The Crusades took place long before, centuries before, the Ku Klux Klan existed. Changing this nickname and mascot is another sign of the acceptance of the idea that Westerners should be ashamed of the Crusades. The History of Jihad From Muhammad to ISIS proves otherwise. It demonstrates from primary sources that the Crusades were not a gratuitous imperialistic venture, but a late and small-scale defensive reaction to 450 years of imperialist jihad aggression that had conquered and Islamized what had been half of the Christian world, and threatened the life of the Christian empire, the Byzantine empire.
The West continues its cultural self-abnegation in the face of the chimera of “Islamophobia,” a propaganda neologism designed to make people ashamed of defending themselves and their homeland against a newly aggressive and emboldened Islamic jihad.
“Valparaiso changing Crusaders nickname and mascot after criticism, hate group use,” by Ryan Young, Yahoo Sports, February 11, 2021 (thanks to Darcy):
Valparaiso is done with its nickname.
The Indiana university announced Thursday that it is ditching the Crusaders nickname, mascot and logos — something that had been adopted and embraced by various hate groups throughout history.
“The negative connotation and violence associated with the Crusader imagery are not reflective of Valpo’s mission and values, which promote a welcoming and inclusive community,” interim president Colette Irwin-Knott said, via The Assocaited [sic] Press. “This is the decision that best reflects our values and community.”
Valparaiso’s student senate and faculty senate each passed resolutions that called for the name change, and the university’s alumni board of directors supported the change, per the report….
The Crusades were a series of wars between Christians and Muslims in the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries used to secure control of holy sites and land in Europe and the Middle East. Various hate groups, including the Ku Klux Klan, have used crusaders symbols and words ever since.
“The Crusader does not [represent the university] effectively,” student president Kaitlyn Steinhiser said, via The Associated Press. “Valpo is and always has been a faith-based institution, and we want to make sure our symbolism is in alignment with our beliefs and speaks to the core values of the Lutheran ethos. At Valpo, we strive to seek truth, serve generously and cultivate hope. We do not believe having the Crusader as our mascot portrays these values.”
Dude says
WE ARE THE CRUSADERS.
WE WILL END THE PILLAGE NOW!
JOHN says
And, you had better do it sooner rather than later, before you are unable to do so.
mortimer says
No, idiots. The police are our modern knights in shining armor and most police are good men living up to their ideals.
Let the police do the job with PROFESIONALISM. Make sure you have politicians who understand and admire the work the police do.
Idiots like you make society more dangerous.
b.a. freeman says
mortimer, i agree that an educated patriot understands that a republic can only stand if its attitude towards the rule of law is one of utmost respect and support, but we must remember that almost *EVERYBODY* has been MALeducated, whether by public indoctrination centers (public “schools”) or private schools which teach almost the same things that indoctrination centers teach. thus, almost all people do NOT understand the importance of respect for the law, and therefore see no problem with taking the law into their own hands. Dude and JOHN seem to exemplify this lack of understanding; their hearts are in the right place, but taking up arms is not at present the solution. there are MANY just like them who love their country deeply, but don’t understand why it works.
the making of a patriot includes more than respect for the law, of course. there are laws in communist and fascist states, but obeying some of them would be morally reprehensible. we are a dying republic, but we aren’t dead yet, and the police are still professionals who are not only not yet the SS, but are far from it; they deserve our respect and support. the leftist strategy with respect to local policing is without a doubt one of destroying local policing and replacing it with a NATIONAL police force, which would extend control of the national government into local communities, the better to control them and eliminate local patriotic leaders.
right now, the best policy is voting leftists out of office, which cannot be done unless we reach out to leftists and calmly and patiently engage with them in order to show them their mistaken beliefs. i am a born-again christian, and part of my belief system is that in order to help people, i must be willing to share my very life with them. sharing one’s life with a leftist may mean that one may never even be able to open one’s mouth, but there are other leftists out there, some of whom may be willing to talk; U won’t know until U try. once they see that U are not a monster, they may be willing to talk, and once U are able to talk, their mistakes will likely become evident. sometimes, the best argument is simply living one’s life. even one person who changes his mind is important; one cannot tell what the effect of that changed mind may be.
