Chippewa nickname should stay

Pardon me for a moment if I take a step away from athletics to focus on an issue that affects the entire CMU community as a whole.
It seems that a number of students have taken it upon themselves to push for the change of CMU’s Chippewa nickname.
From the recent resolutions passed by the Residence Hall Assembly and the Student Government Association, to the guest column by Jeff Falcusan in Monday’s paper, which labeled individuals like myself as one who gives “mindless support” to the proud Chippewa nickname, CMU is under attack by the PC police.
Well hooray for you and thanks for showing us two things: first, that student activism is not dead and second, that what may be dead are the rumors of the legendary apathy of Central students.
I admire your energy, but I must take issue with the cause you have chosen.
Convenient isn’t it, that Falcusan feels comfortable to lob his holier-than-thou political correctness from the tradition- (scandal?) rich halls of the University of Michigan.
I wonder if Falcusan was writing an opinion piece for some course requirement at U-M? Oh come on now, they probably asked all the students who didn’t attend U-M for undergrad work to blast their old school in an effort to show allegiance to Big Blue. You were a Chip before, well show us how you feel about them now and maybe we’ll let you be part of the U-M family. If that’s the case Mr. Falcusan, your best example of mindless support of an administration may be staring back at you in the mirror.
Mr. Falcusan, to say that the university fails to take its educational mission seriously with its continued use of the Chippewa nickname is an interesting argument. After all, if that’s truly the case, how can an individual like yourself ever get into U-M after doing your undergraduate work at a school which doesn’t look seriously upon its educational mission.
The Gestapo-like maneuvers of the PC Police must stop somewhere and with apologies to Rage Against the Machine, what better time than now what better place than this. For far too long individuals like myself have had our beliefs silenced by the yells of political correctness and the unending attempts to make the entire world fashionably PC.
People like yourself may have won their battles with our brethren at Eastern Michigan and at Miami University, but the Chippewas will survive.
Don’t think so? Consider this. While you accurately give an account of how the Chippewa nickname was chosen, for the majority of Central students that has no bearing on our current situation.
For us, the Chippewa nickname evokes strong pride and tradition. For me being a Chippewa is not about offending the Native American population but about celebrating what I now am, a CMU Chippewa.
Mr. Falcusan you stated that the university has never taken any action to gauge the opinion of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe on our nickname. Well what about you? Have you conducted a thorough survey of tribe members into their thoughts on the issue?
Two things to consider though before you begin. If the tribe was so against the nickname would it buy a suite at Kelly/Shorts Stadium which not only gives money to the university, but also puts tribe members in excellent position to cheer on the Chips, something you say they find offensive?
Also if the tribe is so against the university’s continued use of Chippewas, why do they still hold their annual Pow Wow at CMU, as they are this March 18 in Rose Arena.
Instead of tooting your PC arrogance in our faces, please take your cause somewhere else.
Hey, we’re both Americans aren’t we? Well then from one American to another, why don’t you give Mr. Steinbrenner a call and see what you can do about that Yankee mascot, I’d love to hear the history behind that one.
In the meantime, Fire Up Chips!