The Retirement of Chief Illiniwek and the Political Correctness of the NCAA . . .that's the Subject of this Big B File.
During the Midday Hour Friday, the University of Illinois Board of Trustees announced that the 80 year plus symbol of the University will be "Retired" after Tonight, when the Illinois Men's Basketball team takes on Michigan at Assembly Hall in Champaign, IL.
After the Announcement, Lawrence Eppley Chairman of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees said the following:
"While people differed on their opinions of the Chief, the overwhelming majority of those voices put their love for the University ahead of their opinion on the Chief. Now we have the responsibility to work together to maintain other great traditions that will unite our community for decades to come."
That comment was followed up a comment by B. Joseph White, President of the University of Illinois, who has never been a Chief Illiniwek Supporter from the beginning:
"I support the Board of Trustees’ consensus decision on Chief Illiniwek. While I understand many people have strong feelings about this 80-year-old tradition, for the good of our student-athletes and our university it is time to come together and move on to the next chapter in the history of this distinguished institution."
Board of Trustees’ consensus decision on Chief Illiniwek? What!?! What a bunch of Bologna! A "Consensus decision" on Chief Illiniwek simply means that the University of Illinois caved to the outrageous bullying tactics of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which has swung to the Far Left over the past several years. these tactics could be compared to the Mafia, which often uses intimidation tactics like this to get whatever they want.
Dr. White has made his views well known from the beginning of his tenure at the helm of the University of Illinois System (Champaign-Urbana, Springfield, & Chicago) and has been a member of the vocal minority in the state of Illinois as well as the United States of America that oppose Chief Illiniwek.
In 2005, the NCAA imposed a new rule that defined "hostile and abusive" mascots and team names as those mascots and team names that offend or could offend people of ANY race, ethnicity or national origin . . .including Native Americans . . .a.k.a. Indians! .
The policy prohibiting colleges or universities with hostile or abusive mascots, nicknames or imagery from hosting any NCAA championship competitions that took effect February 1, 2006. It sure as heck does sounds like intimidation to me.
Myles Brand, NCAA president, said the following in an op-ed piece on Thursday, August 11, 2005:
- "The decision does not mandate that institutions change their mascots. This is a membership-based association where institutional autonomy is valued; there is no league office that can dictate. The decision applies only to NCAA national championships.
- The affected institutions (18 out of more than 1,000 schools) have six months to appeal their classification and the broader decision of the Executive Committee.
- Finally, this is a teachable moment. A major part of this effort is aimed at initiating discussion on a national basis about how Native American Indians have been characterized and, in some cases, caricatured. In that, the decision has already been successful.
Others, the majority, saw the move as unnecessarily intrusive on local decision-making, bureaucratic kowtowing to political correctness, too impractical or ill-defined to make a real difference, or a decision that simply caught everyone off guard."
Not bureaucratic kowtowing to political correctness? Not mandating that institutions change their mascots? Not overly intrusive on local control? Come on! Give me a break! Because that is exactly what this has been since 2005. this has been political correctness run amok and then some.
There is no way that this cannot be Political Correctness run amuck. Even Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich says that the NCAA way overstepped their authority. . . and Governor Blagojevich is a Liberal democrat in the Same mold as Ted Kennedy, Chuck Schumer, and Dick Durbin.
It would be politically Incorrect to keep Chief Illiniwek. Everyone thought that when Chief Illiniwek would be "retired", that the progressive resource/action cooperative (PRC), the Native American House, and other groups on the Left still aren't happy and will always want more! As reported by Sarah Jindra of WCIA 3 NEWS in Champaign, IL (Click here to see the video).
They say the chief is one of the biggest obstacles to addressing racism on campus. Now that the chief is out, they hope to fix the problem. The progressive resource/action cooperative (PRC) and the Native American House both say there is a racism problem on campus. PRC also wants the University to remove the name "Illini" and "Fighting Illini"
The NCAA decided to allow the University to keep those names.
The University says the name "Illini" stems from the name of our state, and the word fighting refers to the competitiveness of the University's teams. The University does plan on keeping those names, but as far as a new tradition goes...administrators are deciding what should be done.
- Anti-Chief Groups Want More
Reported by: Sarah Jindra / WCIA 3 NEWS
02/19/2007
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says that "Congress Shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free Exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of people to peacefully assemble and to petition the Government for a redress of Grievances." Where does it say that we have a right not to be offended by anyone? After all the people are a small but very vocal minority.
The University of Illinois should get ready to write checks to Alumni who donated to the university who will now want their Donation returned as a result of the decision made by the U of I in relation to Chief Illiniwek. This will also result in the number of future donations to the U of I to go down by a very noticeable level in the least, as well as a drop in attendance at U of I Sporting events.
All this as a result of the University of Illinois decided to cave to the outrageous bullying tactics of the NCAA and Political Correctness run wild . . .I hope They're satisified with their decision.
That's the Big B Files. Click on the "Comments" link below and tell me what you think . . . I'm Bryan Hewing