Why should the chief be completely banned from association with the University of Illinois? Why would the tribe that totally annialated the tribe that the chief was from be the ones to protest against him? Are we respecting the chief or making a mockery of him? How can these protestors be able to make us forget the chief? Why are we not allowed to purchase chief appearal or celebrate him in parades? How can people speak out to bring the chief back? Is there hope that the chief will one day return and input spirt into our hearts?
Christopher L. Cole (12:00)
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24 comments:
I am and will always be against the banning of Chief Illiniwek. The Chief has been the spirit of the U of I for a long time, and it boggles my mind that they would just up and ban him. In my mind, the chief was not a racist icon at all, but a symbol of our school and a figure to rally behind. The chief will always be remembered by everyone who has ever been associated with the U of I, whether they agree with the ban or not. He will also be remembered in our hearts as long as the U of I is called the Fighting Illini. I am very proud to be an Illini fan and have no intention on changing my mind. Even though many of us love the chief, however, I highly doubt that he will ever be allowed back as the mascot. There are too many nay-sayers out there who will protest until their faces turn blue if he comes back. The chief had a great run and will never be forgotten.
- Jarett Crump
I think that people are taking this whole thing way to seriously. Everything has to be politically correct. I don't know why they made such a big deal about it. The chief was a mainstay in this town and the university. Why take away so much tradition and heritage. I'll tell you why, cuz everybody is afraid of gettin their damn feelings hurt and it sucks.
Dustin Piercy (9:00)
People that support the abolishment of the Chief can sit down and shut up. I don't know any background information about the tribes that banned the chief. All i know is that they needed to go to have gone game, and seen the crowds reaction to the chief. When he come out people went ballistic; he brought a smile to everyone. The chiefs performances helped to drive the crowd to support their fighthing illini. I doubt he will ever be back; it puts to much unneeded publicity on the university.
Zach Burnett
The Chief should not of been banned. I don't know why the tribe would protest it, other then they have nothing better to do. I honestly think that we were respecting the Chief. We are not allowed to buy Chief clothes or anything becuase they threw a fit. We can complain against their protest. If enough people do complain then maybe we can bring the Chief.
Dani
I say lets start a riot! Lets make some noise! The people that deny him and want him out are bored and have no lives they want something to fight about, but are going about it the wrong way. I am not what you would call a sports fan, but I still disagree strongly with the banning of the chief. It was an honor to have the chief as our mascot because people chose mascots based on what they represent, and to have a Native American as our mascot shows great strength and bravery; I mean no one has ever heard of an ant being a mascot. I think that they should just let it be.
Kassi
The chief should absolutely not be banned from usage by the U of I! I would assume the tribe would be against usage of the symbol because of money. .Why else do people in this country?Seriously! We are keeping the spirit of the college and the Native American peoples of Illinois! We were given the cheif costume by the Native American tribe where it originated and they also taught us the dances. We didn't just make up the things we used!It is outrageous that we have had to put up with people's crap about the Chief!We aren't discrimminating or making fun. .people that say that stuff are just ignorant about all of the history affiliated with the Cheif! I won't ever forget him and a true Illini fan wouldn't either! I guess we could try and bring him back like the opposers brought him down!Get another influential group to protest. . .Hopefully we will get him back someday!!
~Rachel Edwards
It was really insane to ban the Chief. How could they really think that we were mocking him? Could they see how many people were uspet and pissed off that they did that? We all loved the Chief and hopefully one day can bring him back. Im glad that even though hes gone people still wear him on their shirts. Just drive around on game day and he's all you see. It was a bad move for the U of I.
Lindsay Brooks
The chief shouldn't be banned. He's not hurting anybody. We're not mocking any tribe, in fact it shows respect. I don't know why the tribe that annihilated the chief's tribe would object. Maybe they wanted to finish off the entire tribe by erasing the memory of it for the future generations. I don't know why we're not allowed to purchase chief appearal. There's no reason. It's just another way that political correctness controls our lives. People can protest, but I'm afraid that it would be futile. Political correctness would stop the chief from coming back. Screw political correctness!
Liz Doty
Liz Doty
I completely disagree with the University of Illinois banning the Chief from association. It is just plain stupid. With the Chief, it was all about respect. We respected him, the tribe, the University and everything else he stood for. We didn't laugh and point fingers when he did he dance. W embraced it and honored him. He inspired us and untied us. I think it is ludacris that we can't buy Chief apparel anymore. I really wish that the Chief could come back, but I don't see it happening. The University is catching a lot of grief from protestors, other tribes and even the NCAA. It is too bad.
