Sunday, May 8, 2005

MU chairman, president favored Warriors

The president, the chairman, the alumni, the students; so what's the problem?
In an interview afterward, Bergstrom said he was a fan of the Warriors. "I was one of those people," Bergstrom said. "I wanted it to be Warriors. But there was no way when I really delved into it. When you met with Native American leaders, when you really got down to talking to them, it was clear it was offensive to them. And that's against what we are about."
What they are about is using phrases like "What we are about." If MU can't use words with connotations to which identifiable groups would claim offense, "Catholic" and "Jesuit" are much higher on the list than "Warrior." But, then, many alumni see those words largely erased from MU, as well.


But grant the case against Warriors, for the sake of argument. The real problem, the source of controversy, regarding Golden Eagles was that it replaced Warriors. The new new nickname Gold is the new attempt at a replacement. To take up a new new nickname indicates the board of trustees failed to fully grasp the nature of their problem. And that gives reason to lose confidence in them, even if the original dropping of the Warriors name were sound.

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