The Chief is a symbol of Pride, Tradition, Loyalty, and Excellence that our University represents of all the Native American tribes in the Illinois area, and the entire Midwest. Just as our school is still the Fighting Illini, he represents the people of Illinois. He honors those that were here first. I don't understand why people think it is offensive. Look at Florida State, their Chief Osceola rides out before football games on a horse carrying a flaming spear, dismounts the horse and plants the spear in the field. Our Chief does a traditional Sioux dance, their chief rides to war... If that isn't hostile and offensive, I don't know what is.

I still feel depressed after the Three-in-One is played during halftime at every Illinois sporting event. The Chief gave me something to be proud of at this University; he gave us an identity, something more noble than a mere collection of students.

I will be at the Next Dance and hope you will be there too.

I do not see how De La Rosa can say that the Next Dance shows a "lack of development on part of students at the University." Let's take a poll and see how many students would like to see the Chief come back. I'm sure that a large number would fall into that category. So if you would like to see the Chief come back, then shame on you. You have not developed into the person that De La Rosa wants you to be. I really do not care whether you support the Chief or not, but do not say things about the students (on either side) lacking development or anything of that sort. I doubt that the Chief-supporters are all a bunch of racists or intellectually degenerate etc, etc. Too many times I have heard professors talk about ideological oppression and turn around and do it themselves. Grow up.

Kaler obviously can no longer grandstand now that her superiors were caught cheating on admissions. This is quite a turnaround since Kaler belligerent attempt at SLAPPing the Next Dance Last year. Much to Kaler and De La Rosa's dismay, we just cannot seem to "move beyond" those pesky, decadent concepts like the First Amendment.

Posted by Hound No. 9 The Hounds of TASSers'ville

CHIEF ILLINI IS BACK!!!! CHIEF ILLINI IS BACK!!!! CHIEF ILLINI IS BACK!!!!

Chief Illini appeared to me in a vision last month, and said "Stanley, I will return to Assmebly Hall!!" He has kept his solemn vow.

I will now kneel and pray to Chief!

LONG LIVE CHIEF ILLINI!!!! LONG LIVE CHIEF ILLINI!!!!

PAINT THE HALL CHIEF!!! PAINT THE HALL CHIEF!!! PAINT THE HALL CHIEF!!!

Chief Illiniwek is a legally protected University of Illinois copyright. Why is the UI not enforcing its rights. Freedom of speech does not entitle one to stage events, sell tickets, and the like while using a copyrighted image

the people who perpetuate the chief could AT LEAST stop trying the old 'this is honoring native americans" line, which is offensive and laughable. Just be honest and say, we know some (most?) people find this a racist mascot, but we don't care.

Appalling.

Can't these idiot folks, either racists/white supremacists/willfully ignorant get it that the chief is over? Over for good? Over for a good reason?

Yes, there are traditions that are sad to see gone, but fake indians in inauthentic clothing and accompanied by inauthentic music is simply an open and proud display of prejudice and ignorance.

And while we're at it, the marching band should stop playing that crap, too. It's painful to hear it, and worse to know the directors are shoving it down the throats of the players.

Come on, Illinois, grow up and move on!

Belinda De La Rosa's comment that anyone who doesn't support her anti-Chief viewpoint, or as she put it, such people show a lack of dvelopment because they "... are not moving beyond tolerance to acceptance and empathy for other people and understanding that this is not in any way honoring anybody," represents the height of arrogance and condescension. Clearly, the political correctness fanatics are worried - worried that their vision of an ideologically mandated brave new world is crumbling. The fact that the University administration has gone on record as supporting the concept of free speech and freedom of association, even when it is in the form of an activity that the PC fanatics tut tut, is a breath of fresh air after the enforced political correctness of the crumbling White/Hermann administration. Sorry Ms. De La Rosa, but the Chief is becoming a symbol of something far more important than school spirit or a symbol to inspire solidarity at athletic events. Illiniwek is now becoming a symbol of THE MAJORITY of students, faculty and alumni taking back the campus from the PC fanatics and restoring those basic rights of speech and association guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. People of your mindset made it a battle - don't be surprised now when the war starts going against you.

Congrats to SFCI for all their hard work in putting on this event again. I am driving over 3 hours for this event and I can't wait. Wish it could have been with the football game again, but I understand if there were logistical concerns. I hope this years event is as good as last years. Long live the Chief.

