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Wednesday, March 7, 2007 10:18 PM CST
Letter: Chief Illiniwek was respected symbol
By JAY BALLARD, Charleston
I was quite saddened when I learned of the recent demise of Chief Illiniwek. I’m sure that the Chief is in a better place now. After suffering through endless months of controversy, I am convinced that the great chief died of a broken heart. After eight decades of proudly representing this university and its community, it must have killed him to think that not one university official would have the moral courage to fight to save him.
The university should have refused to be bullied into giving up it’s mascot by the “Politically Correctocrats” who are trying to overthrow this university and this country! These people use the First Amendment of the Constitution to justify every action they take that denies the free speech of anyone who disagrees with them. The First Amendment of the Constitution guarantees free speech to all citizens, not just those who speak the loudest!
This controversy began, as I understand it, because someone felt offended that the U of I would use a Native American symbol to represent it’s athletic teams. They felt that this was, in some way, denigrating to Native Americans. Chief Illiniwek has always be treated respectfully, even at times, reverently by the people of the university, the Champaign-Urbana community, and people throughout the state.
For more years than I can remember, he has led members of our football teams and basketball teams into battle against their “enemies.” Some say that the battle is over now and the Chief has lost. If that is true, then it is a sad day for this university, to have forsaken the proud legacy of the Chief, and be branded cowards for failing to even attempt to resist the demands of the Politically Correctocrats in this matter!
I have been told that it is all about money, that the almighty NCAA has refused to allow the U of I to host televised tournaments until the university gives in to its demands in this matter of Chief Illiniwek. This action seems very much like extortion to me.
The university has not discriminated against Native Americans by using chief Illiniwek as it’s mascot; it has honored them!
Our system of justice proclaims that we are innocent until proven guilty. I have yet to see anyone demonstrate that they have been harmed, or in anyway damaged by the use of Chief Illiniwek by the U of I athletic teams.
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kay wrote on Apr 10, 2007 9:27 AM: