LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG.Byline: The Register-Guard Fans can help improve sports I so much appreciate Bob Welch's inspiring account of the McKenzie High football team. It brings perspective to the college and professional sports The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page. mess and recognizes that sportsmanship and sports pleasure still can exist in the less "affected" parts of our state and country. I think the most enjoyment at Autzen Stadium The stadium is tucked between the Willamette River and Coburg Hills. The uniquely shaped bowl blends in with the wooded Eugene landscape. The shape also allows for unique acoustics, making it one of the loudest stadiums in NCAA Football for its capacity. may be in viewing high school competition among teams like McKenzie. Kudos go to these young sportsmen and their teacher-coach Rick Gardner. We recently attended the University of Montana homecoming game in Missoula, where the fans actually cheered the opposing team when they came on to the field. What a pleasant contrast to Autzen, where fans boo the opposing teams. As fans, we can do much to improve the sports environment. ZANE G. SMITH Jr. Springfield Oregon Duck isn't a real duck After learning that 250 people at the University of Oregon The University of Oregon is a public university located in Eugene, Oregon. The university was founded in 1876, graduating its first class two years later. The University of Oregon is one of 60 members of the Association of American Universities. want to cancel basketball games with Illinois because, among other reasons, Chief Illiniwek Chief Illiniwek was the mascot and official symbol of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign associated with the University's intercollegiate athletic programs from 1926 to February 212007. is not a real Indian, I've started a petition for Illinois alumni to protest the University of Oregon's mascot. The Oregon Duck, by the way, is not a real duck. Yep, I'm contacting People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is an international nonprofit organization that supports Animal Rights and has spawned a tremendous amount of conflict and controversy from its inception. in order to ban all offensive displays of animal mascots from college sport. We are bombarded with graphic violence: pictures of beavers and ducks being stewed stewed adj. 1. Cooked by stewing: stewed prunes. 2. Informal Intoxicated; drunk. stewed Adjective 1. in pots, strung up and hung by the neck and abused at offices all around Eugene. It's just plain cruel to continue to punish these poor critters in such an exploitative way. Illini fans and alumni have never displayed such violent tendencies. We honor our tradition in song: "Hail to the Chief." The Chief is not a caricature; he's a symbol of pride at Illinois. He is chosen each year at an open audition, where many try to win the chance to perform as the Chief. The most accomplished performer wins. Looks like diversity in action to me. Go Illini! DAVID David, in the Bible David, d. c.970 B.C., king of ancient Israel (c.1010–970 B.C.), successor of Saul. The Book of First Samuel introduces him as the youngest of eight sons who is anointed king by Samuel to replace Saul, who had been deemed a failure. THULSTRUP Eugene Why should 'the chief' retire? Regarding the "Retire 'the chief' ' editorial (Register-Guard, Dec. 9): Why? Certainly not for any reasons the editorial provided, because it gave none. The editorial contained derivatives of the verb "offend" four times and used "insulting" once. But it gave absolutely no description or explication ex·pli·cate tr.v. ex·pli·cat·ed, ex·pli·cat·ing, ex·pli·cates To make clear the meaning of; explain. See Synonyms at explain. [Latin explic of the specific nature of the offense and insult. In the absence of such evidence, I assume the editorial simply expresses The Register-Guard's ideology. For want of a better term, I shall call that ideology "political correctness politically correct adj. Abbr. PC 1. Of, relating to, or supporting broad social, political, and educational change, especially to redress historical injustices in matters such as race, class, gender, and sexual orientation. ." The final paragraph illustrates the dearth of facts. "That self-serving justification ... many American Indians American Indians: see Americas, antiquity and prehistory of the; Natives, Middle American; Natives, North American; Natives, South American. regard." I consider the justification to be a fact. The editorial presents no data to refute it. Here is what the editors need to do. Go to Illinois, eastern Iowa and western Indiana and obtain testimony from Native Americans that explains why they are offended, if any are. Do the same with Native Americans whose ancestors lived in the Mississippi Valley. Once you have the evidence, poll all the Native Americans you can find in that region and ask them if they concur with the nature of the offenses. Report the results in the newspaper. The editorial said that 250 students and faculty signed a resolution. That sounds like about 1 percent of the University of Oregon community. Would editors agree that, if they get about 1 percent offended responses in the Mississippi Valley, it might be time to abandon the "Retire 'the chief' ' journalism? LEO QUIRK Corvallis |
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