Ryan Lowry(7:00)
I can't believe that people are so offended by someone that is such an inspiration to many people. When I first saw the chief durning half time, I was so excited and truely inspiered by the performance. I don't understand how people get so crazy about the cheif subject. I wish people would just grow up and stop complaning about everything. The Cheif is by no means a mockery, and for people to say that the cheif is, obviously don't know the work or heart that the people put into making the cheif what it is. Hopefully, someday the cheif will get to come back. I am 100% pro cheif!!!
--Jill Reinhart (noon)
I'm so tired of this disscusion!!! I don't think people will ever get it. If there were only a small fraction of black people in this country would that mean that segregation laws shouldn't be as important to us? Just b/c there are a small percent of native americans in this county(and this area especially) and some educated none native americans, doesn't mean that what they have to say is invalid. Look outside yourself for one minute of your priveledged middle class white background and think about how much you want to be mocked. Maybe we should bring back black face, a lot of people thought that was great too.
Renee Hart
I am getting so tired of naive people standing behind a "cause" that is not only offensive but hurtful towards others. People should try to step out of their comfortable environments and try to see it from another perspective. Starting a riot seems like a good answer? Have we stepped back into the Jim Crow era? Should we start lynching people again too? I am extremely ashamed of what our society has become. We are not going forward and trying to learn from our mistakes but becoming the hateful, terrible people we once were. Most of you are still so young and should not try not to be so angry, ignorant and violent. EDUCATE yourself! The Native Americans are not upset for "political" reasons, they are upset because yet again they have been made into a mockery. Not too long ago African Americans were also mocked by some of the same people who defend the Chief Illiniwek. I am sure many of you have forgotten the Minstrel shows of the 20th Century. For you people who do not know what the Minstrel shows were I will gladly explain. Minstrel shows were comic skits where whites painted their faces with black shoe polish. The shows portrayed blacks as lazy, ignorant, child like, music loving people. This is not that different from silly Chief Illiniwek when you think about it. Please stop being nostalgic about a racist symbol and yes it is racist.
I am not a student at Parkland college but I had the pleasure of graduating from the U of I, so like many of you I am a loyal fan of our sports teams. Unlike many of you I try to have more compassion for others. This country has made many mistakes and continues to make them but when we have the opportunity to fix our errors we should do so. The U of I did the right thing.
anonymous
I think that Chief Illiniwek among many school mascots that have been wrongfully banned. I don't that that having something as a mascot is saying anything bad about them. I think its accually showing respect to them. People look up to their school mascot. I don't think that the tribe that killed chief's tribe has the right to argue for them anyway. That shouldnt have anything to do with it. I think that if enough people really researched this and came up with good reasons why chief should be brought back as a mascot then its possible but i doubt that he will come back as mascot.
Jimmy Gourdier (12:00 Class)
The thing that a lot of people forgot about in the whole ordeal was the fact that the Chief kept history alive. I remember a few years back when the student who was Chief Illiniwek and a history prof. came to my school and gave a lecture on the history of the Illini and the Chief.
The Chief brought respect to American Indians, and its a disgrace that he has been banned.
Daniel Hooker (7:00)
The Chief has been around for a long time and I am sad to see that he had to leave. The Chief was not hurting anything or anyone. Why do people have to change things that we have had for sooooo long? It was ok back in the past to have the Indian as the mascot and since it was not an issue then, it should not be an issue now because we all have moved on from what every went on in the past.
Michelle
I'm not really sure on how to answer this question. I don't know much about Indian customs or sports. However I have known the chief to be a part of the fighting Illini since I have resided in Champaign. It seem strange to not see the chief open with the famous dance. I feel the Cief was being disrespectful in any from. However we always have a bunch of looser sitting around with nothing to do, but aggrivate everyone else who has everything to do! Get a Life!
Theresa Newman(noon)
I am totally against the banning of Chief Illiniwek! The Chief has been the mascot and official symbol of the University of Illinois for years. I do not know any background information about the tribes that had the Chief banned or why they wanted it banned in the first place. I honestly believe that we were honoring and respecting the chief. The Chief brought so much life and joy to every halftime show. I have lived in Champaign for nine years and I am very proud to be an Illini fan. I doubt the chief will ever return, however he will never be forgotten.
