To some, the postponement of the Virginia/Penn State football game scheduled for last night seemed like an appropriate measure in light of Tuesday’s tragedy. To others, playing the game would have been a welcome distraction from a national nightmare.

The soundness of the ACC’s decision to cancel all conference participation in athletic events through the weekend was at first questioned – outside of the ACC, only the Big East and Pac-10 originally committed to cancel their games as well.

But yesterday, when the NFL made a decision to put all of its Week 2 games on hold, all Division I-A programs followed suit and canceled football games for the weekend.

Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig stated yesterday that no baseball games will be played until Monday. His decision raises the total of postponed games to 91 – the most in 83 years – since World War I. Prior to this week, MLB hadn’t canceled a full day of games since President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s death in 1945.

“The more I thought about it, I couldn’t rationalize starting before Monday,” Selig said in his announcement yesterday.

Additionally, many national golf, auto racing, soccer, hockey, boxing, cycling, horse racing and running events also have been either canceled or postponed this week.

The severity and surprise of the attack that took place on Tuesday has no precedent in American history; however, the decision to cancel and postpone sporting events in response to an American crisis has occurred before.

On December 7, 1941, the New York Giants hosted the Brooklyn Dodgers in football in front of 55,051 spectators who were clueless about the bombing of Pearl Harbor. But during the game, a public address announcement informed Colonel William J. Donovan that he was being paged by Washington. Then, later, another announcement told all Navy men in the audience that they were to report to their posts immediately, and that all Army men must report the following day.

With America at war on Jan. 1, the U.S. Army banned all New Year’s Day bowl games scheduled on the West Coast as a precaution against large public gatherings that the Japanese could view as targets. The Army’s decree was responsible for the only Rose Bowl held outside of Pasadena, Calif. – Oregon State defeated Duke, 20-16, in Durham, N.C.

During World War II, President Roosevelt urged baseball and football to continue in hopes of providing a national distraction and sense of normalcy. But after large numbers of NFL players were drafted, the Cleveland Rams suspended operations in 1943. In 1945, the NFL Dodgers were forced to fold. In the same year, Major League Baseball canceled the All-Star game to cut transportation costs. With the world engulfed in war, the 1940 and 1944 Olympics were canceled.

Perhaps the most debated decision on whether to continue sporting events occurred after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Amid a shocked nation, college football and the AFL decided to postpone its games. In hopes of providing “normalcy,” NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle decided to allow games to be played only two days after the president’s death. Rozelle later admitted that his decision, which some called tactless or selfish, was the biggest regret of his career.

After the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan in 1981, a highly awaited basketball matchup between Indiana and North Carolina went on as scheduled. The Academy Awards, however, set to air simultaneously, was postponed until the following day.

During the Gulf War in 1991, President George Bush decided that the Super Bowl should go on as scheduled as an act of defiance to Saddam Hussein.

The only other terrorist attack outside of Tuesday’s tragedy to have an impact on the sporting world occurred at the 1972 Olympics. In Munich, Palestinian terrorists invaded the athletes’ village and killed 11 Israeli athletes. International Olympic Committee President Avery Brundage held a memorial service and suspended the games for 34 hours, but then resumed action.

The decision to cancel sporting events can be a tricky and controversial one. Commissioners and other decision-makers must consider the impacts that their choices will have. But in the wake of Tuesday’s incomprehensible devastation, it seems that the cancellations within the sports world were sound choices and – most would agree – the only choices.

Announcements this week that all University athletic events through this weekend would be canceled or postponed were met with approval from members of the athletic department and the University community.

The University announced that all athletic events through this weekend would be postponed following Tuesday’s terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The Virginia football team had a scheduled home game last night against Penn State.

Virginia men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, men’s and women’s soccer, and volleyball teams were scheduled to compete this weekend. The football game will be played on December 1, and the men’s home soccer game against Wake Forest, originally scheduled for Saturday, will be played Monday at 7 p.m. No other games have been rescheduled.

“I think [athletes] are in support of the ACC’s and the institution’s decision to postpone games,” Virginia field hockey coach Jessica Wilk said. “In the grand scheme of things, there’s a much larger concern for things outside the realm of sport right now.”

