I was saddened a little bit yesterday. My daughter went to my old college for new student orientation. While I am proud that she is going to my old Alma Mater, I was saddened by the fact that my old Alma Mater isn’t the same as she used to be.
Our old school mascot for Arkansas State University was Runnin’ Joe. All over Jonesboro, when I was there you could find the caricature Indian all over town. In a fit of Political Correctness, some one high up in their ivory tower decided that some one, some where might be offended by this cartoon image of an Indian. The decision was made to change the school mascot from an Indian, to a wolf. Now they are no longer the Arkansas State University Indians, but the Arkansas State University Red Wolves.
This was all after a transition period where the Runnin’ Joe image was replaced by a more traditional Indian figure. I guess that was to make the change less traumatic for those of us who loved ol Runnin’ Joe.
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