Why Does New Orleans Saints Mascot Sir Saint Have To Be White?—They Should Have A Black One As Well
.JPG)
(12/16/09–Greetings Saintsreport.com readers. You sure do seem defensive over this matter. Maybe it is the long shameful—and still unaddressed—history of race relations in New Orleans and Louisiana that makes you so defensive. I wonder how many of you folks ever have written with such passion in favor of racial and economic justice as you write on behalf of a football mascot? Here is the current day New Orleans you folks commenting below are defending.)
Above is the strange New Orleans Saints mascot Sir Saint.
Why does he have to be white?
In 2008, 65% of NFL players were black.
29% of players were white in 2008.
Plenty of folks in New Orleans and Louisiana are black.
When this mascot was designed, a decision had to be made if he would be black or white.
Why white instead of black?
With almost two-thirds of NFL players black, maybe he should have been black.
Maybe the Saints could have two mascots.
They could have a white one and a black one who go around the field as loyal teammates.
According to the book How Barack Obama Won by Chuck Todd and Sheldon Gawiser, 84% of white voters in Louisiana voted for John McCain in 2008 while 94% of blacks voted for Barack Obama.
That is quite a racial disparity.
Here is a history of post-Civil War Reconstruction in Louisiana.
It is an ugly and brutal story that led to the terrible Jim Crow-era in Louisiana.
You can say that Sir Saint is just a silly football mascot and who cares what he looks like?
Yet in a place with as nasty a racial history as Louisiana and New Orleans, the decision as to what color the football mascot should be implies something. Especially when the mascot does not look like the majority of players on the field.
(Not that the deformed Sir Saint looks like most white players either.)
The Saints should get themselves an odd-looking black mascot as well and the black and white mascots could play catch on the sidelines and team-up to tackle rival mascots. This would show people that black and white folks can get along—-Even in Louisiana.
What would be best would be if the black mascot and the white mascot could get married in a halftime ceremony. Such a ceremony would help the players get in touch with their true feelings with all that physical male-bonding going on in football.
The gay marriage though might have to wait until I own the Saints.
56 Comments »
Leave a comment
Welcome To Texas Liberal
Texas Liberal is a blog of politics and political history.
My name is Neil Aquino. Here is my profile.
I can be reached at naa618@att.net.
Additional focuses of the blog are books, art, poetry, personal relationships and, also, sea life and marine mammals.
( The picture above is of the Houston Ship Channel. A narrow channel can lead to a wide sea.)
The signature post of this blog is the Martin Luther King Reading & Reference List. This list is the best of it’s kind on the web.
Another good post is my reciting the words to the Shaker hymn Simple Gifts on Galveston Island, Texas as a ship passes behind.
I live in Houston, Texas and I do sometimes write about political issues in Houston and in Texas.
I also often write about my former hometown of Cincinnati, and about the great beach city of Galveston, Texas.
I define liberalism as a role for government in the economy to help make life more fair, and a broad acceptance of people regardless of who they are.
This is why it says “All People Matter” at the top of the blog.
A blog grows one reader at a time. If you like what you read here, please consider forwarding the link.
Texas Liberal began regular posting on July 25, 2006.
I also blog at the Houston Chronicle as one of eight featured political bloggers, and on Where’s The Outrage? which posts out of North Carolina.
Thanks for reading Texas Liberal.
Recent Comments
Tim Murphy on Mel Gibson & Siouxsie… Sof on Mel Gibson & Siouxsie… Bill Shirley (@bshir… on “Houston” Sculptur… JD on Black Man Drives Car With Conf… Blessthismess on Mel Gibson & Siouxsie…
Global Voices- An activist translates Minecraft, manga, and Harry Potter from Russian into the Chuvash language
- How Mongolia became a 3×3 basketball powerhouse
- Kyrgyzstan’s unsung heroes get recognition through street art
- Central Asia’s unique tradition of singing during Ramadan keeps evolving
- Teenager with Muslim background saved over 100 people in Moscow concert hall terrorist attack
- In Azerbaijan authorities remain silent over the murder of a trans woman
- Kyrgyzstan’s blockbuster film is a moving tale of the bond between a mother and son
- Lotteries, dressed-up figures, and other peculiar entertainment at the Putin's sham elections
- In Georgia, a new political alliance looks to the future
- Will President Erdoğan really stop running in Turkey's elections?
Texas Liberal 
When was the mascot first introduced? That could have some bearing on this issue.
I like the idea for the halftime ceremony. Here’s hoping you win the lottery and can make it happen.
