Do Not Offend

Daniel Henninger in a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed article used the term “cultural appropriation” . . . “meaning that the representative of one culture isn’t allowed to use images or traditions of another culture unless the second culture gives its permission”.

This ‘do not offend anyone’ (do not offend Native Americans) concept claimed its first casualty in 1969 when Dartmouth changed its sports team’s nickname from Indians to Big Green – this in a school that was originally founded to educate the American Indian! How inane! Since 1969 there has been an avalanche of politically correct name changes throughout the country, and a lot of the alumni are not happy about it. In 1994 Marquette University changed its nickname from the Warriors to the Golden Eagles. A friend of mine who had graduated from Marquette, had been a regular alumni contributor to Marquette. Now when they call soliciting a contribution from him, he says, “I am offended that you changed the mascot and the nickname. When you change the name back to the Warriors, then call me back and I will give again”.

Not to be outdone, the concept of “cultural appropriation” found its way to California, which considers itself to be a chalice of political correctness. In 1930 Stanford University adopted the nickname “Indians” with an Indian as its official symbol. However in 1972 the nickname and the symbol were dropped after 55 Stanford Native American students considered the name to be offensive and “an insult to their culture and heritage”. Later in that same year a Stanford student referendum voted to restore the Indian symbol, but this vote was essentially ignored as in 1975 there was another vote which went against restoring the symbol and nickname, and since then the school athletic to teams go by the ‘Cardinal’ and their symbol is a tree!? This is both inane and insane! Shouldn’t the purpose of a mascot and a nickname be to inspire the school’s athletic teams? A tree!! A color!!

In 2001 this concept of ‘do not offend anyone’ overtook rationality at Southwestern College in Chula Vista, Ca., when their team name was changed from Apache to Jaguar. Not to be outdone, a similar issue involving “cultural appropriation” occurred at San Diego State University where the Aztec mascot was Monty Montezuma, an Aztec warrior who had been the mascot at SDSU since approximately 1930. He looked fierce and carried a spear which he used “threaten” and intimidate the opponent’s athletic teams. Of course predictably Monty became an unwanted symbol to The Native American Student Alliance at SDSU who found him offensive. At that time school president Stephen Weber decided to change the persona of the mascot in accordance with U.S. Civil Rights Commission which in 2001 had recommended that “non-Indian schools should stop using Native American names for teams and mascots”! This saga then turned laughable when some “professors” designed a spearless and pacified Ambassador Montezuma who would “greet visitors at sporting events and educate the public about Mexican Aztec culture”. When I saw this new “improved, politically correct mascot” at a SDSU basketball game, I actually laughed out loud, as this “fierce warrior” looked like twinkle-toes in a dress. I figured that the poor guy underneath the costume probably had drawn the short straw! By 2003 the embarrassed student body voted overwhelmingly to support a new mascot – so back to the full Monty!

However the battle is never over, as every few years someone is offended and this controversy starts anew. How inane! How does a Tweedle-Dee in a dress inspire a team to fight to win? How insane!!

Why is it that only Native Americans can be offended by team mascots and nicknames? I am offended that no one thinks that I can be similarly offended! Take for example the “Fighting Irish” of Notre Dame. As an Irish American I find this nickname offensive. It is pejorative, as it certainly suggests that the Irish are a drunken brawling sort. The mascot of Notre Dame, a leprechaun with his fists ready for a fight, only reinforces this suggestion. Why can’t I demand that Notre Dame change this offensive (to me) nickname and mascot?

Well to my chagrin and to the chagrin of many other potentially offended sub-groups of Americans, the Supreme Court has just ruled in a case involving an Asian-American rock band who wanted to call themselves “The Slants”. The U.S.Patent and Trademark Office determined that this name had violated its “disparagement clause”, and in essence told The Slants, “no way”. The Slants sued and the case eventually found its way to the Supreme Court. In a unanimous ruling the Court ruled that “speech may not banned on the ground that it expresses ideas that offend”, and so The Slants are now legal, while still probably offensive to some. Wow, finally some sanity as even the four liberal Supreme Court Justices joined in this unanimous opinion! This of course will not stop the left from being offended, but perhaps now public opinion will be slanted in the opposite direction.