When a U.S. citizen goes on record blaming the U.S. for 9/11 while exonerating the perpetrators of that heinous crime, I am outraged. However, we still have freedom of speech in this country; thus, I’ll defend anyone’s right to say whatever they want to say without fear of reprisals from the government, no matter how abhorrent the speech might be to me personally. That’s a fundamental cornerstone of our freedom.
On the other hand, when they start dicking around with football, I consider it sedition in the first degree. We’ve already lost many football Indian mascots due to political correctness, which is a crying shame. Now, a character named David Green, whose given title is “University Academic Professional”, has posited that chants of “U-S-A” during football games should be eliminated, as he claims that they are offensive to the rest of the world. What’s more American than American football, and where is a better place to be obnoxiously nationalistic than an American football stadium?
Well, Mr. Green (I’m assuming it’s not Dr. Green, or he might have called himself “Professor” or “Dean” or something other than “University Academic Professional”, which could be anything from an administrative assistant in the undergraduate studies office to a budget clerk in the finance office with such a nebulous title, for all we know—hell, everybody is some kind of “professional” these days even though many of them have no advanced degrees and no professional certification such as doctors, lawyers, CPAs, and dentists, but I digress)— anyhow, Mr. Green, your moral relativism and your castigation of the nationalistic revelry commemorating the 9th anniversary of 9/11 at a football game on your campus as expressed in DailyIllini.com, flat out pissed me off.
I believe that it is appropriate that I reproduce Mr. Green’s entire rant here. We ought to arrange for a game-long chant of “U-S-A!” during the homecoming game with Illinois on October 9, just to get under his skin. The letter to the editor was given the title “Block-I chant protrays ‘neither patriotism nor remembrance'”, presumably by the editorial staff of the Daily Illini, on September 15, 2010.
The vast majority of 9/11 observances in this country cannot be seen as politically neutral events. Implicit in their nature are the notions that lives lost at the World Trade Center are more valuable than lives lost in Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine and elsewhere; that the motives of the 9/11 attackers had nothing to do with genuine grievances in the Islamic world regarding American imperialism; and that the U.S. has been justified in the subsequent killing of hundreds of thousands in so-called retaliation.
The observance at Saturday’s football game was no different. A moment of silence was followed by a military airplane flyover; in between, Block-I students chanted “USA, USA.” This was neither patriotism nor remembrance in any justifiable sense, but politicization, militarism, propaganda and bellicosity. The University is a public institution that encompasses the political views of all, not just the most (falsely) “patriotic.” Athletic planners should cease such exploitation for political purposes. They might at least consider how most Muslim students, American or otherwise, would respond to this nativist display; or better, Muslims and others that live their lives under the threat of our planes, drones and soldiers.
The overwhelmingly white, privileged, Block-I students should be ashamed of their obnoxious, fake-macho, chicken-hawk chant, while poverty-drafted members of their cohort fight and die in illegal and immoral wars for the control of oil. University administrators need to eliminate from all events such “patriotic” observances, which in this country cannot be separated from implicit justifications for state-sponsored killing.
David Green,
University Academic Professional
Hmmm. We should hide our heads and cower in silence, or what? I believe that “Muslim students, American or otherwise” are either on one side or the other. Either they’re hostile, in which case I don’t mind offending them, or they’re grateful for the opportunity provided to them here, American or otherwise, in which case they ought to be happy to chant “USA!” along with everybody else—or at least respect others’ rights to do so.
Enter Mr. Green, and his unabashed shame over U.S. imperialism and wars of opportunity. Well, you’re entitled to your opinion, Mr. Green, and I’m entitled to mine. Here’s mine: No, the university administrations shouldn’t ban such displays of enthusiastic engagement in and for a country of which most of us are proud to be a part. Protest all you want and shame on the administrations if they cave in to the likes of you, Mr. Green.
I loved the comments about Mr. Green’s letter by Doug Powers on Michelle Malkin’s Facebook page:
Aside from the fact that this guy seems to think there’s still a military draft, he must be a ball of fun to go to a game with.
Heaven help whoever’s sitting next to him if somebody mentions throwing “the bomb” (war pig!), the “Hail Mary” (keep your Catholocism at home, pal, we don’t all worship your false god!), “offsides” (we shouldn’t be taking sides without knowing all the facts first, and probably not even then!) calling for “the blitz” (stop with your hateful mocking, Bavariaphobe — not all Germans tried to level London!), “weak side” (because a team is numerically disadvantaged due to various sociopolitical factors does not give you the right to exploit them) or a “hand-off” (lepers have feelings tooooo!).
For some reason, this quote comes to mind:
“If you stuck a lump of coal up his ass, in two weeks you’d have a diamond”
–Ferris Bueller
By the way, on September 11, 2010, Illinois beat Southern Illinois 35-3.
USA!
USA!
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Lizzie says
Well at least Mr. Green did not blame Canada for the horror that was 9/11 as has been done many times in the past. It is the fault of no one but the terrorists and their imperialistically slanted Islamic views that everyone has to toe their party line.
Canada, in terms of her immigration policy, is not a melting pot but a salad bowl in which immigrants who demand such privileges can retain every right of their culture and not try to blend in at all. (except for the free room and board, health care, and three squares). Some of our population is now up in arms (figuratively, as the gun registration continuance law passed in Parliament this week) and are now seeing the effects of reverse discrimination. Mr. Green seems to forget that all the different ethnic groups at the football game are in fact in the U.S.A. whether Americans or on student visas or whatever. And the day that one cannot yell out at a such an event for their country while in their country would be a very sad day indeed. Mr. Green seems to assume in his rant that all whites are privileged. What planet has he been on???? Never underestimate the power of human stupidity.