How about a bi-racial one? If that’s too absurd, how about 3 mascots: two of them black and one white, for a closer representation of the city’s population?
I live in Montreal, Quebec, CANADA, a cosmopolitan city in which a province-wide language law once dictated that on commercial store signs with languages other than French, the font size of English or other languages, could not exceed half the size of the French words. It didn’t make any sense in such a city and very soon, people of all backgrounds became disgusted. Deep down, we all became smart enough to realize that the real goal of this law was to push English-speakers (among others) into leaving the province. Unfortunately, far too many of them have left, the past three decades.
Every corner of the world has a front for conflict: yours is race and ours is language.
Besides that hideous goiter on his neck, he’s far too white. Only French aristocrats maintained that alabaster skin tone (and I doubt that Sir Saint, despite his title, was one of those).
These are all very good comments.
It should not matter to you what color his costume skin is.
D-Man–It should not matter to any of us, but that is not the world we live in.
Did it ever occur to you that in the early years our franchise had more white than black players? Or that most of the knighted “sirs” in england are white? Or even that most patron saints are white? And what the hell does it matter anyway? Why does everything have to be about race? I mean, really, are you OFFENDED that the stupid mascot is white? Heaven forbid anyone be offended by anything, least of all a mascot you think was drawn up “white” for racial reasons.
If our mascot had instead been “The Honorable Reverend Doctor Saint,” and they made him black, you’d laugh your ass off at some whitey making a big deal out of it. But that’s ok, right?
Becuase everything in Louisiana is about race.
Sir Saint originated in 1967, the team was more white than black…so the mascot is the right race…using your idiotic logic of course. More importantly why does it matter? If the mascot was black the question could also be “Why not white?” Besides questioning the obvious ignorance that you liberals have of always bringing up race, here’s my question; how is Barry Soetoro..I mean Barack Hussein Obama our first black president? He’s half white after all. He had a white momma who is 50% of the two parents that he had…oh wait…my mistake, she was the only parent that he had…oh wait wrong again she thought it more important to learn basket weaving in indonesian villages than raising her son so the two WHITE grandparents raised ol’ barry. So lets see 50% of his parents black, 50% white…according to your logic that makes him our first half black president doesn’t it? Why can’t you people let race go? Your ignorance is what keeps it around. I’m sure you didn’t make such a big scene about the Duke Lacrosse LIES of a black woman toward three young white men. Isn’t that racism since she lied about being raped? I’d really love to debate you further about the real racists in America because I’d destroy you on the topic, but I have to shower for work…that’s the place where us “lucky” conservatives go to pay for the taxes you moronic liberals dress up as financial “equality”.
Your nastiness is evidence enough of the virtues of my post.
Another thing about those evil white racist people, it was the two WHITE grandparents that raised little barry when mommy was off learning basket weaving to save the world, and his black “father” only visited him ONE TIME at age 10. Some daddy to write a book about eh? Those evil white devils.
I’ll give you another argument that will warp your mind. While you liberals love to tout the importance of “hate” crime legislation I’ll point out how racist it is. Your logic says a criminal (white only of course) gets more time if the victim (blacks only of course)is a “racial minority”. You people just defined that a black mans’ life is worth more if a white man kills him. How racist is that!? Black on black…well you aint worth nothing but boy if the white man kill you, son you done moved up in the world! You people are so ignorant. How about Jena, LA? Black guys gang jump and stomp a white dude, but somehow it’s not a “hate crime” it’s a “schoolyard scuffle”. Then you liberals get mad that a sentence was handed down because “they didn’t really do any damage to the guy.” So attempted murder shouldn’t matter if someone shoots at you but misses? You liberals are so ignorant it’s pathetic.
This football mascot sure brings out a lot of resentments in you.
No I’m just really sick and tired of being the bad guy when it’s never me that brings up race, it’s always in reply to someone pointing out how “racist” America and the south is. We here in Louisiana have a racial minority governor, the head of the Republican national committee is BLACK, our president is half BLACK. And it didn’t matter to anyone but you liberals who have to keep on saying “he’s our first black president” but never acknowledge that he’s half white. Why is it not important to acknowledge that racial heritage? According to your logic he should be acknowledging it 50% of the time. See, I love how you liberals always want to debate things, but then run away from the debate when real questions are asked that shoot real holes in your whole liberal agenda. Can’t answer that question, or that one, or that one, or that one. I have no real points on this debate so I’ll just say this guy is a racist and he’s “nasty”, then run away from the debate that I obviously started with my “thought provoking” comment about the RACIAL MAKEUP OF A FRIGGIN MASCOT THAT’S NOT EVEN A REAL PERSON.
