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The Sad Resurrection of Chief Illiniwek
By Dave Zirin
Created Oct 31 2007 - 8:54am
Last weekend an unfortunate figure returned to the University of Illinois,
and it wasn't Jeff George. Chief Illiniwek, the former school mascot, was
back to adorn floats and assorted regalia at Homecoming to the cheers of
some and the bitter horror of those who thought the feathered one had been
retired for good.
You may have thought that the Chief was banned last year after the NCAA
called Illiniwek a "hostile or abusive" mascot and prevented the school from
hosting postseason games as long as it paraded him about. You may have
thought Illinois had joined dozens of other schools from Stanford to St.
John's in putting Native American caricatures to bed. You thought wrong.
A victory 20 years in the making was overturned when Illinois chancellor
Richard Herman declared that the Homecoming ban violated the U.S.
constitution saying, "The University values free speech and free expression
and considers Homecoming floats, decorations, costumes and related signage
all representations of such personal expression."
Yes, our forefathers fought and died to protect the right to display
caricatures of the conquered at public institutions of higher learning. The
word Illiniwek means "tribe of superior men." In making the decision to
allow Chief Illiniwek to return, Herman acted in a manner of the inferior,
following instead of leading.
Those whose heart is with the dancing chief were thrilled, calling
Homecoming "a victory parade." The organization Students for Chief Illini
issued a statement saying that the original policy was a "slap in the face
to people in the community to say you can't support your symbol." In an
irony that could only be found in the bizarre lexicon of university
political correctness, the group uses the world "symbol" instead of "mascot"
because the term "mascot" is offensive to Chief Illiniwek.
Keep in mind, that there never was a Chief Illiniwek. No one with that name
ever existed. His costume is not in keeping with anything the Illini tribe
ever wore and the dance at halftime was created in 1926 by the Boy Scouts.
But by all means support such a noble symbol.
The Chief was certainly celebrated at Homecoming. No counter protestors were
reported and thousands of attendees wore Chief regalia. Although no Native
American organizations support the Chief, he was celebrated lustily.
The same students and alumni that clamor for the Chief as a symbol of Native
American nobility, put far more time and energy into a fictional chief than
aiding actual Native Americans. Students of Native American descent are a
mere 0.2% of the overall student population, and 0.1% of the faculty.
"Honoring" Native Americans is confined to a white guy in buckskin pants and
feathers (only whites have portrayed the Chief throughout it's 81-year
history).
There was little said about the fact that while Chief Illiniwek never
existed, the Illini tribe did. They were torn apart, forcibly removed so
schools like Illinois could take root. Chief Ron Froman of the Peoria tribe
once said of the Chief, "I don't think it was to honor us, because, hell,
they ran our (butts) out of Illinois."
Since there is nothing honorable about resurrecting the Chief, is it then an
issue of freedom of speech? In a letter to Chancellor Herman, professor
Antonia Darder wrote, "If a float maker wants to use KKK imagery or a noose
hanging from a tree on a homecoming float, is this now also acceptable under
the auspices of 'free expression?' Or if a float maker wants to use images
of people copulating or nude participants on a float, would this also be
accepted as the freedom of personal expression? And if not, why not?
Certainly if public nudity is considered immoral or at least inappropriate,
why not public racism?"
This is the climate in which Herman resurrects the Chief. The latest in this
marathon battle of memory, history, and the role of sports in this process
comes two weeks after the death of Native American activist and longtime
leader of the American Indian Movement, Vernon Bellecourt.
Bellecourt spent years as a thorn in the side of organizations like the
Washington Redskins and Cleveland Indians, demanding that they change their
mascots. He once said, "Our detractors always say, 'We are honoring you.'
It's not an honor. In whose honor, we have to ask. Beginning with the
pilgrims at Plymouth Rock, about 16 million of us were wiped out, including
whole villages in Washington."
To other teams with Indian nicknames and to their fans, he said, "No more
chicken feathers ... No more paint on faces. The chop stops here."
Maybe the University of Illinois should step up and honor Bellecourt by
putting Chief Illiniwek to rest -- for good.
_______
--
NOTICE: This post contains copyrighted material the use of which has not
always been authorized by the copyright owner. I am making such material
available to advance understanding of
political, human rights, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues. I
believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright
Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107
"A little patience and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their
spells dissolve, and the people recovering their true sight, restore their
government to its true principles. It is true that in the meantime we are
suffering deeply in spirit,
and incurring the horrors of a war and long oppressions of enormous public
debt. But if the game runs sometimes against us at home we must have
patience till luck turns, and then we shall have an opportunity of winning
back the principles we have lost, for this is a game where principles are at
stake."
