SeminOWL2006 said

Proof that a WTF is a Chippewa is legitimate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chippewa_(disambiguation)

FAUALUM2005 said

so ya…enough with the whole race thing bc that is going down a path in which REGARDLESS of intention, can lead to nothing but bad! Lets get back on track with what is most important and that is beating CMU's ass on Dec. 26!!!

GO OWLS

SeminOWL2006 said

I still don't think the CMU use of Chippewa is the same as the FSU use of Seminole.  I think CMU has boiled it down to a point where its just a name at this point that has nothing to do with the actual tribe.

Fire Up Chips? Does that mean you are preparing to light an Indian Village and its inhabitants on fire? Of course not.

from the CMU website:
"It is the name of our college yearbook, the Chippewa River flows through Mount Pleasant and the name Chippewa opens up unlimited opportunities for pageantry and showmanship for the band as well as athletic teams. The Indian chief would be an outstanding marker for athletic uniforms, the Indian pow-wow could replace the pep-meeting and Indian ceremonies could be conducted on many occasions. School flags could be made much more attractive and finally all types of Indian lore have a strong appeal and could be used to great advantage."

"On March 1, 1989, an advisory committee to the president recommended retaining the name under certain conditions. Those conditions included developing educational programs in conjunction with the local Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Council, sessions to familiarize CMU students and staff with traditional Native American culture, dropping the two official CMU Native American logos (a Native American profile and a spearpoint with a feather inside a block "C"), eliminating Native American drumbeats by pep bands and other measures."

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Thus whereas CMU's nickname was derived purely from a racist worldview (unlike FSU) and subsequently withdrawn with regards to logos (unlike FSU), it is a legitimate question to wonder what a Chippewa is in that context when CMU has gone to great lengths to distance itself from any tribal references in its marketing and does not even have a Mascot.  The shirt, though in slightly bad taste, was obviously not the result of people intentionally trying to demean a tribe of Native Americans.  Just like saying a curse word on TV is allowed if it is not referring to the act in question.  FAU isn't playing a tribe of Native Americans at the Motor City Bowl, we are playing a team that in the non-PC days, chose a Native American tribe as its mascot for kitsch homecoming ceremonies.  The use of fire up Chips as a rally only shows how Chippewa has only become a name, abstractly related to a Native American tribe but no longer used in that sense.

Cheers all!