Students also voiced their support of the postponement of this weekend’s games.

“I think it’s the prudent thing to do,” second-year College student Matt Eagan said. “Even though some people think we should not let the terrorists think they’ve disrupted our lives, to pretend they haven’t would be a blatant lie.”

Although athletes and coaches agreed with the sentiment behind the decision, some members of the athletic department worried that the schedule changes would hurt their teams’ chances for postseason play.

“We understand the need to pay respects, but it’s pretty easy to be at a competitive disadvantage,” Cavalier volleyball coach Melissa Aldrich Shelton said. “It will be interesting to see how this affects the possibilities of an at-large [NCAA] bid, and our preparedness for conference play starting next Thursday.”

Presumably, Virginia athletic teams will return to competition on Monday, as that’s the time that many professional sports have indicated they will begin events again.

“I think next week would be okay,” sophomore volleyball player Whitney Ashcraft said when asked when teams should resume competition. “Just start the week off like we would normally – competing. I do think that it was a good idea to cancel this weekend’s matches, out of respect for everyone. There are lots of people that it really affected – everyone’s concentration levels. Also, there is the safety of everyone traveling, and we really don’t need to be out on the roads with people still trying to get home.”

Most Virginia athletic teams have been holding practice since Wednesday, which has helped athletes to deal with their grief.

“We felt it was important to be together as a group,” Wilk said. “I think it’s been a good escape for [athletes] for a couple of hours each day, to be together and take their minds off what was going on.”

Members of the University community agreed that competition should resume after this weekend, and that they would feel comfortable attending games.

“I’ve been thinking about expressing emotion, joking, things like that,” fourth-year College student Chris Gatz said. “It’s hard to do that right now. But you have to go on with your life, and that includes cheering at an athletic event.”

“I think at some point football will mean something, but not right now,” Eagan said. “It’s too early to care about anything but the tragedy.”

Brave new world

Three days later, it is all beginning to sink in. Bombarded by media coverage since Tuesday’s terror, our immediate concern for the victims and their families is finally giving way to a pervasive apprehension about what our nation will do next. As our country’s leaders unite, we must stand behind them wholeheartedly.

We are changed forever. Our generation – indeed, anyone under the age of 40 – has never known what it is like to feel threatened as a nation. We have never known war. The last large-scale war, Vietnam, happened a world away. Now we’re not safe on our own soil. Many of our parents know what it’s like to go to school and have bomb threat drills – to live in a state of constant fear. Now we too know fear.

No one knows what to do now because there’s no telling what will happen next. We don’t really know what it means to be at war. We’ve heard about college students sitting around the television as draft numbers were called in Vietnam, but we can’t really envision it. People our age can’t begin to comprehend sending our friends off to die.

We have taken everything about America for granted all our lives. Our freedom, our prosperity, our ability to go about our daily business without anything disrupting it – nothing is certain anymore. But we will never look at flying on a plane or going to the top of a skyscraper the same way again. We will never again believe that America is invulnerable.

In the next week, we will continue to be tested as a nation. We can’t turn off the TV and hide ourselves away, no matter how tempting it may be. Instead we must be active in showing support for our nation. Giving blood and displaying flags is an important start, but we must translate today’s overwhelming patriotism into energies that will guarantee America’s strength.

As students of the University, America has provided us opportunities for security and education. Now, in this country’s time of need, we must make sure we come to her defense. Whether any of us will soon be fighting is uncertain, but all of us must be soldiers in the defense of liberty. If some of us take up arms, the rest must throw themselves unselfishly into being productive and well-studied citizens. Our war against anonymous terror will undoubtedly require skilled businessmen, scientists, engineers, diplomats and statesmen. We must be ready to fill those roles.

The father of our University said, “the price of liberty is eternal vigilence.” It is time, as America’s youth, that we recognize our collective duty to eternal vigilence and devote our individual strengths to keeping America free and secure.

