Keep the Chief!!!!
Okay, I'll admit it. The Chief is basically a dead man. Sad but true, no point in denying it. The administration of our beloved U is turning out to be a bunch of politically correct panty wastes!!! Sorry, Jeff, no slam at you, I know that you do your best, but the tides of evil are just too strong, it appears. If you have other info and can update this page, please let me know!!
So, what's an alumnus to do? I have a meagre idea. If only we were still students on campus, we could make this happen. What we need is a cadre of renegade Chiefs!!! A small band of determined students could easily duplicate the Chief's outfit (and without the PC concessions of recent years) so that three or four or ten or more students could dress up in full Chief regalia, not just for football games, but all the time, and parade around the campus celebrating our proud Chief Illiniwek heritage!!!!! At football games, basketball games, baseball games, Quad events, graduation, Hash Wednesday, registration, shopping malls, etc.... the sky is the limit! Without the restrictions that come with official sanction, our renegade Chiefs could overrun the campus and proclaim our Illini pride to the stars and beyond!!!! The administration will rue the day that they retired the official Chief, and might even try to bring him back. But it will be too late, the cat will be out of the bag.
But how to make this happen? If we were all still students on campus, it would be easy. But, as ancient graduates, we are basically relegated to the Obi-Won Kenobi role, and must work our magic through contemporary surrogates. Who? I don't know. But I do believe that there is a germ of an idea here. Suggestions? Send them in!!! Feel free to discuss ideas on our Fivesouth message board on Yahoo groups, or via e-mail with our gang here. There is still a chance, we might yet achieve redemption. I, for one, do not relish the idea of being forsaken because of a bunch of PC pinheads.... I hope the rest of you are with me. Go Chief!!!!!
Meanwhile.......
There is still the offical "dialogue" on the Chief sponsored by the University. What has become of this "dialogue" you ask? Excellent question. There is a web page that lists the supposed progress of the debate, which you can check out right here. Personally, I am non-impressed, but you can decide for yourself.
I know that this horse has left the barn, but still, I am listing below the text of the e-mail that I sent in on the debate. Please note that I am NOT encouraging mindless copying of this text; that smacks of old-time party politics and I am not in favor of it. But if you find any of these arguments compelling, please feel free to adapt them in your own attempts to defend our beloved Chief, in whatever venues you happen to find.
Also, please note that our very own Frank has upbraided me for using the term "mascot" to describe the Chief, on the grounds that he is much more dignified than a mascot and the term does not really apply. I agree with him, and I wish that I'd thought of that before I'd sent this note. Oh well..... live and learn. You might want to consider the nuances of that when you compose your own arguments. Go Chief!!!!!
To the Trustees and the entire University Community:
I would like to weigh in as STRONGLY in favor of retaining Chief Illiniwek, and also to spell out my specific reasons. I hope that this forum will consider all of these reasons.
1. First and foremost: we all know that NO HARM IS MEANT by the use of Chief Illiniwek by the University and the university community. To retire the Chief is to admit to what we know NOT to be true. This is abhorent to me, and, I believe, to all lovers of truth, knowledge, intelligent discourse, and education. Basically, this would be an ADMISSION OF GUILT where we know there is none.
2. Second, and almost as important, WHERE DOES IT END? To roll over to the forces of Political Correctness is to invite further, and endless, tyranny by these idealogical fascists. We must draw a line in the sand NOW and say that we will NOT be bullied by those who would dictate our every move and who will not be satisfied until they control our every thought and opinion. This is not the hallmark of a free people, a free-thinking community, or a society devoted to intellectual diversity.
3. Third, whatever happened to academic freedom of expression? If one of the greatest academic institutions of our nation is not free to pursue its beliefs, and that of its alumni, how can the rest of our nation hope to maintain its freedom of expression, speech, and beliefs?
4. Fourth, who is to drive the policies of this great university? Alumni? Or outsiders? Are we to be beholden to the beliefs and whims of any activists who come down the pike? Or are we to respect the opinions of the true stakeholders of this great University, its alumni and the taxpayers of the state of Illinois who make this institution possible in the first place?
5. Fifth, are we to allow the tyranny of the minority over the will of the majority? Clearly, those who oppose the Chief are a small, but vocal, minority, who would manipulate media hype and hysterical hyperbole over the wishes and intention of the vast silent majority of alumni, taxpayers, and other stakeholders in this controversy.
6. Finally, and at the same time the most crass and the most practical of all reasons for retaining Chief Illiniwek as the mascot of the University, is the issue of revenue. I am certain that I am not the only alum who would lose all incentive to support my alma mater, both in terms of direct donations and in terms of indirect spending on football games, offically licensed products, and campus town establishments, should our beloved Chief be retired. I realize that this is not the noblest of arguments, but it cannot be ignored, and will no doubt prove to have extremely significant repercussions.
For these reasons, I wish to reiterate my STRONGEST POSSIBLE SUPPORT for retaining Chief Illiniwek as the mascot of our great University of Illinois.
John Cesarone
BSME 1980
MSME 1981