Eli7777 says
It is sad and disappointing to see history removed. The saying, “if we don’t stand for something, we will fall for anything,” needs to be repeated today. The removal of such a vital symbol, for any facility or organization, should be voted upon by it’s supporters, not just a few.
mortimer says
The first thing Islam does during the second stage is to attack the freedom of expression. Once the voices of dissent are silence, deaf and dumb we may be led like sheep to the slaughter.
Rob Porter says
The disgusting reality is that the likes of student president Kaitlyn Steinhiser and thousands of other cowardly Americans and Westerners who believe in nothing of value and are afflicted with mindlessly stupid political correctness, is that they happily surrender freedom of expression. We can bet that she hasn’t a clue why the crusades occurred, what they endeavoured to achieve and that they saved Europe from Islamic domination. She is just another of those clueless Western ‘useful idiots’.
Hugh Paxton says
Absolutely. It saddens me that this not only needs pointing out (it’s obvious) but that simply expressing this idea might strike some as being subversive.
Brenda says
I think we need another crusade.
mortimer says
No, we certainly don’t Brenda. Muslims are leaving Islam because they no longer believe in it. The way to encourage the trend is to support Robert Spencer and David Wood and Jay Smith. I am sure Robert Spencer receives mail every day from Muslims who left Islam because they read Mr. Spencer’s books and articles.
The modern crusade against this death cult is on the internet.
Wellington says
Cowards and useful idiots at the same time (N.B., these two negative personality types are frequently in alignment with one another).
mortimer says
It’s a business decision based on how many Muslims threaten to blow you up.
It’s the heckler’s veto.
Kilauea says
I graduated from a university that was too cowardly to stand up to the NCAA and changed its mascot from Indians to Warhawks. At first the new mascot was supposed to be the P-40 to honor Claire Chennault, but that was to hostile so it was changed to a large Bird of Prey. This was done against the wishes of the alumni and the community. Results – less alumni support. Political correctness strikes everywhere.
gravenimage says
Thanks for that grim account.
Larry A. Singleton says
Big surprise. Like most of these cowards limit or have no comment features at all. Message at the end of this screed:
“Our goal is to create a safe and engaging place for users to connect over interests and passions. In order to improve our community experience, we are temporarily suspending article commenting.”
James Lincoln says
College nicknames and mascots now need to be approved by CAIR – and the thinnest skinned snowflakes on campus…
gravenimage says
Indiana: Valparaiso University drops Crusaders nickname and mascot
……………
More disgusting “Cancel Culture”.
Wonder if the new team name will be the dhimmis…
Yohannes says
Indiana: Valparaiso University drops Crusaders nickname and mascot
So now its okay to use Jihadi nickname and mascot(that la ilaha ilawloh)?
Andrew says
Christian Soldiers defending and protecting Christian Monks as they walk to their Holy Land while being attacked my muslims… for CENTURIES….bad Christians…..good muslims… Its a clown world after all.
tom_ says
… then the winged hussars arrived …
Rod says
The Crusades were perhaps as many as nine different invasions of the Holy Lands, carried on over two centuries, and involving some thousands of invaders from many parts of Europe. To do this they travelled on each occasion, on foot or on horseback, several times as far as the German army did to take Paris, further even than the Wehrmacht travelled to besiege Moscow. A small scale” defensive reaction? Mr Spencer is an eminent historian, so we mustn’t question his opinion, but it does seem at variance with the facts.
As for the use of the term Crusaders, isn’t it obvious that a word indelibly associated with the KKK, and thus deeply offensive to many African-Americans, might be best abandoned, simply for the sake of tact and good manners? Are these concepts really so difficult for Spencer and his admirers to understand?