-Thomas Jefferson
By Dave Zirin
Created Oct 31 2007 - 8:54am
Last weekend an unfortunate figure returned to the University of Illinois,
and it wasn't Jeff George. Chief Illiniwek, the former school mascot, was
back to adorn floats and assorted regalia at Homecoming to the cheers of
some and the bitter horror of those who thought the feathered one had been
retired for good.
You may have thought that the Chief was banned last year after the NCAA
called Illiniwek a "hostile or abusive" mascot and prevented the school from
hosting postseason games as long as it paraded him about. You may have
thought Illinois had joined dozens of other schools from Stanford to St.
John's in putting Native American caricatures to bed. You thought wrong.
A victory 20 years in the making was overturned when Illinois chancellor
Richard Herman declared that the Homecoming ban violated the U.S.
constitution saying, "The University values free speech and free expression
and considers Homecoming floats, decorations, costumes and related signage
all representations of such personal expression."
Yes, our forefathers fought and died to protect the right to display
caricatures of the conquered at public institutions of higher learning. The
word Illiniwek means "tribe of superior men." In making the decision to
allow Chief Illiniwek to return, Herman acted in a manner of the inferior,
following instead of leading.
Those whose heart is with the dancing chief were thrilled, calling
Homecoming "a victory parade." The organization Students for Chief Illini
issued a statement saying that the original policy was a "slap in the face
to people in the community to say you can't support your symbol." In an
irony that could only be found in the bizarre lexicon of university
political correctness, the group uses the world "symbol" instead of "mascot"
because the term "mascot" is offensive to Chief Illiniwek.
Keep in mind, that there never was a Chief Illiniwek. No one with that name
ever existed. His costume is not in keeping with anything the Illini tribe
ever wore and the dance at halftime was created in 1926 by the Boy Scouts.
But by all means support such a noble symbol.
The Chief was certainly celebrated at Homecoming. No counter protestors were
reported and thousands of attendees wore Chief regalia. Although no Native
American organizations support the Chief, he was celebrated lustily.
The same students and alumni that clamor for the Chief as a symbol of Native
American nobility, put far more time and energy into a fictional chief than
aiding actual Native Americans. Students of Native American descent are a
mere 0.2% of the overall student population, and 0.1% of the faculty.
"Honoring" Native Americans is confined to a white guy in buckskin pants and
feathers (only whites have portrayed the Chief throughout it's 81-year
history).
There was little said about the fact that while Chief Illiniwek never
existed, the Illini tribe did. They were torn apart, forcibly removed so
schools like Illinois could take root. Chief Ron Froman of the Peoria tribe
once said of the Chief, "I don't think it was to honor us, because, hell,
they ran our (butts) out of Illinois."
Since there is nothing honorable about resurrecting the Chief, is it then an
issue of freedom of speech? In a letter to Chancellor Herman, professor
Antonia Darder wrote, "If a float maker wants to use KKK imagery or a noose
hanging from a tree on a homecoming float, is this now also acceptable under
the auspices of 'free expression?' Or if a float maker wants to use images
of people copulating or nude participants on a float, would this also be
accepted as the freedom of personal expression? And if not, why not?
Certainly if public nudity is considered immoral or at least inappropriate,
why not public racism?"
This is the climate in which Herman resurrects the Chief. The latest in this
marathon battle of memory, history, and the role of sports in this process
comes two weeks after the death of Native American activist and longtime
leader of the American Indian Movement, Vernon Bellecourt.
Bellecourt spent years as a thorn in the side of organizations like the
Washington Redskins and Cleveland Indians, demanding that they change their
mascots. He once said, "Our detractors always say, 'We are honoring you.'
It's not an honor. In whose honor, we have to ask. Beginning with the
pilgrims at Plymouth Rock, about 16 million of us were wiped out, including
whole villages in Washington."
To other teams with Indian nicknames and to their fans, he said, "No more
chicken feathers ... No more paint on faces. The chop stops here."
Maybe the University of Illinois should step up and honor Bellecourt by
putting Chief Illiniwek to rest -- for good.
_______
--
NOTICE: This post contains copyrighted material the use of which has not
always been authorized by the copyright owner. I am making such material
available to advance understanding of
political, human rights, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues. I
believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright
Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107
"A little patience and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their
spells dissolve, and the people recovering their true sight, restore their
government to its true principles. It is true that in the meantime we are
suffering deeply in spirit,
and incurring the horrors of a war and long oppressions of enormous public
debt. But if the game runs sometimes against us at home we must have
patience till luck turns, and then we shall have an opportunity of winning
back the principles we have lost, for this is a game where principles are at
stake."
-Thomas Jefferson