@basset

There is no copyright infringement taking place at this event. The University of Illinois owns a copyright on the Chief logo (as depicted here: http://sinequanon.spleenville.com/archives/images/Illiniwek.gif) but they have no say in who is allowed to dress up in the Chief regalia and perform the Illiniwek Dance.

I attended the event tonight and was fairly impressed - it was well-organized, fairly well presented, and overall a good experience. What I found most interesting of the entire evening were Red Knife's comments regarding the disappearance of Native history in modern America and the effort put forward to preserve the ancient, original traditions.

What was most disappointing, however, was the crowd of students angrily protesting the event, doing themselves no service in terms of informed integrity, emotional dignity or intellectual respect for three reasons:

1. Of the hundred or so standing outside, maybe a few entered - a couple of random hecklers that rudely interjected during the event. Breaking decorum is no way to get a point across unless you're an attention whore, but that's not the point; the fact is that the majority of protesters stayed outside and did not hear what was said, ironically becoming the ignorant masses they so wonderfully downplay as showing a "lack of development". If you want credence, at least know what's being said firsthand. Standing around outside waiting for your insider buddy to tell you "ZOMG SO RACIST" does not make you an authoritative credible source regarding the event.

2. The word "peaceful" was thrown around several times by the mob, which was amazing given the animosity in their look and voice. If the term "peaceful" only goes as far as the end of your fist, then yes, it was a peaceful protest, but to generate so much hatred in your face, speech and mind, only to wrongfully project that hatred through others by calling them racist is downright hypocritical and certainly not "peaceful". Anyone making an emotional connection to this group ought to calm down, step back, and re-evaluate whether their judgments and decisions are sound.

3. The last person who thought screaming at me and banging a drum at me would solve a problem was my four-year-old cousin. That was the case up until tonight, when I heard the intrepid crowd of protesters refer to themselves as "resistors". You weren't "resisting" anything - you were throwing a fit. For people so arrogantly self-sophisticated, you act like children, and what's more, you call everyone else childish in the process. How can possibly call someone immature when your brilliant idea involves chanting at the top of your lungs so that no one can get a word in otherwise? Did civil discourse fail, or are you just too evolved for that? Do you take this same approach in court when you get a ticket or when you fail an exam and want the professor to regrade? When you want something changed or maintained, you ask nicely and speak politely, reiterating if necessary and remaining patient like an adult ought to act; acting like a group of toddlers in need of a diaper change makes no logical sense in terms of what you want to accomplish.

The key word of the night was "projection", as the mob outside had projected their own flaws - lack of authority, emotional hatred, and absence of intelligence - through others and blamed everyone else for it. For that, their opinions, like anyone's, should be heavily scrutinized and taken with a very large grain of salt.

I am not an expert on Journalistic style, however when I read an opening statement such as, "As homecoming weekend arrives, mixed opinions surround the approaching of the Chief's Next Dance," I then look for other references to Homecoming. In this article there are no other references to Homecoming. In fact, Homecoming has noting to do with the article. Homecoming is not the week of Penn State, which is what coincides with the Chief event. So why was Homecoming even mentioned? Do not confuse these two events just for the sake of mentioning Homecoming in the same article as the Chief.

Long Live the CHIEF !!!!!!!!

I guess the resolution and statements by the descendants of the Illiniwek, the Peoria Tribe of Oklahoma, are of no interest to the Chief supporters.

In April 2000, the tribal council, with Chief Froman's support, passed by the margin of 3 to 2 a resolution requesting "the leadership of the University of Illinois to recognize the demeaning nature of the characterization of Chief Illiniwek, and cease use of this mascots [sic]". Froman said, "I don't know what the origination was, or what the reason was for the university to create Chief Illiniwek. I don't think it was to honor us, because, hell, they ran our (butts) out of Illinois." This puts Chief Illiniwek in a position different from that of the mascots of other schools such as Florida State University, whose Native American mascots are not opposed by the leadership of the corresponding tribes. In 2005, a new Chief, John P. Froman, when asked his position by the NCAA, indicated that "the Chief was not representative of our tribe and culture, mainly because the costume is Sioux." In 2006, in response to a widely published column by journalist George Will in support of the symbol's use, he wrote a letter reiterating the Peoria Tribe's opposition to the symbol and decrying that the "University of Illinois has ignored the tribe’s request for nearly five years."

Contrary to pronunciation guides, "chief" is actually pronounced with a triple k sound.

"De La Rosa said she is saddened and disappointed by events such as the Next Dance, which demonstrate the lack of development on the part of students at the University."

