Seminoles can keep their name

First, this article was given to me by a friend. I do not read the New York Times regularly.

The NCAA gave Florida State an exemption to their ridiculous rule about Indian mascots.

Yesterday, the National Collegiate Athletic Association agreed with the 3,100-member tribe and the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, which had also endorsed the nickname. The N.C.A.A. removed Florida State from the list of universities banned from using what it called "hostile and abusive" mascots and nicknames during postseason play.

"It's not about an effort to be politically correct," Myles Brand, the president of the N.C.A.A., said in a statement when the ban was announced. "It is about doing the right thing."

Uh, no, it is about political correctness and your white guilt.

So, while the NCAA thought it was "protecting" Indians, what were the "offended" tribes reactions?

There was never any doubt where the Seminole Tribe of Florida stood on Florida State University's nickname. The tribe helped university boosters create the costume for the Chief Osceola mascot, approving the face paint, flaming spear and Appaloosa horse that have no connection to Seminole history.

The important thing is that the names are not to insult. The names are to recognize the tribes.

What other schools will be affected?
*Alcorn State University Braves
*Bradley University Braves
*Arkansas State University Indians
*Chowan College Braves
*University of Illinois Illini
*University of Louisiana-Monroe Indians
*McMurry University Indians
*Mississippi College Choctaws
*Newberry College Indians
*University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux
*Southeastern Oklahoma State University Savages
*Central Michigan University Chippewas
*Catawba College Indians
*Midwestern State University Indians
*University of Utah Utes
*Indiana University-Pennsylvania Indians
*Carthage College Redmen (OK, this one I understand the offense, but it should still be the decision of the school)

Shut up about the names already. If you do not like the name root against them; contribute to the school on the condition they change the name; convince the school to change the name; do not watch any event with the school...you get the idea. Keep it between you and the school. Keep the NCAA and everyone else out of it.

Other schools are filing appeals as well including the Univ of North Dakota, Univ of Utah and Central Michigan.

Officials at Utah, which is working with the Utes; North Dakota, working with the Sioux, and Central Michigan, working with the Chippewas, said Wednesday they are hopeful of having their names removed from an original list of 18 schools the NCAA deemed as having "hostile or abusive" nicknames or mascots.

And what about the twelve of the 18 schools originally cited by the NCAA that have generic nicknames: Indians, Redmen, Braves or Savages? Leave them alone. They are generic. You cannot tell me that "Indians" is offensive; that "Braves" is an insult; that "Savages" is not representative of some tribes in the 1800's. SHUT UP.