George Washington University is a sensitive school. Therefore, the institution has made a conscientious change: Its mascot of nearly 100 years is officially canceled.
GWU in 1926 was a university with a weak focus.
Hatchets
Hatchetmen
Hatchetites
Axemen
Tongmen
Crummen
The editorial asserted those failed to “carry the dignity that [the athletic teams] should bear.”
What would be the best way to achieve such fame? This paper proposed this:
The University Hatchet suggests that names be replaced with the connotation “Colonials”, used for teams of Buff or Blue.
The article asked, “What name would be more appropriate?” “This school was named after George Washington, with its colors being the Continental Army buff, blue, and Colonial America colors. It should be given the name “Colonials”, in the event that such a school exists. ”
It was a valuable heritage item:
[GWU] was founded in the early post-Revolutionary era. The term “colonial” was used at that time to refer to an era in transition. Let us now adopt the term “Colonials”, which is for those who wear the Buff and Blue.
Today we promote a new precious heritage: the disinterested disregard of precious heritage. We have a new motto: Get rid of the old.
This was the start of a new search. After the initial launch of a task force for naming in 2020’s riots, a new group was formed. Thomas LeBlanc, then-president, requested that a Special Committee on the Colonials Moniker be established.
The Washington Examiner:
Mary Cheh, the chairwoman, said that the committee took its role seriously and had reviewed historical research. She sought out feedback in order to create a report…recognizing the divisions within the community about the moniker.
Can unity be achieved if half the schools are against a change?
Some believe that the dividing line was used for separating disparate definitions.
According to the university, a special committee identified a difference between Colonials and Colonials. Critics define Colonials as those who take land from Native peoples and exile or kill them.
Additionally, the adoption of “Colonials” was made “casually” without any thought at all.
The college claims that George Washington did not approve of the word.
This name, nearly 100 years old, will also be exiled — another casualty in our moniker-making era.
Jonathan Turley is a GWU Law Professor and is not impressed with the “Colonials”.
He said that “the university claims the term doesn’t reflect the school’s value” and then added online that “it doesn’t seem to include historical accuracy.”
“The Colonials fought for foreign control. This is clear even if we only look at our history.”
Riverhorse and Hippo are the new-mascots.
Jonathan finds a solution to “uninformed and inaccurate objections”.
“We will come up with a new moniker. Some students suggested a new moniker based on the 1996 Hippo sculpture”.
There seems to be a lack of consistency in today’s mascot evaluations. According to our best and wisest sources, “Indians” can’t be used because it offends American Indians.
GWU faces a larger problem. The school’s name is still George Washington.