Again, don’t get me started………………..
From another University Academic Professional
Lizzie says
Oops………… forgot to proof read and eradicate my typos. The fingers move faster than the brain at times. Again, never underestimate the power of human stupidity.
The Nittany Turkey says
We’ll overlook the typos. Well, I’ll correct them for you so as to preserve the dignity of the University Academic Professional title.
Perhaps Mr. Green hung that title on himself because he didn’t want to expose himself to the criticism that a more localized title such as “Assoc. Prof., Biology” might have entailed. I doubt it. I still think he’s a test scoring clerk or something.
His characterization of the “poverty draft” is interesting. Military conscription has been proscribed for quite some time, but one can certainly enlist in the military if one is bored, seeking adventure—or yes, even poor. The same people who talk out of this side of their mouth want to eliminate ROTC on university campuses, so as to deny the overwhelmingly white, privileged students their opportunity to get involved in the military.
Green is just one of these latter day liberals who sully the honored tradition of liberalism. They claim their antipatriotic rants are patriotic. Their protestations are completely emotional and illogical. The moment their veracity is questioned, they hurl pre-emptive accusations of racism and hate speech. When that fails, they have no defense. I actually had one tell me that she wouldn’t argue with me because I was too logical.
We’re a “salad bowl” here, too, even though we have long claimed to be a melting pot. It’s worse than ever now, of course, because all of the diverse minority ethnic groups seem to be able to convince those in power that they deserve special rights, among them being the right to maintain their own identity. The militant Mexican immigrants (both legal and illegal) have asserted in their rallies and propaganda that California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas (and maybe Colorado) really belong to Mexico. We’re already putting up with their drug wars on the borders. Don’t get me started…………
—TNT
Leigh says
Responding solely to the comments about sports and Indians, you pressed a different hot button with me. I’m part Indian and raised in an area that watched teams called the Hawkeyes, the Indians, the Redskins, and the Braves.
One of the traditions taught us children was that Indians don’t whine. If sports somehow denigrates Indians rather than exalts them, does the same hold true for the Vikings and the Celtics? Do the Irish cry in their beer about Boston’s team name (albeit horribly mispronounced)? Do the Swedes and Danes in Minnesotans bemoan their team’s name? Do Vancouverians feel offended to be called Canucks?
Although I can claim ancestry from all the above, my Indian heritage feels no more threatened or diminished than any other part. We’ve become a nation of whiners. Please, let the illegal immigrants in… they might appreciate us more.
The Nittany Turkey says
My best reply to your comments has already been penned. I originally posted an article about the NCAA’s posture on Indian mascots back in 2005, when the great Inquisition took place. Rather than repeat a lot of what I wrote back then, I’ll point you there.
That post can be found at http://www.nittanyturkey.com/archives/2005/10/20/54/
By the way, the University of Illinois was allowed to keep the name “Fighting Illini” but they were forced to get rid of their mascot, Chief Illiniwek, a fully feathered and war-painted representation of a warrior chief. (However, FSU was allowed to keep Chief Osceola because the Seminole tribe approved of the honor.)
GP says
David Green is, I believe, a regular contributor to the Letters to the Editor of both the campus newspaper (The Daily Illini) and the Champaign-Urbana News Gazette. He has some unique ideas to say the least.
I grew up with Chief Illiniwek and was absolutely disgusted when the University “retired” him. My entire family has had ties to the University for many years — when I left the University last December (due to State budget cuts) it was the first time in over 50 years that someone in my immediate family was not at the University as either a student or a full-time employee.
Unfortunately, time have changed and I’m not sure I can honestly recommend the U of I to any of my 4 kids. It has become such a bastion of liberalism that there is very little “learning” going on any more.
By the way, I did a quick electronic directory search on the UI web site and it lists:
David L Green
RESEARCH AND POLICY SPEC, Institute of Govt & Pubic Affairs — University Administration
dlgreen@illinois.edu
GP
P.S. – sorry about the football game… 😉
The Nittany Turkey says
At first glance I thought your comment was signed by David L Green, so I thought, “OK, he’s going to give me a dose of his liberal crap!” God thing I took the time to read it.
I think your typo was hilarious, whether intentional or not. I share the belief that Mr. Green belongs in the Institute of Pubic Affairs.
If you don’t send your kids to U of I, the question is where can you send them these days, when liberalism runs rampant on just about all campuses? I guess you have to consider Oral Roberts, Brigham Young, or Liberty. They’re even pretty liberal at Notre Dame and Boston College.
You can be proud of Zook and his team, for a change. No need for apologies. Penn State has lots and lots of problems this year. The team’s youth and a plethora of injuries are but the tip of the iceberg. But to give credit where due, Leshoure and Scheelhaase did their jobs well, as did the Illini defense. I wish your team well the rest of the way. PSU, on the other hand, will wind up with two Big Ten wins and a 5-7 overall record, if they’re lucky.
—TNT
GP says
West Point, Annapolis, VMI, The Citadel… 🙂
Honestly, if I were going to college today, I would seriously look at Texas A&M. I know they have their liberals (all school do), but that’s one hell of a school they’ve got down there…
The typo was accidental, but I agree with you!! (I notice you wrote “God thing I took the time to read it.” 🙂
I’m not a huge fan of Zook, but he has gotten talent to come back to Illinois and that’s what we’ve needed. He was smart enough last season (when some fan started calling for his head) to get new offensive and defensive coordinators. I suspect they are MUCH MORE influential on the outcomes of the games than Zook…