NCAA Ban on Indian Mascots: Racist?

I was pouring milk for diner when my dad broached the news. He heard it on the radio, coming home from work.

“You hear the NCAA banned Indian mascots during its postseason tournaments?” he inquired.

As a student at the University of Illinois, I’ve become sick and tired of all the controversy surrounding what’s truly considered a “hostile or abusive” mascot.

I saw all the pro- and anti-Chief Illiniwek videos. I saw all the pride. I saw all the humility. I went to the pro-Chief rallies. I went to the anti-Chief rallies. I had numerous conversations with professors, students and parents about the white guy elaborately dressed like a chief who dances around the football field and the basketball court at half time.

At U of I, they all want to know your stance on Chief Illiniwek. And my answer was always the same:

“Let the men in suits deal with their drama. I’ll deal with mine.”

With the tremendous controversy surrounding Chief Illiniwek, you’d think I’d form an opinion about my mascot after a while. A simple good or bad. But I never did. I kept waiting for that one convincing argument to push me so far in one direction that I could never come back.

And finally it came when I least expected it: when I was pouring the milk.

The following details three points of view on the ban of Indian mascots: your average student’s, the NCAA’s and – finally! – mine.

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They always show the extremes. It’s just what the pro- and anti-American Indian groups like to flip.

The anti-American Indian mascot groups want to expose our latent minds with images of disrespected, pouting, racially discriminated Native Americans. The proponents, on the other hand, present us with virtues such as honor, respect and tradition.

None of it is real.

It’s always the lone, righteous Native American who goes from sports stadium to sports stadium. And it’s always the high-ranking school official extolling honor like a Congressman dolling out Purple Hearts.

But where’s the majority? Where’s the real? Walk around any campus on a normal day and all you’ll see is kids just being kids. Their thoughts are focused on so many other things like classes, boyfriends, girlfriends and Desperate Housewives.

Ya know, normal stuff.

The overwhelming majority just want to experience college life. Not get involved with a struggle about which only school brass can make decisions.

Is it wrong to have pro- and anti-Chief Illiniwek groups on campus? No. But have either of those groups changed anything yet? No, again.

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Money or more money?

That’s the real question one should ask about the NCAA’s decision. How is this going to help the NCAA? After all, Bob Knight was right in calling the organization a monopoly.

The new ruling is a small step in the direction of political correctness. It shows the NCAA is attempting to make political correctness another one of its hallmarks.

Good for public opinion, right?

Well, we’ll see. The NCAA is testing the water before it decides to jump all the way in. It’s going in half-way by saying schools can retain their mascot as long as it’s covered in postseason tournament play.

Watch out NCAA! These waters are very dangerous.

This opens the door for all people who have an opinion on a mascot. Any mascot! Even a mascot seemingly as benign as the Blue Hens can spawn disapprovement in some groups.

How ‘bout when the churches decide it’s worth making a push against mascots such as the Demons, Saints, Crusaders and Friars? Ohhh, somebody might wish they had a mulligan!

Who is one group to say they have the ultimate authority in what’s right and what’s offensive? This may have seemed like a step in the right direction, but the NCAA is going to have a lot on its agenda in years to come.

Sometimes, you wonder why the NCAA even peaked from the shadow of the phrase it’s been hiding behind for many, many years:

Institutional control.

Now that the NCAA’s in the light, it has to come all the way out.

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When is it not about racism?

The NCAA’s ruling is racist. In its attempt to rid all schools of Native American mascots, the board is being racist toward everyone involved in the University system.

It’s confusing. It’s hypocritical. It’s unconventional. It’s poorly planned. It’s like a Ben Wallace three.

By protecting the Native Americans’ honor, the NCAA is hurting a far greater population. By creating a small good, it’s breeding a greater evil.

For comparison’s sake, let’s consider the NBA’s new age minimum:

On the surface, NBA Commissioner David Stern was venerably trying to help his League by bringing in more mature, developed and marketable players with hopefully a couple years NCAA experience. But, quite frankly (props Stephen A.!), his proposal only affects about five young men every year – a small number compared to the entire 400+ player NBA.

In addition, Stern’s decision affects solely young African Americans (sorry Robert Swift, you don’t count). And the League so happens to be mostly black. So Jermaine O’Neal had a point when he said David Stern was being racist with an age minimum because it only affected African Americans.

Now imagine the same type of situation with a little tweak. Picture it on a larger scale. MUCH larger.

In the same way as the NBA, the NCAA is being racist with a ban of Native American mascots. Why? Because it negatively affects 100 percent University students!

Every student at Universities like Illinois and Florida State – including the Native American students – are now handed the short end of the stick with this decision. Yes, the NCAA had good intentions as its priority rather than money for once. Yes, it knew its decision would bring about more issues about other offensive mascots in the future. Yes, it understood the extremists would still get pissed off. And, yes, it knew a lot of people wouldn’t care.

But its good thought will turn into a large disaster.

Now, unless these schools go through the hassle of constantly covering up their name and mascot every year, things will have to be changed. In consequence, many alumni donations will be down the drain. School tradition will be down the drain.

Education quality will be down the drain.

So who does this really affect? Just like the NBA, this ruling hurts a much large group than what it was designed to protect. The NCAA’s ban on Native American mascots hurts arguably America’s largest, most important group:

The University student.