|
Comment on this article |
View comments |
Email this Article
|
|
News :: Civil & Human Rights |
|
Anti-"chief" boycott |
Current rating: 0 |
by Boycott
Email: boycott (nospam) iresist.org (unverified!) |
17 Aug 2005
|
|
In the aftermath of the NCAA report released on August 5, 2005 (see http://iresist.org/news.html) which characterizes UIUC’s use of “Chief Illiniwek” and “Fighting Illini” as “hostile and abusive”, we are in a unique position to increase pressure on the BOT to take action this school year. Show your support for retiring the “Chief” by joining the 2005-2006 boycott of UIUC’s mascot. |
 boycott.pdf (61 k) |
Click on image for a larger version  |
Boycott “The Chief” 2005-2006!
Boycott Who?: Campus Town stores that sell “Chief Illiniwek” merchandise. Focus on the following three bookstores: Follett Bookstore, T.I.S. College Bookstore, Illini Union Bookstore. Visit www.iresist.org for more information.
In the aftermath of the NCAA report released on August 5, 2005 (see http://iresist.org/news.html) which characterizes UIUC’s use of “Chief Illiniwek” and “Fighting Illini” as “hostile and abusive”, we are in a unique position to increase pressure on the BOT to take action this school year. Show your support for retiring the “Chief” by joining the 2005-2006 boycott of UIUC’s mascot.
Students: Purchase your textbooks and school supplies from stores that are NOT profiting from the sale of American-Indian imagery. We suggest ordering all of your books online. In addition, let your professors know you support the boycott and would like the class book list before the beginning of the Fall 2005 semester. You can also encourage your professors to develop readers, use the online course reserves, or use multimedia at the beginning of the semester to help give students time for the delivery of your online book orders. Ask businesses to stop displaying and selling “Chief” merchandise. You can also forward this info to friends and to other listservs.
Faculty: We are asking all faculty members concerned with this issue NOT to submit their Fall 2005 or Spring 2006 book orders to any of the three bookstores (this is usually accomplished by delivering your book list to your department secretary). Instead, submit your booklist directly to your students before the semester begins. At the start of the semester, use multi-media, online articles, course e-reserves, readers and handouts as your main materials for assignments. This will give students a few weeks to purchase their books from alternative sources. You can also send your course syllabi to prospective students prior to the first day of class and encourage them to buy books elsewhere. You can retrieve a list of students registered in your class(es) by (1) logging onto your banner account at https://apps.uillinois.edu/ (2) clicking on the faculty self service link (3) clicking on the faculty/advisor services link (4) selecting UIUC and (5) finding your listed classes. With Banner you can email all your students at the click of a button.
Why boycott?
Because the University of Illinois Board of Trustee’s (BOT) has not approached any anti-“Chief” organization to reach their so called “consensus conclusion” or consulted with the Native American House on issues related to the mascot, we encourage the anti-“Chief” community to continue their protest against the use of this hostile and abusive symbol. Efforts should target businesses that profit from the sale of American-Indian imagery – focusing on those establishments that prominently display/sell merchandise with the “Chief Illiniwek” symbol and/or the term “Fighting Illini” as well as other commodified forms of American-Indian stereotypes. In particular, Follet’s bookstore is the most pro-mascot bookstores in Campus Town. If you absolutely must purchase supplies from a local bookstore, please choose the Illini Union Bookstore since part of their profits go to student programs).
The boycott will continue until the Board of Trustees votes to retire and stop licensing the “Chief” mascot and the term “Fighting Illini”at UIUC or when individual businesses negotiate an acceptable end to the sale of their offensive merchandise. Contact info (at) iresist.org for further questions. |
See also:
http://www.iresist.org
http://www.iresist.org/news.html
|
This work is in the public domain |
|
Re: Anti-"chief" boycott |
by Boycott 2
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
17 Aug 2005
|
|
How effective will our boycott be? It is not as if I see anyone wearing anything that says "Chief" or "Fighting Illini" on it. I am serious, our boycott record in the past has not been very successful. I suggest that we hit them in their wallet by either damaging or stealing their goods and giving it to the homeless. The time for useless forms of protest is over. The beer drinking, oversexed college kids will overcome any boycott we propose. |
|
Re: Anti-"chief" boycott |
by Ed
frozenthought (nospam) hotmail.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
18 Aug 2005
|
|
If you follow Boycott 2's advice, the anti chief movement will really lose credibility with the general public. I still insist the best strategy is not to get rid of the chief but replace the chief with another more acceptable chief. I suggested the Prairie Fire chief --- one that would honor firefighters. -- ED |
|
Re: Anti-"chief" boycott |
by Boycott2
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
18 Aug 2005
|
Ed,
Face it the General Public created this racist symbol in the first place. We have no credibility with the overwhelmingly racist university and the weak ass trustees. This is all about money, plain and simple. If we can hurt them economically, the store owners will have to cave in. |
|
Re: Anti-"chief" boycott |
by Local Yocal
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
19 Aug 2005
|
The most effective boycott remains if the blue- chip African American athletes refuse to play at the University of Illinois. Or if the basketball team had suddenly refused to take the floor during the Final Four. The minute black athletes are no longer willing to score touchdowns and shoot baskets under a racist mascot, or worse, for no money while everyone else makes millions off their games- that's when the white plantation owners over at the Biefeldt Athletic Administration Building start looking to "improve their image" with some sort of "fresh start". Win the athletes over, and this mascot thing will be chucked in a heartbeat. Guaranteed. One thing that is not tolerated in the grand "tradition" of hallowed Illini sportsdom: perpetual losing.
It's no wonder then-Chancellor Michael Aiken in 2000 went half-nuts with a campus-wide email that demanded no student or faculty was allowed to talk to any recruits about the mascot. He realized real quick that you can't have any of these negro athletes getting uppity or there really goes the money. |
