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Saturday, January 23, 2010Legislation aims to rid American-Indian image from sports Mascot under new wave of scrutiny By Nate Miller nmiller@greeleytribune.comDepictions of American Indians in school mascots like the one for the Reds at Eaton High School could become a thing of the past if an Aurora lawmaker has her way. Sen. Suzanne Williams, D-Aurora, introduced Senate Bill 107 at the start of this legislative session that would bar public and charter high schools in Colorado from using American Indian-themed mascots unless they received permission from the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs. The bill, which was assigned to the Health...

You're not the only one unhappy about the Olympic mascots, collectively known as the Fuwa. If the Beijing Olympics' five cuddly mascots go down in history as a dud, their creator wants no part of the blame. After China's Olympics organizers gave him the assignment, folk artist Han Meilin initially sketched out five children representing the traditional Chinese elements of fire, wood, water, gold and earth. Then the bureaucrats got involved. "There had to be a panda, even though you'd think the public would have had enough of them," says the 72-year-old artist. Alas, mankind will never get enough of...

UW men's hockey: Sioux skater must apologize for slashing Bucky Badger Todd Milewski — 11/13/2007 Bucky Badger took a tap on the shins from a North Dakota hockey player on Saturday — and now the University of Wisconsin mascot will receive an apology. WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod said Sioux defenseman Joe Finley was captured on videotape slashing Bucky Badger — played by UW student David Blanchard — before Saturday's game, which North Dakota won 3-1. Finley must write a letter of apology to Blanchard, McLeod said. The commissioner made no ruling on a separate incident in which Blanchard and Sioux...

GRAND FORKS, N.D. — The state Board of Higher Education settled a lawsuit with the NCAA over the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux nickname, giving the school three years to get tribal approval to keep it. The board voted unanimously Friday to approve the settlement after a closed-door briefing from Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem. If the school does not get approval from the Spirit Lake Sioux and Standing Rock Sioux tribes by Nov. 30, 2010, it will have to change to a new name and logo. "The settlement confirms that the Sioux people and no one else should decide...

TULSA, Okla. - An Oklahoma senator known for targeting what he considers to be inappropriate federal spending is now turning his sights on government mascots. SNIP Coburn's subcommittee staff has sent out a questionnaire to every federal agency asking them to compile information on mascots. "It is not about going after a particular mascot," the Oklahoma Republican said. "It is about the money." Coburn said he is trying to get a handle on exactly how much the federal government spends each year on mascots and the Web sites that support them. "On average, it looks like there's (up to) $4...

The Arkansas State University Mascot Review Committee met Monday and voted unanimously to adopt a resolution to recommend retiring the university’s mascot. The committee’s review was initiated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s ruling of August, 2005, on the use of Native American imagery by member institutions. Jim Pickens, chair of the committee, stated that in adopting the resolution, the committee has completed phase I of its charge. The Mascot Review Committee was appointed by ASU Chancellor Dr. Robert L. Potts to consider the university’s continued use of the Indian nickname and mascot to represent ASU’s athletic teams and to...

The College of William and Mary can use the nickname “Tribe” for its athletic teams, but it must eliminate the two feathers in the W&M logo, the National Collegiate Athletic Association ruled Tuesday. The NCAA has been cracking down on Native American nicknames, mascots and images that some find offensive. The NCAA said, “the committee believes that coupling the term “Tribe” with imagery that has traditionally been linked to Native Americans, for example eagle feathers and arrowheads, transforms that use from one associated with “togetherness,” “shared idealism,” and “commitment” to a stereotypical reference to Native Americans.” If the Williamsburg college...

INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA's executive committee on Friday rejected appeals by North Dakota, Illinois, and Indiana University of Pennsylvania to continue using Indian nicknames, mascots and imagery deemed "hostile" and "abusive" at NCAA championship events. The committee also placed Bradley on a watch list for five years, the first school in the nation to earn that distinction. Friday's actions leave seven of the original 18 schools on the offenders list.

A Richland County senator says the University of South Carolina needs to rethink its “Fighting Gamecock” mascot if the Legislature passes tougher penalties on cockfighting. If the bill passes, “how can we as lawmakers and other leaders of this state justify a major institution in our state running ads and logos on billboards with a fighting gamecock with spurs on the feet?” asked Sen. Darrell Jackson. Jackson’s question came as Attorney General Henry McMaster testified before a Senate subcommittee asking lawmakers to pass a bill raising the penalties for cockfighting, which currently is a $100 fine. The panel took no...

