By Jason RosenbergGuest Columnist
The Aztec mascot issue has reached a standstill — “Monty”proponents have spoken out, but nothing is being said.
So far the major reason for keeping the Aztecs as San Diego StateUniversity’s mascot is “because.” There isn’t much more being said –it’s just “because.” The Aztec has always been a mascot, it shouldstay a mascot.
If discussion is going to continue, there should be a little morerational discourse than “because I say so and Rey Soto and NASA arewrong.”
What needs to be discussed is inclusion. There are a large numberof students on campus who are being excluded from school-sponsoredevents because they are being misrepresented by a faulty symbol. Thefact that SDSU lumps the stereotypical view of the Aztec people intoa category with the “Gamecocks” of South Carolina and “Banana Slugs”of University of California Santa Cruz is a form of degradation thatneeds to stop here.
It is not fair to the people of Native American heritage, or anyother heritage for that matter, that they must attend an institutionof higher learning that practices a form of institutionalizedbigotry.
The question shouldn’t be, “how much is change going to cost?”Cost shouldn’t be a factor in this discussion.
How much did it cost to end segregation?
How much did it cost to tear the Berlin Wall down?
How much will it cost to allow all SDSU students to feel welcome?It shouldn’t matter.
What matters is this — by changing the mascot to a non-offensivefigure, SDSU will end the segregation of students.
Changing the mascot will create a new air of excitement. Changingthe mascot will allow all students to collaborate in choosing a newmascot. This might actually increase attendance at school-sponsoredevents. Change might bring SDSU into a category that boasts Stanfordand St. John’s University — schools that have changed theiroffensive mascots and have been asking SDSU the question, “what haveyou been waiting for?”
The truth is not everyone is upset by Monty Montezuma. However,there are a large number of offended students, faculty and alumni.
Some of those offended will speak out, others will not speak outof fear. However, it is the request of the few to have the majorityaccept this notion of change; a change that will better the school.
So a student that graduates in the next few years from SDSU won’tbe able to tell their child they were an Aztec — at least they cantell their child they made the right decision by accepting the changeof the Aztec to a non-offensive object.
–Jason Rosenberg is a senior majoring in communication. Pleasesend e-mail to daletter2000@hotmail.com
–This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of TheDaily Aztec.
