Political correctness gone too far

By Judy Reichard

I awoke as from a dream the other night wondering why this “Chief” issue keeps re-visiting me …

Chief Illiniwek was standing in his attentive presiding arms-crossed pose. Then with a skilled new movement (I hadn’t seen before in His Dance and Appearances), He reached back his right hand slowly – still stylized and purposed – toward His Headdress and definitively plucked a Feather (a fractal of Flight) from it. He flung it high above Him. It fluttered to His right side when He lunged and deftly swung a tomahawk – slicing a point on the end of the Feather to reveal His new Tool: a Quill. He has missed representing us very much. It has been His greatest honor season after season to remind us of the Presence of Life: strength, honor, indefatigable fortitude … to dance in the rain of the Blessings of Now.

Politically Correctness is a wonderful tool to use when applied correctly. When does the PC pendulum swing over and become too PC? The original intent for the PC awareness movement is to bring into judgment symbols, language, attitudes that do not bring a race, tribe, creed, or sex reverence or honor.

With the recent selection of President-Elect Barack Obama, we have chosen a leader to represent us – a symbol, icon. He was elected because of what he represented – hope, new beginnings, reconciling races and religions, etc. Isn’t that what Chief Illiniwek is for the UI? … a symbol, icon representing the spirit of strength, fortitude, courage, viscerally in touch with the elements of the Universe? He honors and witnesses the lives of the sons and daughters who pass through this University.

He reminds and enlivens us to dance the dance of Life with gusto and fervor and then we come back and preside and witness the awe that the Circle of Life is to us – It’s Celebrations, Challenges, Beauty and Wonder.

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That’s why we cannot let go of Him. He lives in You – He lives in Me … He is Me …

Your adoring, eponymous Chief Illiniwek.