I’ll say that Mr. Obama is half-white.
I never called you a racist.
You Republican white folks in Louisiana are very race-aware and you are quite angry.
I consider myself a Saints fan and had never noticed the mascot’s “color”. I think only somebody who is racist would have a problem with that color, whatever it is (?). It’s not white for sure. Maybe beige or pink or somebody’s idea of white. I guess, to please the racists, the Saints’ owner should have a black one, white one, brown one, yellow one and whatever else would please the freaking idiots who DO have a problem with that mascot’s color.
Oh, both ME and my wife are African-Americans. She (my wife) just laughed and said the guy who has the mascot color problem is either kidding or needs to “get a life”.
I have indeed proposed a black one and white one! And that they have a gay wedding as well at halftime.
I might need to get a life for making this post, but where does that put you for taking the time to leave a comment?
Michael Jones–<>
I love that conservatives think they are the only ones who have jobs and those of us who are liberal sit at home and do nothing. My husband is in the military and works very hard. In fact, he has worked the last three Christmases. Oh, and he’s a Democrat.
I hate to tell you, but you’re not the only one with a job.
Furthermore, your comments about President Obama’s book make it clear that you’ve never read it.
He’s white because he’s a caricature of Archie Manning. Why is Ronald McDonald white when 99.8% of McDonalds employees are black? Also all of the McDonalds commercials are geared towards black. Don’t bring in reconstruction, slavery is over. Yes it was terrible but you can’t go around expecting to get a black version of everything that is white. Your waisting your time. If you don’t like how the south is the GET OUT. Besides the saints other mascot Gumbo the dog is black!
Jason—Maybe you should get out of the South so that will get better.
People keep telling me this subject is silly, but it sure does seem to hit a nerve.
I wish I had such a privileged life that I could spend my time writing on irrelevant subjects.
So why is “Rowdy” white? I mean it looks like the official mascot of the Dallas Cowboys should also be of some other ethnicity. He could be African American, Mexican, Mexican American, etc… so that he could better represent the majority of the players on the team or to honor the past that so many Mexicans where a part of in Texas history. I guess since he is white it must be do to the obvious racist nature of all Texans and the Dallas Cowboys organization.
Dallas’s own mascot is a white cowboy.. seeing as though the majority of the team and nfl is black, they should change him to a black cowboy you know..
Oh and what about the Steeler’s mascot… better get on that one too!
This is the very reason I’m glad to not be in the south anymore, both sides of the argument (black and white) are so consumed with who is right/wrong..who deserves what, it really gets tiring.
Obviously this post is more so to spark conversation and get peoples’ opinion [read: attention] , but it is really useless pot stirring really.
And really really? For the most part it is OUT OF TOWNERS like yourself, who keep these types of horrid debates raging. Yes there is plenty of racial disparity in Louisiana ( and the whole south ), but outsiders who know neither side are just part of the problem not the solution.
Might as well make him mixed, albino, bi-sexual, anti-global warming, with long hair, lip stick, and stockings…then everybody will be happy, that is the most stupid ignorant ass piece of shit article I have ever read. That is why there is still racism, people won’t look past things. Alright 65% of the NFL players are black, they aren’t being excluded. I feel offended that the Zephyr’s mascot is a Nutria rat named Boudreaux. I’m french and none of us look like a nutria….get over it.
Why are you focusing on New Orleans? Dallas has a white mascot.
Heck, two of the most liberal cities in the NFL has a white mascot. That would be 3 time Superbowl champs Boston and 5 time Superbowl champs San Fran 49ers.
Sounds like you have some issues and you just want to continue your on racist slant.
Why would anyone want a nigger for a mascot???!!!
you’re an ass for writing this…
It hits a nerve cause it’s so stupid and such a douchey article that is pointless. Why does everything need to have one of each race? There’s a black RB, where’s the white one? There’s a white one QB , where’s the black one? Theres a black president wheres the white one? You could say this about anything.It’s a mascot, who cares. You are the only person to care about this so maybe you need to get the racism out of your eyes and stop creating it out of nothing.
Why is it that the Cowboys mascot is white, the Patriots mascot is white, the Steelers is white, and all other mascots that depict a person white? Could it be that if they were to make a mascot of color they would have to depict features that would cause more of an uproar than the original white one did? Oh, wait, I know, you just needed some outlandish thing to complain about without really doing any research on the rest of the mascots.
To call something racist without provocation or reason is racist within itself and is offensive to all who stand against the injustices of the world. The great black leaders who preached for equality, peace & love among all men & women would be ashamed at the trifling arguments made in their names and the mockery that is made of their cause as a result. It is truly a shame that they worked so hard and gave so much only to be taken so lightly.
