The reason for the desire for a new mascot is simple: Colonel Reb reminds many of the Old South. The Empire. Slavery. And many other unpleasant things.
The idea of Admiral Ackbar as mascot is more than just a nod to popular culture, it's a subversive attempt to actually place a real rebel symbol as representing the university.
Admiral Ackbar by his very face and name is unconventional and his election as mascot for Ole Miss would speak volumes for how far "The South" has really come. Indeed, Admiral Ackbar's possible rise to mascot power has upset some, even those in the media it seems. A story's flying around the there's a "backlash" against the Admiral Ackbar mascot campaign.
The source is supposed to be the Atlanta Journal Constitution. But as of this writing, the AJC article points to TMZ for its information; the TMZ blog reads the heads of the Admiral Ackbar campaign reported angry calls but provide no quote or name of anyone connected with the effort . And both TMZ and AJC report no other credible information to prove the claim that a "backlash" exists. They just say it does.
But the reality is a real, credible "backlash" has bite and followers and that's not here. There's no Internet footprint of any size that's challenging the Admiral Ackbar Mascot Movement.
And this blogger hopes it succeeds right smack in the face of Ole Miss alumns who need to be shaken out of their cultural comfort zone. It's said all too often that some people in The South are still "living the Civil War"; Admiral Ackbar - and only Admiral Ackbar - can bring them into the 21st Century.
Stay tuned.
he looks really fancy :))
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