Come together

Last night’s teach-in drew tremendous response from the University community; so many students attended that it had to be moved outdoors to the amphitheater. The turnout alone indicates our community’s determination not to be torn apart by tragedy. Speakers provided compelling testimony, urging us to unite in love, not hatred. The teach-in’s success shows that there is a lot of promise in our future as a University and a generation even in this time of uncertainty.

Everyone here is in this together – students, professors and administrators alike. No one should have to mourn or suffer alone, as our community opens its arms and hearts to comfort one another. For many, the pain may get worse before it begins to ease, and it is essential for everyone to be aware and ready to help out friends in need. We can take good from this terrible evil by coming together as a community.

Tired of all that construction around grounds? Don’t worry – at least one building will be completed and ready for students by fall 2002: the Monroe Lane Language House.

“Given every possible crystal ball we can use, the house is going to be up in time,” said Robert Hueckstaedt, chairman of the department of Asian and Middle Eastern languages and cultures.

The house, located on the corner of Jefferson Park Avenue and Monroe Lane and across from Student Health, will be home to seven different languages. Students of Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew, Hindi-Urdu, Italian, Japanese and Persian will have the opportunity to live in an environment of total language immersion in the new house.

Language houses are important because they offer “a chance to be able to use the language outside of class -_ that’s invaluable,” Huekstedt said. “Even if you’re making some mistakes, the language becomes much more alive” in such an environment.

Currently, the University has four language houses: the French house, the Spanish house, the Russian house and the German house.

“I’ve always wanted to live in a language house, but there was never any opportunity for me,” said Katie Spencer, a third-year College student and student of Arabic. “U.Va. is so diverse, but we only had four languages represented before.”

Interest in the seven languages in this house has been increasing, Huekstedt said. Chinese, which has the biggest program in the AMELC department, has about 160 students this year, he said.

The Monroe Lane Language House will have room for about 75 students, with a block of about 10 rooms for each language.

There also will be a “language assistant” for each block, who is a native or near-native speaker. That person’s responsibility will be to make sure the language is spoken, to hold chat sessions and to coordinate cultural activities.

The Housing Division of the University of Virginia is spending over 7 million on the building, which will have four floors, a dining room, a kitchen, laundry and vending facilities, study and seminar spaces and bedrooms, Director of Housing Mark Doherty said.

The house will have ethernet capabilities for every room, air-conditioning and elevators. It may also have satellite dishes to provide access to the programming from the nations represented by the seven languages of the house.

According to its online brochure, the new Monroe Lane Language House, which is located next to the Spanish and French houses will be part of the “Language Precinct at U.Va.”

“The house is going to give us an excellent opportunity to achieve synergy with the other language houses in the area,” Doherty said.

Applications for the house are already online and organizers hope there will be a lot of interest, Hueckstedt said.

“I’m definitely going to apply,” Spencer said. “And a lot of people I’ve talked to are interested.”

There was standing room only in the amphitheater last night as students, faculty and community members packed into the auditorium to attend the Middle-East Teach-In.

The forum addressed Middle Eastern concerns in relation to Tuesday’s terrorist attacks.

The event was originally scheduled to take place in the Wilson Auditorium, then Old Cabell Hall. When it became obvious that the 800 seats in Old Cabell were not enough to accommodate the people wanting to attend, the program moved to the amphitheater.

Candid sharing characterized the evening, as professors from the Middle East Studies Department shared thoughts, comments and reflections on the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks. Many of the comments centered on racial and ethnic issues associated with the attacks. They also discussed what steps should be taken by the American government as well as by American citizens.

In his introduction to the teach-in, Government and Foreign Affairs Prof. David Waldner encouraged people to seek an understanding of the incidents, including American foreign policy that may have contributed to them.

Anthropology Prof. Hanan Sabea implored those in the audience not to generalize their reaction to the attacks and project their anger on all Arabs and Muslims.

“Thousands of people died because they had one thing in common: they were American,” Sabea said. “Now we are targeting another group of people just because they are Arabs and Muslims.”

Government and Foreign Affairs Prof.RuhiRamazani shared his experiences working with President Jimmy Carter during the Iran Hostage Crisis of 1979.