Did she actually SAY these events demonstrate the lack of development, or is this the writer paraphrasing? That's a pretty strong statement. I'd like to know if those were her exact words. If they weren't, that's a problem.

If she did say those exact words, then I'm undeveloped and proud of it.

Is it unfortunate Native Americans are offended? Sure. Do I care? No.

You lean on people with the weight of racism and other such allegations with the purpose of curtailing free speech rights and then expect sympathy? I don't think so. Get off your PC high horse and reinvest in the basic freedoms of this country.

Leatherbound,

Can we agree that willingly attending a minstrel show makes you a racist? It doesn't matter if the minstrel is pretending to be African-American or Native American, they are a minstrel engaged in offensive acts.

If you didn't want to be labelled a racist, perhaps you shouldn't have gone to "The Next Dance".

And if you are going to go to such events in the future, you might want to prepare yourself for future protests like this.

The Peoria Tribe has stated they do not consider the Chief to be an "honorable representation".

The Illini were Algonquin, not Sioux.

So you're losing your argument on at least two counts here.

I think you would be better off using your "love" to make life better for Native Americans by improving the conditions at the Pine Ridge Reservation, or by pressing the Interior Department to account for billions of Indian Trust Funds that have been looted and stolen, but somehow I get the sneaking suspicion you have an excuse for not truly engaging in issues that would improve the lives of the first citizens of this nation. You'd rather watch a white boy prance around in an unauthentic costume doing a fake dance, furthering stereotypes...

So, Mr. Froman says all of us evil Caucasians "ran our (butts) out of Illinois." Really? According to the history books I've read the Illini Confederation was annihilated - wiped out - by the Iroquois in the 1600's after the Iroquois annihilated the Hurons. The Iroquois wanted the land and the Illini were in the way. Today it would be called ethnic cleansing. Doesn't make it any better - but if your going to accuse at least accuse the proper party who destroyed your ancestors. Of course, the fact that it was fellow Native Americans might not get the same spin, especially with the cultural bleeding hearts, would it?

If you did, you wouldn't throw out the term as an attempted put down in an attempt to look intelligent. People like you use the old high school debater's trick of attacking the person personally rather than addressing the argument. Guess what - it didn't work back in high school - and it doesn't work now.

He's cracked our code, now all the anti-Chief people know that when we say we support the Chief what we really mean is we want to round up all the Natives and throw them in camps. Quick, get him before his unleashes more of his profound wit on us!

(Note, the above is sarcasm)

If you had attended the Next Dance you would realize that this is precisely what the Chief supporters are trying to do. The keynote speaker at the event, "Red Knife", gave a speech about the loss of authentic Native American culture and his attempts to bring it back through his work at the Grand Village of the Kickapoo Park. Many Chief supporters have already been down there and I'm sure many will follow after hearing his speech. Furthermore, proceeds from the event are being donated to him and his efforts to preserve his heritage.

In the future it would behoove you to educate yourself about the actions of SFCI before mindlessly slandering them.

Your statement is phenomenally intriguing. How is your stereotype of "All people who attended the event are racist" any different from "all Native Americans dance and wear feathers"? Why is your offensive stereotype suddenly more valid than the one you combat? I ask this sincerely, as that is the message I received from the anti-Chief protesters, that respecting all people has a limit and that one idiotic stereotype is perfectly OK as long as it's going against another one. Hypocritical, Machiavellian, and absolutely ridiculous.

Furthermore, who are you to stop me from formulating my own opinions on a particular issue? The way I see it, the only way I'm going to effectively learn anything is to hear both sides of the story, hearing what everyone has to say, Chief or anti-Chief. That night, I did, and I found the message and methodology of the anti-Chief side more distressing, embarrassing and ludicrous than the other. Touting intelligence and sophistication only to give in to foolish mob mentality is the kind of thing that starts discriminatory behavior in the first place. You will not be the one to tell me what or how to think, and I dare say that your view of a hierarchy of stereotypes indicates an intellectual integrity so dismal that you don't think at all - whether that is by willful choice or societal pressure is up for speculation.

If these hypocritical protests and views are the future of collegiate growth and development, then we as a community are regressing at an astronomical pace. Yes, racism is wrong, but if all the anti-Chief organization can do is generate a new brand of hatred for a new group of people, then the problem will only get worse, and people who simply want to make informed decisions will get caught in the crossfire.

Keep up the good work.