Illinois88
- United States
I kind of get the fact that people didn't like a white student in full native american costume (is that word offensive??) dancing during halftime... but the chief logo itself was a pretty darn respectful image, up there with the Highly Revered Chicago Blackhawks logo.
I'm ok with the university looking into new symbols/logos/mascots (The block I is nice, but incredibly boring) I think that the doughboy/ soldier makes the most sense, and my hope (as unlikely as it is) is that the university keeps the Block I as its primary logo, but uses the chief and a soldier as its secondary logos, both of whom honor the brave warriors that came from the state of illinois - which is where the nickname comes from anyway.
I also did like that bird idea. Birds are cool.
If anything, to play it "safe", maybe the dance and the The Chief's dress should've been re-done in order to appease the Native American Council. What's interesting is that if they didn't want an American student without Native American blood a scholarship should've been made, full-tuition, to any entering freshmen who is Native American to act as The Chief. They would learn the dance and perform during sporting events. It that sense it would be a greater effort to show that respect in is mind.
I preface this by saying that I am a big Chief supporter. I thought the campaign against him was ridiculous.
That said, it's been nine years. Next year's incoming freshman were 7 when the Chief was eliminated. They have no memory of him, and to them our halftime shows and other peripheral events around our sports teams don't come off as protests against the Chief's removal, but just seem odd and empty. Other sports programs have some sort of symbol or icon associated with them. Illinois has a big, orange "I".
At this point, the "Chief or bust" stance has diminishing value, as fewer and fewer students have any association with the symbol.
That's the byproduct of cutting out tradition. There will be remnants of it but for the most part newbies will be wondering "Are they talking about when the say, 'The Chief'?" What you're left with is a sea of nothingness. This goes with traditions in other cultures as well. If you don't carry whatever tradition down it'll cease to exist, or it will have less value to future generations.
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