Ramazani said Carter told his group, “We have a serious dispute with Iran about the diplomats, but let us not generalize this conflict to the whole Muslim world.”

“We must remember those words today,” Ramazani said.

Government and Foreign Affairs Prof. William Quandt said now is a time for “reflection, not instinctual reaction.”

University Government and Foreign Affairs Prof. Michael J. Smith echoed this statement, saying that we must “avoid acting in ways which feed and escalate the cycle of violence.”

Religious Studies Prof. Abdulaziz Sachedina, testified to the closeness which he said he believes currently envelops the University.

“I haven’t ever seen U.Va. as beautiful as in the past three days,” he said. “You and I have the opportunity to continue to turn negative energy and use it to produce more human awareness among our citizens.”

Jewish Studies Prof. Peter Ochs followed Sachedina, and in an the two knelt together.

“To me, you are a saint,” Ochs said to Sachedina. Ochs then stated the importance of Christians, Muslims and Jews working together and learning from one another.

History Prof. Elizabeth Thompson said two metaphors used by the media bothered her: the comparison of the terrorists to the soldiers who captured Jerusalem in 1079 and the comparison of the attack to Pearl Harbor.

“The soldiers [who captured Jerusalem] were known for honor and good soldiership, which is not a spirit those attacking the World Trade Center embraced,” she said. “The Pearl Harbor analogy suggests that we are a sleeping giant.”

In the wake of Tuesday’s tragedies in New York City and Washington, University economic experts agree that now is a time of great uncertainty in the world economy.

“There is a lot of volatility in the market,” Economics Prof. Robert Usarek Jr. said.

The Wall Street market has been closed since the attack on Tuesday and is expected to reopen Monday, making this the longest trading shutdown since the Great Depression.

Japan’s financial market also suffered when the Nikkei Index dropped nearly 7 percent Wednesday.

So far, governments around the world have infused $120 billion, hoping to stabilize international financial markets.

But despite the initial downturns in financial sectors, University professors said current trends will not hurt the overall economy in the long run.

“I don’t know whether it will have an effect at all,” said William R. Johnson, a professor in the economics department.

Usarek also said he believes that while there is volatility in the market, “I wouldn’t assume that a major recession is on its way.”

But officials around the world are taking steps to ensure a recession will not occur.

Congress has suspended debate over the use of Social Security payroll taxes and now is concentrating on two main objectives: restarting securities exchanges and returning the air-traffic system to normal.

The European Central Bank provided its banks with an unexpected $63 billion and the Bank of Japan added $17 billion in efforts to keep credit flowing normally in world markets.

As the United States government pours money into reconstruction and rescue efforts because of the attacks, the economy may acutally be stimulated by the influx of dollars.

“Through government spending in reconstruction, cleaning up, and efforts in antiterrorism, the economy can be positively stimulated,” Johnson said.

Walking by the Lawn just two days after the infamous terrorist attack, you may have noticed fellow students donning red, white and blue ribbons on shirt pockets and collars. You may have even been offered one of these patriotic symbols without even wondering who or what was behind this show of faith.

But the students who organized this sign of remembrance were not members of one of the many University clubs or organizations on Grounds, but were instead simply a group of friends in Gamma Phi Beta.

“A couple of the girls living in my sorority house decided to start doing it last night, but it’s not specifically representing the sorority or anything,” said Diane Reynolds, a third-year Education student.

Reynolds said she really cannot take credit for the idea, though.

“One of my roommates lost a family member on Tuesday and this was just something that she really wanted to do,” Reynolds said. “We stayed up til about 1 a.m. making the ribbons. It was kind of therapeutic.”

And the thoughts and feelings that went into the creation of the ribbons seemed evident to those students wearing them.

“For me, it’s just to kind of show that it’s not something people should just forget,” said Elizabeth Meck, a third-year College student. “And also to honor the people who aren’t as lucky as we are right now.”

Other students seemed to be trying to express their patriotic support by displaying the ribbon.

“This is a time when we all need to show our support for our country and our leader,” said Susie Schasse, a second-year College student.

