We can’t repel goofiness of this magnitude
Students at Ole Miss, or the University of Mississippi, are taking part in a drive to elect a new mascot, and have chosen as one of the most popular candidates for the position the fictional character Admiral Ackbar, from the Star Wars films. (Specifically from Episode VI: Return of the Jedi – he’s the talking fish in the last half of the movie.) Admittedly, it looked really silly at first, but it does make a lot of sense once you learn a little more. I think George Lucas will want more than a few payday loans worth for the licensing rights, though.
He WAS, after all, the leader of the Rebel Alliance
For those of you who aren’t up to speed on the Original Trilogy, Admiral Ackbar is one the highest ranking figures in the Rebel Alliance, and helps lead the attack on the second Death Star. Long story short, they win – Death Star/Emperor get blown up, Darth Vader dies (and so it goes), etc. His (this is all fiction, or perhaps…fish-ction?) homeworld, according to Star Wars lore, is Mon Calamari – one wonders if cannibals on that planet dissect, bread, fry, and serve their victims with a spicy mayonnaise dip? But enough of that, back to the real world.
I find their lack of mascots disturbing
Ole Miss sports teams are The Rebels, and the previous mascot had been called Colonel Reb, a Southern Gentleman type (resembles a young Colonel Sanders) that is presumably a plantation owner or something along those lines, that was removed due to controversy.One can see why it should have gone – for those that aren’t in the know, Ole Miss was the first university to be integrated, and riots broke out when James Meredith was the first African American to enroll and attend, with National Guard escort. (The Governor of Mississippi himself tried to block him, and Meredith was attending on the GI Bill, which made the governor a racist AND unpatriotic. He was fined over $ 10,000 for his antics, way more than the average cash advance.)
Since the removal of the previous mascot, Ole Miss students have been trying to fill the void with another mascot which would still be a Rebel, AND be non-offensive…and the Supreme Commander of the Rebel Alliance? There isn’t anything more rebel than that!
It’s A Trap!
I had to get that line in somewhere, and I hadn’t thought of any way yet.How am I NOT supposed to make that joke?
Back to the point
The vote is starting to get close, and two questions remain – if Admiral Ackbar IS elected the new mascot, will the school and alumni back it, and if so, what does (and this is the important part) George Lucas have to say about it? This should be interesting in any event. May the Force be with them.
