10-06-2014

Page 1

MONDAY, oct. 6 - wednesDAY, oct. 8, 2014 • VOLume 101 • ISSUE 17 News • P2

Opinion • P5

Students show support for affirmative consent

Pi Kappa Alpha to set up chapter at SDSU

1921 First SDSU Football game was played. Students referred to members of the team as “staters” or “professors”

#AZTECWARRIOR

1923 San Diego State’s newspaper, The Paper Lantern, campaigned for the “Wampus Cats” mascot. Other ideas included “Panthers,” “Balboans” and “Thoroughbreds” 1941 Art Munzig played the role of Montezuma for the first time during halftime of a football game between SDSU and Pomona 2000 Ray Soto, representing the Native American Student Alliance, petitioned A.S. to have Monty Montezuma removed, claiming the mascot was disrespectful toward Native American culture

madison hopkins managing editor _____________________________________

SNEAKPEEK

The Aztec Warrior mascot can be seen running the length of the field at football games, cheering on “The Show” at Viejas Arena and promoting the San Diego State spirit in the community. But what many current students may not know is that the warrior, whose history is relatively short lived, has been frequently contested by members of the Aztec community. As recent as last Friday, new voices have emerged in the debate regarding SDSU’s official mascot. The SDSU Queer People of Color Collective called into question the appropriateness of using an indigenous figure as a mascot on Oct. 3 when the group submitted a proposal to the Associated Students University Council, stating in an official resolution “the continued use of the name ‘Aztec’ and the ‘Aztec Warrior’ mascot perpetuate harmful stereotypes of Native Americans.” QPOCC members have rallied behind this issue and hope to inspire the campus body to partake in the movement. “Our goal is to end the use of cultural appropriation and racist stereotypes perpetuated through our mascot and allowing the Associated Students and university to do their work to choose a new mascot if they decide that one is necessary,” QPOCC member and LGBT studies senior Thomas Negron said. The resolution calls for the end of any official association with Aztec culture, including the spear in the SDSU athletics logo and the slogan “Fear the Spear.” If or when the university should choose to create a new mascot, the resolution

states that the appropriateness of the mascot should be considered and that it should add to SDSU’s Mission and Goals to “promote human dignity” within its diverse community. The QPOCC isn’t the first group at SDSU to raise questions related to the cultural sensitivity of various mascots, and movements such as these has spurred wide-scale campus debates in the past. The historical context of this conflict extends back nearly 100 years ago to SDSU’s first football game. At the inception of the university’s athletics program, the media was lost on how to refer to the red and black team. Some pushed for the title of “staters” or “professors,” and in 1923 the student newspaper tried to encourage the “Wampus Cats” — none of which stuck among the campus community. It wasn’t until 1925 that SDSU President Hardy formally approved the “Aztec” nickname, as it was considered representative of a southwest culture and supported by the student body, according to GoAztecs. com. For decades, Aztecs remained the title of SDSU sports teams, but there was still no official mascot. In 1941, Art Munzig was the first person to dress up and act as the ancient Aztec ruler Montezuma II during a halftime skit at the football season opener. The character gained popularity and students, faculty and community members began to commonly refer to the newfound mascot as “Monty” for short, according to Go Aztecs.com. Monty spent the next six decades with relatively little controversy. It wasn’t until the year 2000 that the debate surrounding the misappropriation of cultural references to Aztec history

P3 Police, students talk safety

SEPT 16, 2002 Aztec Warrior Foundation, consisting of university alumni, students and community members, held press conference announcing its plan for reemergence of a mascot. DEC 11, 2003 Campus referendum makes mascot official following vote of 7,731 to 2,142. Carlos Gutierrez, the former Monty Montezuma, would resume his duties on the field, only now he would be Aztec Warrior FEB 23, 2004 Official new mascot announced by The Daily Aztec prior to basketball game against Colorado State. Aztec Warrior’s outfit cost $11,000, which was raised by SDSU Alumni Association SEPT 2010 “Zuma,” an additional jaguar mascot, made its debut at Qualcomm Stadium. Tezcatlipoca, an Aztec god of magic and darkness, was often associated with a jaguar MARCH 2012 SDSU gets rid of Zuma, but retains Aztec Warrior as official mascot OCT 2, 2014 Queer People of Color Collective submits proposal to Associated Students to officially change the mascot

thrust the campus community onto the national media scene. The topic proved to be divisive when the Native American Student Alliance submitted a petition to A.S. claiming Monty was disrespectful toward Native American culture, spurring former SDSU President Stephen Weber to convene a task force of students, alumni and faculty members to look into the matter. Weber personally created a 70-page report from his research and findings, according to an article from The Daily Aztec in 2000. As the result, President Weber formally announced his decision to remove Monty as the mascot. He concluded that it was acceptable to

wasn’t flushed and the custodial staff complained for having to be the babysitter.” Backpage • P12 what’s inside? News....................................P2-3 Opinion.............................. P4-5 Sports..............................P6,8-9 Entertainment....................P10 Features................................P11

Please see AZTECS, P3

P6 Men’s hoops hold first practice

File Photo

“oneApparently, of the toilets

SCAN TO DOWNLOAD THE AZTEC APP

The Aztec Warrior leads the crowd at a San Diego State game. JENNA MACKEY, PHOTO EDITOR

SEPT 14, 2002 Aztec Warrior makes debut appearance at football home opener without the support of university administration, which had yet to approve an official mascot

PRINT EDITION

MASCOT METAMORPHOSIS

MAY 15, 2001 SDSU President Stephen Weber removed Monty as official mascot in an effort to shift policy in a direction more respectful of Aztec culture

kristian carreon, Staff Photographer

LIKE US facebook.com/dailyaztec FOLLOW US twitter.com/thedailyaztec FIND US Basement of the EBA Building READ US The Daily Aztec publishes twice a week on Monday and Thursday. Daily content can be found online at thedailyaztec.com


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.