Chief Illiniwek

The dance may be over but the “Chief” will live on forever.

Of course, in this case, we are talking about the fictional “Chief Illiniwek” who roamed the halls and sports stadiums at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign since 1926. Since 1988, the question of whether it was morally right to continue to present the Chief during sporting events has been debated.

Let me be more accurate. Whether the University should continue promoting and presenting the Chief and his ceremonial dance at sporting and other activities has been pondered, questioned, argued, discussed, talked about, thrashed about, fought about, bickered, squabbled, disputed and fussed about for close to twenty years.

Let us think about that for a moment. For a quarter of the Chief’s existence, the point of his existence has been under fire.

In Urbana-Champaign, there are two types of people who live there. No, I don’t mean the democrats or republicans. No, I don’t mean the smokers or non-smokers. No I don’t mean those who are pro-choice or pro-life. No, I don’t mean men or women.

In the area you will find those “For the Chief” or those “Against the Chief”. There are few (Outside the Board of Trustees) on the fence.

Those who support the Chief have been called insensitive, arrogant, bigoted, unfeeling, unsympathetic, uncaring, callous, cruel, cold and heartless.

Those who support the retirement of the Chief have been called oversensitive, over politically correct, touchy, prickly, thin-skinned, over-emotional, whiney, moaning, complaining and bleeding hearts.

The debate will never be totally over, but hopefully it has been tempered. The Board of Trustees for the University of Illinois has announced that after Wednesday night’s performance, the Chief will be retired.

I have been one of those who have not voiced their opinion. I have always viewed the Chief as a character, like Paul Bunyan. I never felt he characterized a specific tribe or a specific, “true to life” lifestyle. He has always been a fun story that symbolized strength and pride.

The University could have used space gladiators or Roman gladiators. They could have used a pack animal or revolutionary war soldier. Instead, they chose an American Indian.

Considering the time and non-white attitudes of the day, it was an easy choice. Still, it is not 1926 anymore.

This is the twenty-first century. What our country did to minorities of all types through the past two hundred plus years is reprehensible. We continue to fight with those whose beliefs are contrary to ours overseas. In many ways, we still have not learned our lessons.

In the small community of Urbana-Champaign, the University of Illinois Board of Trustees have taken a brave stand (thanks to a gun to the head by the NCAA) and said that since the Chief is offensive to some, we must find another way to promote bravery, persistence and honor among the students, faculty, alumni and just plain fans of the University.

It is not a popular move, but it is the right move. Maybe the decision was not made for the best reasons, but it was the right decision.

In the hearts of the supporters of the Chief, I hope they will take the good that the Chief represented and find new ways to express themselves. Many things were said that should not have been said. Much money was spent that could have been spent elsewhere.

Let us enjoy the last dance and then move forward. The Chief will always be remembered, if not displayed. That is as it should be.

Long live the Chief.