Please, No Peckers

No more Cowboys and Indians games, the Indians lose and only the Cowboys remain. There will soon be no more NCAA teams with "Indians" as their mascot. Our own Arkansas State University held out to the end, but Political Correctness just can't be outlasted.

Political Correctness is not logically consistent. It's bad for Ole Miss to have an elderly ex-Confederate as a mascot because being a mascot is an honor. It's bad to have an Indian mascot because being a mascot is a dishonor. The moral rules are made up to achieve the desired outcome, not to be logically consistent. The NCAA can now take up the quest to make the University of Wyoming stop being offensive to Cowboys now.

I have never understood why Native Americans are offended by being part of the popular culture. I can understand wanting to eliminate the cartoony and stereotypical and certainly eliminate something like "Redskins". But I am not sure of the efficacy of removing even dignified references as opposed to insisting on dignified references. Mascots will end up as the exclusive territory of the Irish, ex-Confederates, Crusaders, and white corn farmers, I suppose. Nonetheless, they have the right to their own opinions about their presence in the popular culture and they have spoken and I have to respect it whether I agree or not.

Oh well, now Arkansas's 2nd university has to choose a new mascot. Based on past history of Arkansas decision-making and the ongoing discussions.....I have reason to be worried. The debate among fans is fairly loud and hundreds of mascot suggestions have been floated. These suggestions are not put forward lightly. Many fans have decided and will not be happy if their preferred moniker is not adopted. I can't say that there is much logical thought put behind most of them so I will put forward my modest criteria for selecting a new mascot.

1. The mascot should not be regional. Arkansas State University is THE state university of Arkansas. The university does not belong just to Jonesboro, or Northeast Arkansas, or the Delta. It is representative of our entire state even if many wish it were not so.
   
2. The mascot should be dignified. It should not bring embarassment to the university or our state. Just as we should not have cartoonish Indians with scalps, we should not have cartoonish representations of Arkansas stereotypes.
3. The mascot should not be boring for the sake of compromise.

That's it. That's my criteria. I think my points are reasonable. So now I will look at some of the more adamantly supported nicknames in light of these criteria.

Ivory-Billed Woodpeckers (a.k.a PECKERS)
Brought on by the excitement generated by a questionable sighting of this apparently extinct bird in eastern Arkansas. Primarily put forward as a marketing ploy to get non-ASU fans to purchase licensed products with the word PECKERS on it. In other words, copying the double-entendre of the University of South Carolina Gamecocks who sells products with the word COCKS on it for laughs and cash. Presumably Jonesboro would host a Peckerfest to compete with USC's Cockfest.

This mascot fails my dignity test. It certainly is not boring. It would certainly create a lot of laughs and pull in some cash from non-ASU fans who want to wear a rude hat. If the goal is to sell your dignity for some license-fee cash then this is the one.

Fightin' Farmers
Of course, who can complain about having simple farmers, people of the land, the common clay of the new west as your mascot? I can I guess. The problem with this one is that it represents fine people, and the history of Arkansas as a primarily agricultural state.....but that's a view of the University that we have been trying to expand on. Arkansas is already known for agriculture. Selecting agriculture as a mascot is nothing new and fairly uninteresting.


Ricebirds
Ricebirds is not a bad name actually. I sort of like it. But there are no Ricebirds in Texarkana, or Washington County, or Yellville. It's an east Arkansas phenomenon and is not representative of the state. It is based on an agricultural product of the region for which there is no guarantee of permanency. In 25 years rice production may have moved elsewhere and a different crop may be the primary product of east Arkansas.


Ridgerunners
This one is a direct reference to Crowley's Ridge. What percentage of the population of our state resides on Crowley's Ridge? Ridgerunners is not even representative of Bay, Waldenburg, or Marked Tree much less the whole state.

So what is my answer? I don't know. There are very few things really that represent our state. We are the "Diamond State" and ASU already incorporates the diamond in its non-sports logo. Arkansas was "The Bear State" so a bear would be good. The ASU Diamond Bears appeal to me. Unfortunately UCA already has dibs on the bear logo. Arkansas is "The Natural State" and that would be worth considering but its been snatched up by a minor-league baseball team in Springdale. Arkansas was "The Wonder State" but that has been (fortunately) taken by Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys. So what does that leave? I don't know and that's part of the reason I am worried.