The whining Illini
Christopher Skeet
Issue date: 2/26/07 Section: Opinions
- Page 1 of 2 next >
Once again, let's congratulate the self-righteous activists for sinking to new depths previously thought unattainable.
The successful campaign to retire the University of Illinois' Chief Illiniwek was one of the most juvenile, desperate, and ridiculous acts of rampant political correctness in recent memory.
It wasn't even a 'campaign;' it was a naked assault on logic and reason. And, ultimately, it will prove a Pyrrhic victory.
Native Americans have it worse off than any other racial or ethnic group in the United States today. In every category (health, education, crime, rape, poverty, unemployment), Native Americans fare worse than non-Indians.
On the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, unemployment stands at 85 percent, and 97 percent live below the poverty line.
Both adolescent suicide and infant mortality rates are over four times the national average.
There's no shortage of causes to be fought for, publicized and won. And Chief Illiniwek is vilified as the most urgent threat to their plight?
Before continuing, it's important to distinguish who exactly regards the Chief as a crude, racist stereotype.
The Peoria tribe is the closest living descendants of the Illiniwek Confederacy. Former tribal chief Don Giles said in a 1995 interview with WICD-TV, "To say that we are anything but proud to have these portrayals would be completely wrong. We are proud. We're proud that the University of Illinois...is drawing on that background of our having been there. And what more honor could they pay us?"
In 2002, the Peter Harris Research Group Poll found that among Native Americans, 81 percent supported Indian nicknames in high school and college sports, and 83 percent supported the use of Indian mascots and symbols in professional sports.
In 2005, current Peoria chief John Froman said he didn't support the Chief not because it was a racist symbol, but because "the costume is Sioux," and not Illiniwek.
The successful campaign to retire the University of Illinois' Chief Illiniwek was one of the most juvenile, desperate, and ridiculous acts of rampant political correctness in recent memory.
It wasn't even a 'campaign;' it was a naked assault on logic and reason. And, ultimately, it will prove a Pyrrhic victory.
Native Americans have it worse off than any other racial or ethnic group in the United States today. In every category (health, education, crime, rape, poverty, unemployment), Native Americans fare worse than non-Indians.
On the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, unemployment stands at 85 percent, and 97 percent live below the poverty line.
Both adolescent suicide and infant mortality rates are over four times the national average.
There's no shortage of causes to be fought for, publicized and won. And Chief Illiniwek is vilified as the most urgent threat to their plight?
Before continuing, it's important to distinguish who exactly regards the Chief as a crude, racist stereotype.
The Peoria tribe is the closest living descendants of the Illiniwek Confederacy. Former tribal chief Don Giles said in a 1995 interview with WICD-TV, "To say that we are anything but proud to have these portrayals would be completely wrong. We are proud. We're proud that the University of Illinois...is drawing on that background of our having been there. And what more honor could they pay us?"
In 2002, the Peter Harris Research Group Poll found that among Native Americans, 81 percent supported Indian nicknames in high school and college sports, and 83 percent supported the use of Indian mascots and symbols in professional sports.
In 2005, current Peoria chief John Froman said he didn't support the Chief not because it was a racist symbol, but because "the costume is Sioux," and not Illiniwek.
Viewing Comments 1 - 6 of 18
Maxtotal
posted 2/26/07 @ 7:11 AM CST
Although the author of this piece cherry picked his references with the skill of a right wing maniac salivating at the chance to go to war, at least he illustrated one of the primary benefits of the issue. (Continued…)
Rob Schmidt
posted 2/26/07 @ 7:06 PM CST
This resolution seems perfectly clear to me:
http://www.aistm.org/2000peoria.htm
RESOLUTION R-04-04-00-C
"Request to University of Illinois to Cease Use of
Chief llliniwek as Mascot "
WHEREAS, the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma is a federally recognized Indian Tribe organized under the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act of June 26, 1936, and is governed by its Constitution approved by the Acting Deputy Commissioner of Indians Affairs on August 3, 1997, and
WHEREAS, the Business Committee of the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma is authorized to enact resolutions and act on behalf of the Peoria Tribe under Article VIII, Section 2, of the Constitution; and
WHEREAS, the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma are descendants of the Kaskaskia, Peoria, Piankeshuw, and Wea tribes, a group of tribes known as Illiniwek, or Illini, or Illinois Nations whose members were removed from their homelands and forced to move first to Missouri, then Kansas and finally into the northeaster
Rob Schmidt
posted 2/27/07 @ 2:03 AM CST
Also, the Sports Illustrated poll is bogus, since it's impossible to poll Native Americans accurately. See http://www.bluecorncomics.com/sipoll.htm for details. (Continued…)
Peter Lakota
posted 2/28/07 @ 10:43 PM CST
PC has nothing to do about it - since its creation in 1926 you can find Native Americans that hated the dancing Chief Illiniwek. If you are not Native American how can you say that anything that the Chief Illiniwek did was dignified and honorable? You can't. (Continued…)
Lauren
posted 3/03/07 @ 9:27 PM CST
If the National Congress of American Indians, the largest Native American organization in the United States, considers the whiteboy halftime portrayal of the Illini offensive, than who are you, Christopher Skeet, to argue otherwise? Your disregard for this organization's position exposes your callous, racist voyeurism. (Continued…)
Lauren
posted 3/08/07 @ 8:15 AM CST
Skeet, you dodge the issue: Both the Peoria tribe AND the National Congress of American Indians find your beloved Chief demeaning and want him removed. (Continued…)
Post a Comment