Indiana High School - Nickname Debate (Former IUP Mascot)

[Horror Child]

Re: Indiana High School - Nickname Debate (Former IUP Mascot)

In todays culture of political correctness and offense at every real or perceived slight, it really doesn't matter what the intent was back in the day. What matters is the offense any current group or individual feels. If anyone feels offended by it, then it should be changed...at least that seems to be the current system we live in.

Stereotype of Scottish people is that they are mean spirited drunks ("Fighting Scots")...Stereotype of Irish people is that they are drunks prone to fighting ("Fighting Irish")...Stereotype of Indians is that they are drunken savages who are prone to fight ("Fighting Illini"). If ANY Scot or Irish or Indian feels offended, then society as a whole should demand these offensive names be changed.

I agree with this, except for that part about the three groups always being drunk. The fact that some schools/group are exempt is peculiar.

[iupgroundhog]

Re: Indiana High School - Nickname Debate (Former IUP Mascot)

I am not a part of the "anti-political correctness crowd." Far from it. However, this one really made me scratch my head. The Community College of Philadelphia has dropped their "Colonials" nickname. Apparently, acording to a petition-signing group of students the name Colonials does not reflect well on the CCP student body. The students feel that the term "Colonials" is associated with slavery and should be trashed. I can't agree with that. First of all, as someone with strong roots in Colonial America and Pennsylvania I am personally offended. Second, this is Philadelphia, aka the Birthplace of Liberty. Never mind that Philadelphia was the first place in the New World where anti-slavery demonstrations took place. Never mind that Philadelphia was the cultural center for free Blacks in Colonial days. Never mind that interest groups fought to have a memorial to Black Revolutionary War soldiers a few miles away in Valley Forge to remind people that Black people fought in the Revolutionary War. I don't want to offend people and I think a particular group being offended is enough reason to drop a nickname - however, from my perspective this one distorts the entirety of the history and is ill-conceived. I hope the board can handle this. I understand if it can't. Link below.

https://www.phillymag.com/news/2018/...ials-nickname/