Friday, August 12, 2005
The Hawkeyes climb a very high horse
It is with a heavy heart that I point out that the University of Iowa is arrestingly hypocritical in the matter of college mascots.
The culture wars have exploded within the world of college sports, the NCAA having banned from post-season play college mascots that honor American Indians (who do not seem to appreciate the honor). Admittedly, some of these mascot names are more perjorative than honorable (the Southeastern Oklahoma State "Savages" and the Carthage College "Redmen" come to mind), but others are manifestly respectful. Are the "Fighting Illini" or the University of North Dakota's "Fighting Sioux" inherently offensive to anybody other than people who think there is something wrong with "fighting"? The Irish don't seem to think so.
In any case, the University of Iowa has been particularly sanctimonious on this topic, having declared its unwillingness to schedule games with teams that have Indian mascots (other than, presumably, the Fighting Illini). In this regard, the Hawkeyes are also particularly full of bull pie. The name "Hawkeye" derives from two sources, both of which are at least as freighted with Indian connections as "Braves." As WorldNet Daily observed last year,
No word yet on whether the Iowa State Legislature was considering renaming the entire state "South Minnesota," so as not to offend the sensibilities of the Iowa Indians.
The culture wars have exploded within the world of college sports, the NCAA having banned from post-season play college mascots that honor American Indians (who do not seem to appreciate the honor). Admittedly, some of these mascot names are more perjorative than honorable (the Southeastern Oklahoma State "Savages" and the Carthage College "Redmen" come to mind), but others are manifestly respectful. Are the "Fighting Illini" or the University of North Dakota's "Fighting Sioux" inherently offensive to anybody other than people who think there is something wrong with "fighting"? The Irish don't seem to think so.
In any case, the University of Iowa has been particularly sanctimonious on this topic, having declared its unwillingness to schedule games with teams that have Indian mascots (other than, presumably, the Fighting Illini). In this regard, the Hawkeyes are also particularly full of bull pie. The name "Hawkeye" derives from two sources, both of which are at least as freighted with Indian connections as "Braves." As WorldNet Daily observed last year,
The origin of Hawkeyes is traced back to a 19th century newspaper publisher who wanted to honor Chief Black Hawk, and to a white scout named Hawkeye who lived among the Delaware Indians in James Fenimore Cooper's novel "The Last of the Mohicans."
No word yet on whether the Iowa State Legislature was considering renaming the entire state "South Minnesota," so as not to offend the sensibilities of the Iowa Indians.
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