But no matter what students’ personal reasons for wearing the ribbons were, most anyone adorned with the symbol experienced a sense of solidarity.

“I think that what has happened is that is that Tuesday’s event affects everyone in some way or another, and this is just a way of pulling us all together,” said Shannon Murphy, a third-year Education student.

Reynolds agreed that part of the purpose of the ribbons was to provide a sense of unity for students.

She said that when she went to the Vigil of Concern, the speakers stressed the same ideas – the need to pull people together.

Despite the fact that most students seemed receptive to the idea, there were some who declined.

“More people than I thought have refused,” Reynolds said. “I’ve had about 10 or 12 people say no thanks.”

Despite the limited opposition, the ribbons seemed to be immensely popular.

“They were gone in about half an hour,” Reynolds said.

And some students seemed immensely appreciative.

“It was kind of neat because some people came by and just said, ‘sure I’ll take one,’ but then others are like ‘I was really waiting for someone to do this.’ That was really rewarding,” Reynolds said.

Right next door to Crozet Pizza and nestled in a shopping center in the shadow of the Blue Ridge is a delightful restaurant called Jarman’s Gap. Decorated in earth tones and hardwood, Jarman’s Gap has been open for less than two years and has remained a little-known treasure. Its location 20 minutes away makes the scenery and the drive a nice evening escape from Charlottesville.

There are some real treats among the appetizers. The Heirloom Tomato Salad ($6) is made with organic heirloom tomatoes, the old breeds that you find at farmer’s markets but not at the grocery store. The tomatoes were the only un-fried green tomatoes we had ever seen, but they were surprisingly delicious. Slices of fresh mozzarella cheese are served on the equal-sized tomato slices, and the salty cheese plays perfectly off of the tomatoes’ late-season freshness. The basil atop the salad is grown right behind the store, and the accompanying side salad is crisp and delicately dressed.

One starter straight from the garden is the Sautéed Broccoli Rabe ($5), which mysteriously includes no broccoli at all. Instead, the main vegetable is white hall chard, a beet lacking a swollen root, grown for its long stems and edible leaves. Served warm on a platter with garlic, lemon, parmesan, premature cherry tomatoes and peppers, the slightly bitter tinge of the chard blends perfectly with the dish’s other flavors. This appetizer is very oily, but quite delicious.

The appetizer we most regretted not trying was the intriguingly named Lobster and Mr. Stripy Tomato Risotto ($8).

Although it only contains one pasta dish and no other vegetarian alternatives, the eclectic menu does have several strong seafood and beef options.

The Organic Chicken Breast ($16) is reminiscent of chicken cordon bleu – it is stuffed with delicious Virginia ham and pungent Gruyere cheese.

The chicken is baked to a golden crisp and then sprinkled with parmesan. The dish is tasty but the flavors are almost overwhelmingly strong. If you are not a fan of sharp cheeses, you probably are better off with a somewhat milder entree. The mashed potatoes which accompany the chicken have an appealing chunky texture and are served with a red-eye gravy – an excellent complement, though unpleasantly lukewarm.

In addition to the standard menu, Jarman’s Gap offers a variety of nightly specials. Mark Turner, the chef and co-owner, has several culinary ethnic specialties and his affinity for Thai flavors shines through in several entrees.

The whole roasted red snapper ($17) augments the kitchen’s seafood offerings. The snapper is covered with a tamarind glaze and then served alongside a sticky rice timbale. The fish is obviously fresh and very good, but is a selection for true seafood lovers.

A relatively strong-flavored fish, red snapper has a piquant taste, almost like lobster or crab. The sweet tamarind is also very strong and has a syrupy texture. Just as the dish’s taste is extremely bold, so is its appearance. Those who order fish from Jarman’s Gap should be aware that some dishes are served complete with tail, fin, bones and head. Luckily, the chef replaces the snapper’s eye with a mushroom, but its hard to shake the fear that your dinner is about to swim away.

For dessert, the 14-layer raspberry cake is too tempting to turn down. Could they really fit 14 layers into one slice of cake? It sounded impossible, but we were wrong. The raspberries are obviously fresh, and the delicately slim slice of cake is beautiful.

