Comments on: Respect

by: Steve Bates

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 23:15:35 +0000

My high school’s mascot was the Redskin. As far as I know, it still is. I am not Native American, but they can’t change the mascot soon enough to suit me: at least this alumnus finds it offensive.

I cannot remember who it was, but one Native American wrote a couple of years ago, asking how everyone would react if a school named its team, say, the Oklahoma N****rs. Would that be OK? No big deal, right? Right. Anyone who cannot see the direct analogy is, IMHO, a racist.

by: Administrator

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 23:03:02 +0000

NOTE TO ALL: For some reason, I can’t post this morning; page comes up with a 404. It may be because my tech genius friend is handling my archive-transfer problem, or it may be that Blogsome is bloggered. I’ll keep checking throughout the day; meanwhile, amuse yourselves in the comments.

by: Administrator

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 23:00:31 +0000

erizzle: Let me know when that changes. (Guest-blogging here is always a possibility, too, if you’re ever so inclined.)

NTodd: I wonder if John would be cool with Illinois choosing The Queer as they’re new mascot. You know, he’d only go out at halftime and dance to ABBA tunes in a traditional outfit designed by Andrew Sullivan.

Wish I’d thought of that when I was writing this post! Somehow, I think that would get more traction with him than the comparison to black minstrel shows. Incidentally, what would said “traditional outfit” look like?

by: erizzle

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 22:28:25 +0000

not a blogger (at least, not yet). i’m waiting to get a year in at my new job, which eats time faster than my cats eat tuna.

rock on, rational.

by: NTodd

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 22:20:41 +0000

I’ve never been one who really has cared about the mascot thing, mostly because they are are all caricatures, whether they be cowboys or dolphins. That said, it’s not about my feelings, it’s about the Native Americans’. John and the other UI folks need to get a grip because it’s just a fucking mascot, and that cuts both ways: if it’s not a “big deal” to have an Injun as a mascot, then it’s not a big deal to find a different one that’s not so offensive.

I wonder if John would be cool with Illinois choosing The Queer as they’re new mascot. You know, he’d only go out at halftime and dance to ABBA tunes in a traditional outfit designed by Andrew Sullivan. That wouldn’t be offensive, right?

by: Administrator

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 21:54:49 +0000

“Avaracist” - I had to read that twice before it registered, and then it had me laughing out loud!

Thanks, erizzle - glad you like it. Which reminds me: Are you a blogger, too? When I get the new site up and running, one of the things I’m planning to do is blogroll a bunch of the non-A-listers whose stuff I like, and who I think need to be highlighted. (Yes, kactus, I’m lookin’ at you here.) Just my own little contribution to Atrios’s concept of “blogroll amnesty.”

by: erizzle

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 10:12:51 +0000

i wasn’t reading AMERICAblog when the McKinney and BG incidents happened, but checking into them i can see there is certainly a pattern. it’s funny watching some of avaracist’s sycophants try to defend him at Pandagon.

on the bright side, following this has connected me to some great blogs (like this one)!

peace

by: kactus

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 01:43:35 +0000

well, if John goes true to form, as soon as this blows over a bit he’s going to hold another fundraiser. It’s like a ritual over there. Someday, oh someday, Americablog 2.0 will appear.

by: Administrator

Sun, 18 Feb 2007 23:02:55 +0000

Thanks, both of you.

Yeah, I knew JA wasn’t nearly as progressive as he’d like people to believe - his “progressivism” tends to be aimed at expanding the power and the glory of JA and his personal interests - but I was still disappointed in the utter pigheadedness of his statements. [Sigh] I guess I always hold out hope that people will learn from their own mistakes (e.g., McKinney, “Big Girl”) - which, I suppose, means that 99.9% of the time, I’m doomed to disappointment, no?

by: kactus

Sun, 18 Feb 2007 12:42:10 +0000

Yes, a great post. I wasn’t disappointed in aravosis, though, just sick of his usual churlishness and dissent. I already knew, after the Cynthia McKinney post and the Big Girl post, that he doesn’t take kindly to disagreement.