The Retirement of Chief Illiniwek and the Political Correctness of the NCAA\u00a0. . .that’s the Subject of this Big B File.<\/p>\nDuring 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.
\nAfter the Announcement, Lawrence Eppley Chairman of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees said the following:\n
<\/p>\n
\n“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.”\n<\/blockquote>\nThat comment was followed up a comment by B. Joseph White, President of the University of Illinois, who\u00a0has never been a Chief Illiniwek Supporter from the beginning:<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0“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.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\nBoard of Trustees’ consensus decision on Chief Illiniwek?\u00a0 What!?! What a bunch of Bologna!\u00a0 A “Consensus decision” on Chief Illiniwek\u00a0 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.\u00a0 these tactics could be compared to the Mafia, which\u00a0often uses intimidation tactics like this to get whatever they want.
\nDr. 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)\u00a0 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.
\nIn 2005, the NCAA imposed a new rule that\u00a0 defined “hostile and abusive” mascots\u00a0and team names as those mascots\u00a0and team names\u00a0 that offend or could offend people of ANY\u00a0race, ethnicity or national origin . . .including Native Americans . . .a.k.a. Indians!\u00a0.
\nThe policy prohibiting colleges or universities with hostile or abusive mascots, nicknames or imagery from hosting any<\/strong> NCAA championship competitions that took effect February 1, 2006.\u00a0 It sure as heck does sounds like intimidation to me.
\nMyles Brand, NCAA president<\/a>,\u00a0\u00a0said the following in an op-ed piece on Thursday, August 11, 2005:\n\n\n
- “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.<\/li>\n
- 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.<\/li>\n
- \u00a0Finally, 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.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\nNot bureaucratic kowtowing to political correctness?\u00a0 Not mandating that institutions change their mascots? Not overly intrusive on local control?\u00a0 Come on! Give me a break! Because that is exactly what this has been since 2005.\u00a0 this has been political correctness run amok and then some.
\nThere is no way that this cannot be Political Correctness run amuck.\u00a0 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.
\nIt would be politically Incorrect to keep Chief Illiniwek.\u00a0 Everyone thought that when Chief Illiniwek\u00a0 would be “retired”, that the progressive resource\/action cooperative\u00a0 (PRC), the Native American House, and other groups on the Left still aren’t happy and will always want more!\u00a0\u00a0 As reported by Sarah Jindra of WCIA 3 NEWS in Champaign, IL (Click here to see the video<\/a>).\n<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0They say the chief is one of the biggest obstacles to addressing racism on campus.\u00a0 Now that the chief is out, they hope to fix the problem.\u00a0 The progressive resource\/action cooperative\u00a0 (PRC) and the Native American House both say there is a racism problem on campus.\u00a0 PRC also wants the University to remove the name “Illini” and “Fighting Illini”
\nThe NCAA decided to allow the University to keep those names.
\nThe University says the name “Illini” stems from the name of our state, and the word\u00a0 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.
\n
\n\n\u00a0– Anti-Chief Groups Want More
\nReported by: Sarah Jindra \/ WCIA 3 NEWS
\n02\/19\/2007\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\nThe First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says that\u00a0 “Congress Shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free Exercise thereof;\u00a0\u00a0or 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.”\u00a0 Where does it say that we have a right not to be offended by anyone?\u00a0 After all the people are a small but very vocal minority.
\nThe University of Illinois should\u00a0get ready\u00a0to\u00a0write checks to Alumni who donated to the university who will now want their\u00a0Donation returned\u00a0as a\u00a0result of the decision made by the U of I in relation to Chief Illiniwek.\u00a0 This will also result in the number of future donations to the U of I to go\u00a0down by a very noticeable level\u00a0in the least, as well as a drop in attendance at U of I Sporting events.
\nAll this as a result of the University of Illinois\u00a0decided to cave to the outrageous bullying tactics of the NCAA and Political Correctness run wild . . .I hope They’re satisified with their decision.\nThat’s the\u00a0Big B Files.\u00a0 Click on the “Comments” link below and tell me what you think . . . I’m Bryan Hewing<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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