The apple cake comes in a much more generous portion than the dainty raspberry dessert, and is a more traditional dessert.

A thick pastry, topped with caramel, this cake is delightfully moist and combines perfectly with the complementary scoop of vanilla ice cream to melt in the diner’s mouth.

Many of the baked desserts come from a Crozet woman who bakes for several local restaurants.

The many small touches at Jarman’s Gap really make the meal and experience special. There is a quietly attentive adult wait staff, and the hot bread and olive oil brought out immediately to the table sets the stage for a true dining experience. Votive candles and mini lamps on each table provide muted light, and the sunlight filtered in through sheer colored tapestries over the windows adds a nice touch.

Even the dining accessories are distinctive. Lilliputian salt and pepper shakers are on each table, as well as a small pitcher of liquid sugar which conveniently dissolves in iced tea more easily than granulated packets.

Quaint and removed from the hectic reminders of college life, Jarman’s Gap is a highly recommended jaunt for those students looking to escape Charlottesville for an evening to enjoy varied gourmet fare while nestled in a quiet atmosphere in the Blue Ridge.

AS OPTIMISTIC fans anticipate the approaching ACC football season, there’s a lot to arouse excitement. The atmosphere surrounding U.Va. football has become increasingly “big time”: a former NFL coach, a new, expanded stadium, a schedule including nationally televised games. Only one element is missing, aside from the hoped-for bowl bid: the requisite marching band.

The University does not have a marching band, but rather a “scramble” band. There’s no denying that the Virginia Pep Band has enjoyed success in the past. Its reputation for hilarious half-time shows has its place among the University’s traditions.

Recently, though, the band has not been able to put on the type of shows that made it famous. Following a 1991 bowl game performance that the administration and many fans perceived to be in poor taste, the band voted in 1993 to cut ties with the athletic department and stopped performing at football games. The band was banned for one season and, according to Pep Band Director Heather Pozun, the band’s current arrangement allows for everything but a halftime show. There is no indication that this policy will change.

As a result, the athletic department has tried, and failed, in different attempts to revive halftime shows and keep fans in the stadium. One such attempt, at the game two weeks ago against Richmond, was to bring in a high school marching band. This only raises the question, why doesn’t the University have its own marching band?

The pep band’s problem is not only lack of administrative support, but lack of student support. When entering the stadium, the band is met with indifference on the part of students. At times, it is even booed.

The pep band also lacks the kind of national recognition similar bands receive. In a recent column on college football traditions, Sports Illustrated’s Ivan Maisel mentions “smart-ass bands” at Duke and Stanford, but no mention is made of the Virginia Pep Band.

Given the lack of administrative and student support and national respect, it is clear that the pep band is a football tradition continuing for tradition’s sake alone. Band members and alumni may appreciate the history of the organization, but its current incarnation is less heralded by football fans.

The solution for the University’s lack of halftime spirit is a more traditional marching band. Would this type of band keep fans from leaving the stadium at halftime? Probably not – tailgating is one tradition that has not diminished over time. A traditional band may keep some people in the stadium, though, and it would incite enthusiasm among those who stick around.

Pozun argues against a marching band, saying, “The biggest argument we’ve seen in favor of a marching band is ‘everyone else has one.’ … Why would U.Va. want to be like everyone else?” A marching band, however, would also highlight what is unique about Virginia football. The Good Ol’ Song is one of the last remaining slow fight songs in the nation and one of the least recognized.

The reason? Most fight songs are sung with a spirited band accompaniment and they are enthusiastically performed at half-time. Ours is not. The addition of a marching band would strengthen the spirit of The Good Ol’ Song and relay its significance.

The pep band has its place in University history, as well as a place in the school’s present – the band performs at numerous events other than football games. But that place is not on the football field at halftime. This student body guides the University, and the students’ lack of enthusiasm for the pep band is an indication that it is time for something new.

Beginning a new band would be difficult. Associate Director of Athletics Andrew Rader says that the Athletic Department has not done any official research into the matter. He sights financial hurdles in terms of budget, scholarships and practice space as well as lacking the talent pool supplied by bigger music departments at other schools as potential problems.

