The Chief Comes Back
The Chicago Tribune reports that Chief Illiniwek, the former University of Illinois mascot, has been resurrected by a group of students who have elected a new mascot to perform for students and the University community this year.
Please read the story and respond. Write your first name and class period in your post.
What do you think of this new manifestation of Native American mascots? Should the students be allowed to do this? Is the University responsible? Are they condoning the practice and how does this fit with the NCAA ruling that no teams that host tournament play are allowed to have Native American mascots?
Your post will count as extra credit!
posted by Charlotte Jacobs at
9:23 AM
9 Comments:
I dont think it is right. If they stopped cheif of Illinois that doesn't mean that any other team can have it. If they do this whole thing is going to happen agian.
Allie
Jacobs
3-4
By
Anonymous, at 6:03 PM
I don't think the students should do that because it isn't their right to do those kind of things. The students can't change the rules of the school so why can they bring back a mascot that caused a lot of trouble in the first place. If they really wanted that mascot then the students could've put a picture in their dorm, but they are just looking for trouble since they brought the mascot back.
Sabrina
8-9
Jacobs
By
Anonymous, at 6:31 AM
I agree that it was a mistake to bring the chief back. The the chief was resigned for specific reasons and was seen as disrespectful to Native Americans. It is completely disrespectful and stupid. And if the university really cared and really didn't want the mascot to return, they would have used their authority to prevent the bringing back of the mascot. Therefore, I think it was the fault of the insensitive students and the careless university that chief Illiniwek has made a comeback.
Lindsey
8-9
Jacobs
By
Anonymous, at 11:23 AM
there have been many people that have worked to get the mascot removed. i don't think that a small group of students should have the athority to change these things.the Chief is considered an insult to the native people and if they wish to bring him back, i think that it is only fair that they speak with the native americans about this, especially the ones who worked and protested for the chief to be removed. even though lots of progress had been made, we are now back to square one.
Carah
Jacobs
3-4
By
Anonymous, at 7:07 PM
I think that it wasn't a good idea for the students to ressurect the chief. Someone is going to make a big deal about the whole native american issue and they are going to have to go through the process of removing the chief all over again. I think the students should get over it and start focusing on their schoolwork instead of their mascot.
Kelsey
Jacobs
3-4
By
Anonymous, at 11:34 AM
I thought the university would have learned by now. I mean a simple vote has the mascot back. The native americans protested and they got rid of the mascot and now their hard work is for nothing.
Samuel
Jacobs
3-4
By
Anonymous, at 3:12 PM
They shouldn't have brought the Chief Illiniwek back. I think it was wrong for the student to do that, because now there's going to be lots of drama. They should have learned that it was a racist mascot costume to wear after the first fight. Now that they made the same mistake again there going to have to go through all they went through about 2 years ago.
Paul
Ms. Jacobs
Period 3-4
By
Paul, at 7:00 PM
I think that it is the student's choice to "resurrect" the chief. I think it is rather stupid of the university to let them do this though; last time's they had the chief it raised a big controversy.
I don't think the students are actually changing the school rules, it is more of a club. In the documentary/film about the controversy, most of the university wanted it to stay. The chief may be stereotypical, racist and disrespectful, but I understand why they want him; it creates unity school spirit and perhaps money.
If you want to be politically correct and look at it from a NA's point of view, them I say ban any form of racism or stereotypical things from the school. How would you feel if someone was impersonating your race? if they were dressing up as a stereotypical... African American? Caucasian? Asian? Latino?
Though I think it is very offensive to the Native Americans... If you look at it from the community of the chief's point of view , you have to realize that the chief has been around for awhile. It is built into their history and to them it is more of a "Fairytale".
I don't see why so many Lab schoolers think Pocahontas (1995) is OK even though it is not accurate and the Indians are stereotypical. In the harkness of 8/9 Monday November 17th, many of my classmates said it was like a fairytale. The situation with the chief is the same thing.
I am Asian and I don't think that The Disney movie Mulan is offensive at all. I think that it is inaccurate and stereotypical, but it isn't mocking China's race, it is merely creating a fairytale out of it.
Another thing to note is that the traditional wear of the chief is something the NA's find offensive. Now... Caucasians/Europeans don't mind if people dress up as stereotypical knights...
To sum it up, you can't say yes or no without being bias.
NOTE TO MRS. JACOBS: I didn't write it is paragraph form...
LILY Z.
PERIOD 8-9
JACOBS
By
Anonymous, at 5:07 PM
I think that it was o.k. for the students to get a new mascot but to have their new mascot be Chief Illiniwek is not right. If he was banned because it didn't feel right to the group of people he is from, then why should he be allowed to come back. Now some Native American is going to bring up the problem again and then we are back to how it was in 2001. Its ignorant and its not right for the students to bring back Chief Illini
Jonathan
3-4
Jacobs
By
Anonymous, at 9:42 AM
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