Gamma Phi Beta University of North Dakota Punished for Showing School Pride

[Sciencewoman]

I personally think this situation could have been avoided if they'd picked a new mascot right away. Have a naming contest like other schools have done, and move on. Instead of initiating a 3 year "cooling off" period, when current students could be mad they don't have a mascot to cheer on for the duration of their college years, turn it into a positive situation with an educational awareness campaign, followed by a positive, fun, spirited campaign to select and roll out a new mascot. The situation with the Washington Redskins also irks me...you know they will eventually cave and change that obviously offensive name. The sooner the better...just get it done and move on!

I read the Gamma Phi Beta press release last week, and the Sorority's anti-discrimination policy was firmly reinforced in the release. No excuses were made.

True fact: I used to live on a street called Sioux Drive. Good thing I moved!

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Sciencewoman

The situation with the Washington Redskins also irks me...you know they will eventually cave and change that obviously offensive name. The sooner the better...just get it done and move on!

Not arguing about the offensiveness of the Washington Redskins name or whether it should be changed, but the history of that particular team name (and its historical counterpart, the Atlanta Braves) really does play into much bigger themes about how majority American culture has used American Indians and "Indianness" as a way of defining "Americanness," starting with the Boston Tea Party.

And I'll have lime, Dr. Phil. Thank you very much!