Why does Dallas’ mascot have to be white? Shouldn’t you be more concerned about that seeing as how that’s a bit closer to home for ya?
Hi texas liberal how many of me do you see on black people? There you question has been answered.
You folks sure seen defensive about something. Maybe it is the long shameful history of race relations in New Orleans and Louisiana.
I’m not defensive about anything. I’m asking you a specific question which you are evading.
There is a long and storied history of minorities, specifically African-Americans, being cowboys in history. In fact they went west to escape persecution and racism and so you would think that the Cowboys could celebrate that history with an African-American mascot.
I don’t understand why you would differentiate between the two when the same underlying issue is the problem.
I think that would be a fine idea for the Cowboys.
hipocrite texas saying NO mascot should be black when he has a cleft chin but, good ol’ boy rowdy is just fine being white.
You know for someone that claims to care as much as you do, your article did nothing to advance the cause. You seem to want to make everything racial or political. I’d wager that you’ve never even stepped foot within the boundaries of Louisiana, much less New Orleans.
As someone who frequently visits the city and lives within the state, and one who has a long history tied to the Crescent City, I can say that New Orleans is one of the most integrated and less racially dividend cities in existence. All you have to do is walk the streets and talk to the people. These are not people who hate and thrive on it. These are people that share the same human condition as does every person, but when you speak to them the kindness in their souls knows no racial constraints.
There is a personality unique to New Orleans that is borne of circumstance, fate, compassion and joy of life is quite frankly found lacking in most of your American metropolises. New Orleans is a city unlike any other, one filled with history (both good and bad) and resiliency. Unlike many other cities New Orleans does not pretend to NOT have problems, but despite whatever problems there are, you still get by.
So when you want to paint my state and the city I love as racist and full of hate, I have to ask you exactly who are you to judge a place and people by your very comments I am sure you have never truly met. And even if you say you’ve been there, I’m not sure you “get” New Orleans or Louisiana for that matter.
That’s OK too. We don’t fit in nice easy boxes that you can put on a shelf and label. Apparently you’re not comfortable with that because it seems you’re more fixated on what someone looks like rather than how they behave, which is something I believe is a far better indicator of the measure of a person.
It is easy to sit by and pass judgment on actions that happened in the past rather than opening your eyes and seeing what’s really happening, which is a shame really because for someone who champions open-mindedness your mind sure seems to be closed here.
Adieu.
A bet Neil Aquino thinks that a ” racist” is anyone that is winning an arguement against him.
This is what hate about blogging, any ill informed jughead can write their thoughts down , slap a liberal title to it and a lot of people will thnk they are real journalists.
I actually feel sorry for Neil Aquino. No girl probably talked to him growing up, no one wanted to play with him. So he is taking his frustration out on Louisiana. It is sad really.
A few points:
I agree with the principle behind your observation. I’ve made the same argument before about those stupid NFL inflatable people ( http://tinyurl.com/yec3pl6 ). it is ridiculous that in a league that is mostly black, all you can get are white inflatable players. this doesn’t hold true for the saints mascot because he is based on a historic icon who was caucasian in the 60s. to change his race now would be auspicious and just weird. but those inflatables are racist.
also, you’re criticizing the city’s team’s mascot — this is the new orleans saints, not the louisiana saints — so why refer to voting records of the entire state to illustrate racial division. look at how new orleans voted in the past presidential election. you’ll find it paints a picture of a city that’s much more racially united than the state. which is expected, as new orleans is culturally divided from the rest of the state and the south in general. and it’s much more liberal. i think the city voted more than 80 percent democrat in the last 4 or 5 presidential elections. so don’t cherry pick irrelevant stats, dude. it debases your argument, which has merits. try to paint a fair picture. thanks.
Last comment from me here. Quoting myself:
——————————————-
Apparently you’re not comfortable with that because it seems you’re more fixated on what someone looks like rather than how they behave, which is something I believe is a far better indicator of the measure of a person.
——————————————-
… and by your behavior of failing to give voice to your comments lets me know exactly what kind of a person you are. You pretend to have an open exchange of ideas and information, but when one disagrees with you on your public forum, you censor their voice.
As a liberal I thought you were the champion of free speech and diversity of opinion, but it seems that you’d rather duck out the back door rather than have your opinions and claims challenged.
