People are now complaining that the Notre Dame leprechaun is offensive

[ProudUte]

I don’t much like Notre Dame.  But, this one is going too far IMO.  Why is a leprechaun offensive?

When people start dreaming up ways that a school mascot is offensive – they have way too much time on their hands.

I had to laugh when Corner Canyon first selected “Cougars” as their mascot, that some in the area found that offensive because they felt that it referenced middle-aged women on the prowl.

 

[Tony (admin)]

It’s insensitive and racist toward leprechauns. 

[@Ujcd1210]

Let me set the record straight about Corner Canyon as I was part of the group suggested that “Cougars” was offensive. The group consisted of both Utah and BYU fans and effectively changed things that eventually got picked up by Anderson Cooper on CNN.

Basically the process was flawed where the board sent home survey to elementary-aged kids asking what their favorite color scheme and mascot. They ended up on the current scheme which was the same as BYU at the time. The mascots had 5-6 options that included Cougars and other professional sports franchises like Diamondbacks, Chargers, etc. Votes for all of the mascots were split pretty equally between all of the options with Cougars barely leading.

We tried to get the board to understand that Cougars was polarizing (especially given the color scheme,) and that their process was ill-conceived and would alienate a fair number of the student body, just like a crimson/Ute scheme would.

The one board member that was leading the process was not relent. So, to prevent my kids from having to attend BYU High School we suggested that Cougars could provide a negative connotation for certain fans.

No one ever thought Cougars was insensitive, we hijacked the conversation so that Corner Canyon would not be BYU-Draper. I figured that this forum would appreciate the story of what actually happened.

[CincyUte]

This is no big deal.  It’s a classic case of idle leprechaun threats.  Just give ’em some shiny coins and clover and they’ll go away. 

[Waybackutefan]

I totally get it, they are tired of being left out. It all started back in the day when Dungeons and Dragons left them off their character race list, there was huge outrage in the Leprecahun community. Sure there has been progress, (the fabulously successful Lucky Charms campaing), but for the most part they have been neglected and marginalized. 

That being said it hasn’t helped their cause that almost no rainbows have had the pot of gold that they have been promising for centuries, this has really hurt their cause. 

[ProudUte]

Thanks, for the good laugh!

[UteBacker]

I’d love to hear from a leprechaun on how it has affected their life and how they see it as being offensive.  If a leprechaun says it’s offensive to use them as a mascot then Notre Dame should probably make a change.

#Ihearyouwoke

[Tony (admin)]

You don’t get it backer.  It is non-leprechauns who will decide whether it is offensive to leprechauns. 

[UteBacker]

Being offended on behalf of someone else.  I didn’t know that was a thing.

[Central Coast Ute]

The Trib article a few years back written by a white man being offended by sports branding of Native Americans and the subsequent response from a Ute Tribe member basically telling him to stick it is a good example to look up.

Edit: here is the response from the Utes. I couldn’t get the article he was responding to because I’ve reached my monthly limit on the Trib but there’s a link to it in this article.
respons3

[Thlete]

My kids go to Corner Canyon so I’m glad I don’t have to cheer for any Cougars but that name would have fit very well for the area.

[Central Coast Ute]

It’s more of the “Fighting Irish” than the leprechaun that people find offensive. Replace Irish with any non-European nation and see how it goes. Personally, I don’t take offense, but that’s the reason people say it’s offensive, not the leprechaun.

[ProudUte]

The story I read, was all about the mascots.  In this case the leprechaun.  It was rated the 4th most offensive college mascot.   I could at least understand an issue with the Fighting Irish.  

[Central Coast Ute]

Ok, well that is dumb. I didn’t see that article.

[EagleMountainUte]

If they changed it to the “white flag Frenchman” would that also be insensitive?

[Central Coast Ute]

That depends. Are we talking about Frenchman from France or French Guiana?

[ironman1315]

I wouldn’t mind the Fighting Scotsmen.

[Central Coast Ute]

They could wear kilts!

[ironman1315]

Bag Pipes play during third/important downs.

[Duhwayne]

Not even the only one in Indiana with an issue.

https://www.theonion.com/boilermakers-protest-purdues-mascot-1819567560

[ironman1315]

Do you remember the Farmington High naming fiasco?