Sam H. Speaks His Mind

The loyal reader's of this site know that Sam H. and David A. are the two local State fans who grace us with their presence regularly. Both are good friends of mine. By the way where has David A. been, have not heard from him in a while on here. Anyway I would like to congratulate Sam H. for having his letter to the editor published in The Reflector. I think Sam hit the mark on this one.

The editorial staff has pointed out the obvious and should be commended for it. The NCAA's Minority Opportunity and Interests Committee that is on a crusade to push this issue is more than likely the same one that has pushed for NCAA member schools to get rid of Native American mascots. The entire organization perpetuates a disease of late-stage political correctness. The symptoms of its victims are extreme nausea and an endless repetition of the phrase, "Are they serious? Come on."My personal views on the state flag are pretty moderate. I do not appreciate the fact that it offends many people and has the tendency to continuously give the rest of the nation the impression that our state is still drowning in the 1960s. On the other hand, our state did vote to keep it, overwhelmingly. It is a state's right for which our country's 200-year-old Constitution has always allowed. The First Amendment says nothing about the right to not be offended. Do I wish we would change it? Sure. Then this essentially meaningless matter would not keep popping its head up in places where it does not need to be. Namely, in the NCAA' s Minority Opportunity and Interests Committee.To reiterate the The Reflector's point: What does this have to do with college athletics? The mission statement of the committee states that it is to "focus [on] ... the enhancement of opportunities for ethnic minorities and women in coaching, athletics administration, officiating and the NCAA governance structure." What opportunities are enhanced with this proposal? Overall, opportunities for ethnic minorities and women, along with anyone else associated with a Mississippi university or college, are being withheld for no good reason. Unless one considers the smug self-satisfaction that comes with barring non-discriminating universities from various "enhancement" opportunities over an issue that the institutions have nothing, directly or indirectly, to do with.