Reading Maximillian Thom’s Sept. 14 letter “Rethink ‘what’s in a name?’ “ I was angry regarding his comments about Columbia River’s Chieftain mascot’s perceived “derogatory and racist imagery,” but realizing everyone is entitled to an opinion.
I thought back to that day in 1965, when voting for a mascot of which we were very proud and voting for the Chieftains. Our students and faculty looked upon the Native American Indians, the first indigenous peoples of the United States, admiring them in a reverent, symbolic way, and were extremely proud to take their moniker. Thom, obviously, was not present, or he would have a different opinion. How dare he come 49 years later to accuse us of being racially and historically intolerant. I find Thom’s interjection of his professed knowledge of this event totally beyond the pale.
We invite different peoples and customs into this country. In the past 10 years, we have become a country of not tolerance, but intolerance and political correctness. We cannot say “Easter” anymore, but say “spring.” We cannot say “Christmas,” but “winter holiday.” We cannot say “brown bag” anymore as it might offend someone.
What has this nation become?
Catherine Madsen
Vancouver
