Indian Mascots

A few years ago, the NCAA demanded that schools with Indian mascots (American Indian)change their mascots, with the exception being Florida State. Florida State has what they call a "special" relationship with the "Seminole Nation." The penalty for all those who did not succumb to the power of the NCAA was going to be no post-season games (tournaments, bowl games, etc.). In other words, WE, the almighty NCAA don't care what you, your student body, or your local population think. WE know better than you (sounds like the overly assertive Federal Gov't in some cases). I don't know if this penalty was ever enforced.

This was a movement started in 1969 with Dartmouth (originally founded to educate Indians ironically) and lots of colleges and high schools followed their lead.

The 27 Indians who claim to be offended by the mascots should probably look around the reservation once or twice. Indians wear the stuff! In fact, it gives them a sense of identity. They are proud of their heritage, and should be.

Today's mascots aren't the comic-like, stereo-typed mascots of the 1920s and 30s (see the Cleveland Indians or Stanford Redmen historical mascots). They are proud, noble characters and most schools (and most Indians) are rightly proud to have them. In fact, I'd argue the Cleveland Indian, the Washington Redskin, and the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux are among the coolest mascots around.

The NCAA ruling is beyond stupid since they simply don't have the power to dictate what a university decides its mascot should be. Let the schools decide and deal with the public on their own.