Mocking tradition and autonomy

http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_showa.html?article=58826

 

The PCAA:
Mocking tradition and autonomy

THE NCAA'S executive committee voted last week to ban from its postseason tournaments the mascots of all schools with Indian nicknames that the committee classifies as "hostile or abusive." Nor can schools with such mascots and nicknames host NCAA postseason tournaments. Among the affected schools is Illinois, whose teams are called the Illini after the local confederation of Indian tribes. When a school's "hostile or abusive" nickname is the root word for the state's own name, the absurdity of the NCAA's decision should be obvious.

The committee pronounced its verdict from NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis. "Indiana" means "Land of Indians." The NCAA presumably will announce its move to a politically correct state soon.

The Seminole Tribe of Florida officially endorses Florida State University's use of the Seminole name. The Tribal Council unanimously voted in April to reaffirm this support. In an astounding act of racist paternalism, the NCAA executive committee defined FSU's use of the Seminoles name as "hostile or abusive."

In the name of sensitivity the NCAA is engaging in the very sort of racism it claims to be fighting. The all-knowing white people (three of the committee's 19 members are black) will decide for everyone what shall be done.

Such arrogance is the province of kings, sultans and committees with too much power and too little accountability.