Puzon concurs, “The Marching Royal Dukes [the James Madison University Marching Band] require 10 faculty members to operate. The McIntire Department of Music here at U.Va. has only 13 members total on academic faculty.” These concerns are important, but should not lead to complacency with the current halftime show.

The University is ready to take the next logical step in creating a nationally respected football program and atmosphere. The key intangible in this step is a traditional college marching band to raise spirits and enthusiasm among a student body that is only beginning to view football games as athletic, rather than purely social events.

(Megan Moyer’s column appears Fridays in the Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at mmoyer@cavalierdaily.com.)

AS STUDENTS begin the school year at Poolesville High School in Poolesville, Maryland, talk will be centered on the team’s mascot, rather than classes. On Aug. 28, the Montgomery County school board voted out the “Indian” team name of Poolesville High because it was deemed offensive to Native Americans. This decision was wrong on all accounts and showed how the goals of politics and political correctness can blind logic.

The actual decision to ban the name went completely against what the people of Poolesville wanted. Instead, it was decided by outsiders. Last spring, the Maryland Commission on Indian Affairs passed a resolution asking schools in 13 districts with Native American team mascots to change their names. Poolesville High had a vote in which students, staff and parents participated, and they decided by 60 percent to keep their “Indian” mascot (“Poolesville Rallies to Keep Mascot,” The Washington Post, Sept. 9).

This should have ended the debate; the had people voted. But the school board decided that if the people would not vote the way it wanted, then it would decide for the people. Because of the disgraceful way this was handled, the main lesson that Montgomery school board officials taught students was that democracy does not matter; they didn’t teach students anything about Native American team mascots.

Another disturbing thing about the school board’s decision was that it involved a national issue, which has been superimposed on one town. Richard Regan, a commissioner with the Maryland Commission on Indian Affairs, is the leader of the movement to get rid of Poolesville High’s mascot as well as all other “offensive” team names in the state.

Sharon E. Cox, the one Montgomery board member who voted against the resolution which eliminated the Indian mascot of Poolesville High, told The Washington Post, “I believe that Mr. Regan and the folks he associates with are trying to create grass-root support for a change that will eventually impact the national teams” (“Weast Seeks Ban on Indian Team Names,” Aug. 28). Regan goes as far as to say, “We will absolutely go after Redskins shirts or hats; anything that sends an offensive message must not be allowed in school.”

The fact that sports teams from high school to the pros use Native American names should be seen as a sign of respect for Native Americans. When one thinks of a team name, the first feeling that the team name should invoke is pride. The Redskins’ faithful do not cheer for the team in some sort of perverse way to undermine Native Americans. They cheer because that is their team and they embrace the name.

It is also important to note that the term “Redskin” is offensive to some Native Americans. And even though the team name isn’t changing, football fans should be respectful of any complaints and understand where they are coming from.

Teams choose names they feel will invoke respect and perhaps fear in some situations. Even some college teams such as Florida State have Native American names. Few names in any level of football create the level of respect and fear that the Seminoles do. The name “Seminoles” is part of the aura of the program, not an insult to Native Americans.

Some would argue that it doesn’t matter if the name had good intentions. If it offends some people, then one must get rid of it. But this does not help the cause of Native American civil rights. Every time a court or a school board or anyone else imposes a name change on people, it creates hostility rather than respect. How many Poolesville citizens now will respect Native Americans more than they did when they actually had one as their mascot?

While Poolesville High should not be forced to change its mascot, there are other things which it could do to show its respect for Native Americans. The most important of these is education. If the school teaches about Native Americans and their importance in American history in an accurate way, it is doing much more for Native American civil rights than renaming its mascot would do. Another option is to make sure that students understood that the school sports teams were named Indians in a tribute to a brave and heroic people.

Poolesville apparently has lost out in its battle for its mascot. While respect must be shown to all ethnic groups and this should certainly be taught in school, the fiasco with the team name of Poolesville only makes a mockery of diversity.

(Harris Freier’s column appears Fridays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at hfreier@cavalierdaily.com.)