known that I officially root for any of the three of these teams. (In the NCAA B-Ball tourney, if one makes it, and I pick them to advance, I will cheer them on, but this is nothing personal. It is strictly business. LOL)
The new NCAA policy covers only its 88 championship competitions, not regular-season games. It prohibits the 18 schools from hosting championship events and from wearing or displaying "hostile and abusive" references on their uniforms, mascots, dance team or cheerleaders, starting Aug. 1, 2008.
Schools already awarded the opportunity to host future championship events must take reasonable steps to cover up those references before those events, effective Feb. 1, according to the policy. Schools on the list can appeal before Feb. 1.
"An institution can adopt whatever mascot it wishes – that's an institutional matter," said Walter Harrison, chairman of the NCAA Executive Committee and president of the University of Hartford. "But as an association, we believe these sorts of mascots that are hostile or abusive are not the sorts of things we wish to see at events we (the NCAA) control."
Gee, that’s mighty nice of you to allow them to pick their mascot, yet you’re still willing to punish those universities and colleges because they have those mascots because (((GASP))) someone, somewhere MIGHT be offended. Do I care? Do the fans care? I think not. Those that are fans will watch regardless, and probably moreso because the NCAA is pitching a emotionally-driven, liberal fit.
Someone who graduated from Florida State University as a Seminole, or the University of Illionois as an Illini, would have a level in pride for accomplishing that. Add to the fact that the Seminole tribe in Florida wholeheartedly embrace the idea of Florida State picking them as their mascot. The NCAA had better understand what they have opened the door for.
No one ever bothers to look beyond the initial complaint and see that precedent is set in and outside of the law. If this doesn’t work, maybe this will. How about this? What about this? Where does it end? Will we strike the mascot of Notre Dame because it shows an angry Irishman on it’s logo? What if they construe him as being a drunk? Does "hostile" and "abusive" transfer to "belligerent" and "violent?" (Not to cast Irish, in general in a bad light. I’m over half Irish, TY very much.)
Where do you stop when this starts? What about the PETA people? Most of the colleges and universities utilize animals as mascots. Anyone ever heard of the UCLA Bruins? The Penn. State Nittany Lions? The Texas Longhorns? The University of Arizona Wildcats? Hello? Can anyone tell me what will happen if PETA lobbies the NCAA to ban animal mascots? This move by the NCAA to tuck it’s tail and cover just forces me to ask questions regarding the future. This whole decision follows the Left’s mind-set of "Well, let’s try this..."
It’s sickening. I root for the teams Based on their performance, based on their talents. Sports is like a ballet; everything, if put together properly, flows like one. We have seen giants and greats on the rinks, the courts, and the fields across this nation. Once the New York Yankees acquired Babe Ruth, they won World Series after World Series. Under Joe Torre, the Yankees of the late nineties and early millennium flourished into champions again. The Montreal Canadians did it under the helm of Scotty Bowman in the seventies, and again with the Detroit Red Wings in the same period. The New England Patriots are the first and only dynasty of the new millennium in football. And the Lakers closed out the old millennium with consecutive titles, after dominating the eighties with them as well.
These are teams with talent. The same goes for college, but those teams—unfortunately—change almost yearly with old players jumping to the big leagues. But the point being is I could give a rip where their mascot comes from. I don’t care if it’s an Indian or not. For that matter I could care less if it were an animal vegetable, or a mineral. Leave them as they are. If someone’s offended, tell them to get over it.
A long time ago, we forgot that inevitably, in this nation, the majority rules. The minority can make its voice heard, but don’t expect us to cave into you; you’re in the minority. Your votes counted, but you just didn’t have enough of them. You may win someday, but you won’t win today. Deal with defeat; deal with disappointment. Life is full of both, and is never fair.
Leave the colleges alone. Let them choose whom they want as a mascot. If they choose an Indian, fine. And to hell with the minority when they lose. Sorry, but you lost. Deal with it. Build a bridge and get over it. I don’t care if they choose Jackie Chan, just let them have the choice. And if anyone has a problem with them, they can take it up with the college, and not the NCAA. The NCAA has enough problems on its hands than just who takes an Indian as a mascot.
When they clean house, and take drug and alcohol abuse by its athletes seriously, then we can talk about school mascots. When they take care to make sure that the student emerges successful, and not just a good or great athlete, then we can discuss the odd occasional complaint from Indian special interests that don’t like their tribe being used here or there for a college mascot.
Keep the hell off the back of the colleges. Let them do their jobs, and quit threatening to punish them over slights like this.
Publius II
posted by Syd And Vaughn | 9:31 AM
2 Comments:
I agree with everything you say. This non-issue has raised its ugly head before and it didn't get very far. I urge every alumni to advise their school to tell the NCAA to take a hike. This is part of political correctness and sensitivity that is destroying our country. Rawriter
Rawriter:
You could never be so correct in your assertions. This political correctness grbage--coming straight from the communist/socialist playbook--is precisely the direction the Left wants to establish. And they have, thus far.
For any school to cave into the Left this way would be an abomination to the alumni, and those tribes that do support them. Based on my research, the Seminole Tribe in Florida is one of the top contributors to Florida State. They support the university. The VOICE of the people should trump all others, including those on the left playing the roll of the girlie-girls that are offended.
To them I say I'm glad you're offended. If you're not offended, you're not paying attention.
These schools shouldn't be punished for their mascots, nor should this sort of attention be drawn to them over this. The university made the choice; deal with and shut up, or just plain shut up, in general. You're out-voted on this subject.
Mistress Pundit
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