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MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2002

You either love 'em or hate 'em but people can't stop talking about a group of students at the University of Colorado who have nicknamed their intramural basketball team "The Fighting Whities."

But some question whether the talking is doing any good. Some believe the students' protest won't help change offensive mascots because it trivializes them.

Others say the attention alone is enough. One student, however, says the real success would be for a local school -- the Eaton High School Reds" -- to consider changing its Indian imagery.

Truman Taylor of The Providence Journal thinks the whole affairs is hilarious. "Team member Solomon Little Owl -- director of Native American student services at UNC -- says it's not meant to be vicious; it's meant to be a humorous way to put other people in the Indians' shoes," he writes.

"In an overly politically correct society, it's good to see somebody trying to lighten up," he says. "Will it spread? Don't count on it."

Get the Story:
Mascot spotlights Indian grievances (The Denver Post 3/17)
Reaction to Whities mascot varies (The Greeley Tribune 3/17)
Truman Taylor: 'The Fighting Whities' (The Providence Journal 3/17)

Related Stories:
Team 'Whities' getting all the press (3/15)
Editorial: Wrong on 'Whities' (3/15)
Opinion: Indians on Indians (3/14)
Get your 'Whities' t-shirt (3/13)
'Whities' team drawing attention (3/12)
Students call themselves 'Whities' (3/11)