Giacomo Latta says
Ah, to live the life of Rod, to be able to cast one’s glazed eyes at lightning speed over facts without picking up on anything.
Um, just how is the term Crusaders indelibly linked to the KKK? Did the KKK ever consider invading parts of the Middle East? Did the KKK ever edit a book called the Kloran to separate itself from the Christian concept that people are people? Google KKK and Kloran then quickly pick up on nothing.
Joeyn says
Maybe the KKK used the Crusaders as their symbol but does that mean we have to feel ashamed about the Crusaders? As we know the Crusades were nothing about racism.What if the KKK used the cross as their symbol. Do we then get rid of all crosses?
Rod says
Who says anybody is “ashamed” about Crusaders? Spencer does, so it must be true! News to me. Should we be ashamed of the Wars of the Roses? The French Revolution? Well, if Spencer says so, it would have to be true. Even if it seems absurd.
But there is the possibility he could be wrong. It seems to happen often. People who invent their own version of reality do lose credibility.
JOEYN says
Well if you feel comfortable that Spencer is wrong on the Crusades then it is up to you but that does not change the facts.
gravenimage says
“Rod” sneers at the idea that anyone is ashamed of the Crusades, despite this college ditching the name crusaders and their crusader mascot. Are we to believe that they do so out of pride in the crusades?
James Lincoln says
Rod,
The Crusades were defensive wars.
They were a direct response to muslim aggression — an attempt to turn back or defend against muslim conquests of Christian lands.
Would you have preferred that they had not happened?
gravenimage says
+1
JOEYN says
Good question posed to Rod. Thanks gravenimage for helping me out up there. I did not understand what Rod meant. Maybe he is implying that the college was not ashamed about the Crusaders but ditched them out of ‘good manners and tact’. If that is the case then that is really absurd since based on that logic every time some group of people claims without any justification that they are offended by something the college does within their own compound, the college will have to practice good manners and conform to that group’s wishes..
gravenimage says
Thank you, JOEYN. I know “Rod’s” ugly history here.
gravenimage says
“Rod’s” idea that if only he compares the Crusades to the Nazis enough times that this will make it so is just bizarre.
And no–the Ku Klux Klan were not a part of the Crusades.
Joeyn says
Quite some time back before I came across Jihad Watch and Robert Spencer, I was led to believe that historically the Christians were just as bad as the Muslims since they did the Crusades against innocent Muslims. Thank God, now I know the truth. Truly grateful to those like Robert Spencer who give us the actual facts regarding history since there is so much falsehood being spread by the Left and the Islamists regarding what took place historically (such as the one being referred to in this article) for the sole purpose of furthering their evil agenda which is to destroy Western Civilization.
OLD GUY says
Wow we changed the name of our mascot, I’am sure that will have a positive effect on all of mankind. This is just cancel culture where a small group of people feel powerful because they made the majority give in to their useless demands. It appears the MAJORITY rule has left the room. The new rule is the CRY BABIES now have the rule. But our Universities have been teaching our young people to hate America for along time.
I guess those billions of dollars that China and Saudi Arabia have spread around our Universities is paying off for them.
Crusades Were Right says
[“Valpo is and always has been a faith-based institution, and we want to make sure our symbolism is in alignment with our beliefs… We do not believe having the Crusader as our mascot portrays these values.”]
So why was a “Crusader” ever chosen to be your mascot in the first place, Ms. Steinhiser? Could it have been something to do with the fact that the original crusaders were a “faith-based” institution who believed in fighting to defend their faith against those who were determined to exterminate, subjugate and persecute those who subscribed to that faith?
Is there ANYTHING worth fighting for, Ms. Steinhiser?
James says
Just more communist Cultural Revolution, and the useful idiots who spread it.
Stupid is and stupid does. And you know what they say about stupid? You can’t fi….