Brianna Bugbee
I hate that Chief Illiniwek was banned. I don't see how the University of Illinois is disrespecting the Chief. I mean the U of I wants him to be the mascot because he's a great icon. The Chief was and always will resemble the University of Illinois. They can't take the right and will away from the students, families, and fans. I didn't live here till last year, but not only was the Chief a traditon to the school, it was a tradition to the town and beyond. My families and friends that live all around the state loved Chief Illiniwek and miss the tradition still. Maybe one day certain people will look past and think in a differnt perspective that the U of I had no intentions to ever make it look like they were making a mochery or joke out of the Chief. The Chief had an amazing run and maybe oneday that tradition will continue.
Trevor Kohlrus (12:00)
I think banning Chief Illiniwek is stupid! The Chief represented the Illini, and I think it was a great thing. But, unfortunately people take things way too seriously. Many people thought that the Chief was representing the indian culture in an improper way. He was known to "offend" the indian culture by dancing around in the wrong way I guess. I don't think the Chief's intention was to offend the indian culture, and I just think people need to think about what they're doing. I think the Chief was a great contribution to the Illini, and his legend will live on forever.
Chelse Lindenbaum (9:00)
The chief should not be banned at all. It's part of the UofI and always will be. I think by taking the chief out is a complete mockery. I know they said it was because of racism or whatever they were taking him out, but I think they are just racist themselves. I'm not sure how, but I think we should bring the chief back.
Elizabeth Kerns (9:00)
I am so against the banning of the chief from the University of Illinois. I think that it would be an honor for the tribe that the Chief is from to be named our school's mascot. I don't think that the Chief will EVER be forgotten. There are so many students especially that are so completely against the Chief being banned that I believe eventually after a lot of protesting, something will be done to bring the Chief back, or to honor that he was once the University of Illinois' mascot. I think that if the students, and teachers who really care about bringing the Chief back, should produce reasons why he should be brought back and present it to the people who decided to take him away. Why would they not ask the opinions of the people who acutally go to the University?
Brittney (7:00)
First of all, when asking the question, "Chief: Icon or Mockery?" I think it would be benificial to you, from a researcher's perspective, to follow up with questions that are unbiased. While reading your questions, I felt disscouraged to give you my true opinion on the matter. Anyways, I guess I'll still grace you with ultimate wisdom on such a contoversial and important issue. Here it is, are you ready? I don't fucking care!!! It's just a fucking mascot!!! Who the fuck cares?!!! I don't understand how so many people can feel so strongly about something like this. I think there a lot more important things going on in the world... For instance, this bogus-ass war! No offense Chris, you know I love you baby.
Tristan Cogswell
I'm going to be the rebel here and say that I think it was a good idea that the chief was banned. Don't get me wrong, I live in a town close to Champaign and it was pretty shitty that they banned him. I've been coming to Illinois games my whole life, and I do think it was a little ridiculous until I really thought about it. People need to take another perspective on this and think about Native Americans. Illinois fans claim that they're 'honoring' Native Americans by having the chief, but that's absolute bull. By honoring them, we're having the chief running around, dancing and making a fool out of himself. How is that honoring? We're more so making fun of them--and that's why there's a small amount of Native Americans that do attend U of I. Why would they want to go there when all they're doing is getting made fun of? If they want to honor Native Americans give them scholarships, that'd be the best thing. Having a white guy dress up as one of them isn't helping at all. People just need to think about the group of people that the chief really deals with. It would just be embarrasing to have to deal with that if I was Native American. We've been changing names and mascots a lot over the past decade. My god the devil rays had to drop devil out of their name because of controversy and are now known just by the rays. This stuff just happens.
Alyssa Surber (9:00)
I think the banning of the Chief is wrong. I don't know how many years that it has been the mascot of the University of Illinois, but I am pretty sure that it has been quite a long time. I don't think that by using the Chief Illiniwek as a mascot that the University was making a mockery of the tribe, or anyone else for that matter. I think it is the other way around, the University is actually showing pride to the tribe that was complaining. There was no mockery and from what I saw, nothing but respect, so I don't really see what the big deal is. I think it is just like everything else nowadays, everything has to be politically correct, or someone is going to raise a big fuss about it.
Chris Bohnhoff (Noon)
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