The Illinois-Northwestern game is over and it ended in another Illini defeat. Chief Illiniwek's last gridiron dance may have taken place yesterday. The "braintrust" at the NCAA has ruled that the Fighting Illini nickname is okay for the University of Illinois to use--but the Indianhead logo and the Chief Illiniwek mascot have to go. As with every Big 10 football game yesterday--Ohio State-Michigan being the exception--the game was played for a trophy. The winner of the annual Illinois-Northwestern game gets to take home the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk trophy, which is pictured below, next to the Chief. (But keep that quiet,...

The American Psychological Association wants to eliminate the use of American Indian mascots, contending they create stereotypes and damage self-esteem. "American Indian mascots are harmful not only because they are often negative, but because they remind American Indians of the limited ways in which others see them," Stephanie Fryberg said in a statement. "This in turn restricts the number of ways American Indians can see themselves."

A controversial NCAA decision restricting Florida State University's use of an American Indian mascot was based on incomplete information and will be reconsidered, a top NCAA official said Thursday. Walter Harrison, who chairs the committee that approved a policy directed at 18 schools with "hostile and abusive" American Indian mascots, said FSU has "good grounds" to appeal. Among the reasons, he said, are that the NCAA Executive Committee thought the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma opposed FSU's use of the Seminole image as a mascot. That was based partly on letters the committee received from David Narcomey, a member of the...

In another episode of overly sensitive university political correctness, not all mascots will be present in St. Louis this week at the Final Four. Although Ramses the Ram, Cardinal Bird the Cardinal, and Sparty the Spartan will make the trek, Chief Illiniwek has been forced to stay in Illinois for the games. "All aspects of the chief and its dance should be eliminated," said Jen Tayabji, a former Illinois student who is a member of the Progressive Resource/Action Cooperative, a group involved in trying to do away with the chief and the "Fighting Illini" moniker. This is ludicrous - I...

The long-running dispute over the University of Illinois' Chief Illiniwek as a symbol will move into a courtroom. Chief Illiniwek has long been a target of Native American groups who say he is demeaning to them. But the mascot still performs at U of I sporting events. At a news conference Tuesday, the Illinois Native American Bar Association announced it filed a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court. The group says continued use of Illiniwek is racial discrimination and violates civil rights laws. "The University of Illinois ought to be teaching respect for other ethnic minorities, not exploiting them. Continuation...

While images of the Confederate flag have been taboo on Thornton Fractional South High School grounds since the early 1990s, school officials say they have removed two more representations that apparently had been overlooked. The Confederate flag became part of the school's logo after the school's construction in 1958, and the student body voted the Rebel as its mascot. The Confederate flag was removed from the logo in 1993. This year, in response to complaints from several parents, Principal John Hallberg said the school has painted over part of a 30-foot mural given as a gift from the class of...

MILWAUKEE (AP) The caricature mascot Willie Wampum won't be dancing back to the Marquette University campus ... but school officials wouldn't rule out returning to the Warriors nickname of the past. After a discussion today, the university's Board of Trustees decided to continue the conversation and gather more information before deciding whether to keep the nickname of Golden Eagles or return to Warriors. The board also passed a resolution saying Marquette will prohibit any nickname using American Indian references, imagery or symbolism. Some alumni have urged for years that the university restore the Warriors nickname. It was replaced a decade...

"Supporting Our Deployed Service Members and The Mascots They Love" Photo Permissions not granted for any other use except on this website. All photos are copyright 2003-2004 to their soldiers or their rightful photographers and should not be removed from this website without consent. Your donations are a simple way to Support and Thank our Troops for their sacrifices. Show them you care, help bring their buddies home for them. If you would like to help a specific Mascot , please mention them by name when making your donation. All I can do is exerpt this site since pics can't...

So far: Yes 53.2%

April 15, 2004 (CHAMPAIGN, IL) — Protesters occupied the main administration building on the University of Illinois' Urbana-Champaign campus Thursday demanding that the school eliminate its Chief Illiniwek mascot and associated Indian-head symbol. No one was allowed to enter the building after protesters arrived about 7:25 a.m. "We're prepared to be here for several days," said Jen Tayabji, a former Illinois student who was standing with about 10 other protesters four hours later. They blocked the entrance to the Swanlund Administration Building under a large sign that read, "Sit in against the chief." Tulsi Dharmarajan, a spokeswoman for the group...

The topic is Indian mascots in the public schools. But there are probably 100 other things Chris Blice would rather talk about. Blice is principal of Louisburg High School, a small-town school north of Wake Forest that is home to the Warriors. Standing in a gym beside a larger-than-life painting of an Indian on horseback, Blice details the mascot's history and nearly two generations of community support. But he knows he is working against the momentum on this one. This week, two high schools in Guilford County are expected to join 16 others statewide that have "retired" their Indian mascots...