"Polls keep showing that American Indians aren't really offended by college team nicknames such as Warriors, Braves, Indians, Seminoles and Fighting Illini. But many sportswriters, campus "diversity" officials and now the National Collegiate Athletic Association think they ought to be. So the NCAA says it will ban from championship play all college teams with "hostile or abusive" nicknames and mascots. It apparently took this action without consulting tribal leaders.

"It's like history - they left the natives out," said Max Osceola, a member of the tribal council of the Seminole tribe of Florida, which approves the use of the Seminole mascot and nickname long used by Florida State. "They have nonnatives telling natives what's good for them.""

Get the Story:
John Leo: Do-good guardians will baby us to death (The New York Daily News 8/22)

NCAA Announcement:
NCAA Executive Committee Issues Guidelines for Use of Native American Mascots at Championship Events (August 5, 2005)

Relevant Links:
NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee - http://www1.ncaa.org/eprise/main/
membership/governance/assoc-wide/moic/index.html
National Coalition on Racism in Sports and Media - http://www.aimovement.org/ncrsm

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