Your actions speak volumes about your character. I’m done with you now, but just expect that when you open your mouth to display your ignorance to the world you may have to deal with the consequences of your comments. Or you can choose to be a coward and hide behind an approval button. Don’t worry though, I’ll post these comments elsewhere where people can know exactly how you conduct yourself when it comes time to answer for comments you have made.
Why do Liberals bring up race all the time? Is that the only thing they know? They seem to think if they play the race card it gets them ahead in life.
And if we start doing this with their mascot can you write about changing the color of the Steelers mascot. I mean it is wrong to have him yellow when there aren’t any yellow people in the nfl or world.
All i read in this topic was “WAAAAAAAA, the mascot is white. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA, he should be black cause most nfl players are black. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAA N.O. is mostly black. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA”
Come now, people! This liberal, like most liberals, bathe daily in bathtubs full of negativity. He/she is simply a rabble rouser with far too much time on his/her hands. Where we err is by wasting two minutes of our day to respond to such foolishness. Don’t feed the liberals- they will devour each other.
I HATE NIGGERS AND YOU SHOULD TOO, NEIL!!!!
THEY ARE SUBHUMAN, UNINTELLIGENT, UNATTRACTIVE APES!!!
AND YOU’RE NOT MUCH BETTER, YOU FUCKING SPIC!!!!!!
SIEG HEIL!!!!
Neil, your article is simply horrendous. He is a knight…why would he be a black knight? To be fair, your article is on par with your lack of intellectual fortitude. There is nothing for Louisiana to get defensive about. Yes we have a racist past. Our grandparents should have been stronger. But it doesn’t change the fact that you are a bad writer, writing a bad subject, and you made bad points. It was pathetic. But whatever gets you attention, right?
Ok, so let’s say we change the mascot to a black man. People like to laugh at mascots because they do dumb stuff. Now you will have people laughing at a black mascot. Which by your way of thinking would mean that people would be laughing at black people and think that black people do dumb stuff. Now that is just racist that you want millions of people to point and laugh at black people.
Per the quote at the top about not addressing racial problems. I believe it has been addressed many, many times and could use more. However, I think non-whites need to look at themselves as well. For instance, how many people are up in arms about modern day slavery in Sudan? Black people are enslaving black people there. In our past, it was easy to use race as the reason to enslave someone, today it’s simply someone being a Christian in a Muslim dominated country. I have not heard one word about this from Louis Farrakan (I probably misspelled his name-sorry, but he did visit Sudan while this was happening), Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton. These men and complainers here in America need to raise voices against this modern day tragedy. It sickens me to hear their silence. So far I know of only one white man over there who is buying these people in order to free them and return them to their families. Many of them are children and they suffer unimaginable things. Have Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton provided money to buy their freedom or gone over to talk to Sudanese government officials? No. Why isn’t our current president using the bully pulpit to pressure the Sudanese government to bring a stop to this? For that matter, what have you done to end this sick practice? I hate slavery but can’t do anything about our past. No one that I know has owned a slave or has been one. We need to move on and confront real problems, such as real people suffering right now in slavery. I think the world would be better served to hear you cry out about that than a silly mascot. Remember, if you try hard enough, you can find (fabricate) a problem where there isn’t one. Shame on us if we are blind to real suffering while making a crisis out of something trivial. The question now becomes, are you willing to use your voice to combat actual suffering under cruelty or is that such a hard thing that you’d prefer to take the easy way and continue fighting imagined slights where there probably was no intent to offend?
Wait a second, Sir Saint is white? I don’t see people or mascots in that way. Mighty odd that the first thing you notice is the color of someone’s skin or felt.
i feel like i’ve just wasted about 15 minutes of my life reading all of these comments. the people who say louisiana is a racist state need to do some history research of their own states. after you complete this task, i want you to correct me if i’m wrong on my next comment: ALL states have race issues, not just louisiana.
Sure all states have racial issues. I never suggested they did not.
Some races are superior to others, Neil. Sorry to burst your Disneyland, fairy-tale bubble. For example, whites and Asians are on average MUCH more intelligent than blacks and hispanics. In addition they are far, far less likely to commit violent crimes than the latter groups. Basically, whites and Asians build successful, civilized societies and blacks and hispanics bring them down.
wow thomas did you learn that at klancamp?
I think the mascot should be black, and all cheer leaders
should be black, the players should only knock-up/ date
black girls, ya’ll should live in black areas, my (dad) was
black, I’ve never met him, he has never sent money, he never
tried to help raise me, he *#*# my mother, then was gone, I hope he’s dead or in prison
sincerely; half white, half shit
because your a neg
the majority of the people that pay to watch the NFL are white.
SirSaint was they very first mascot the saints had under the first owner John Mecom way before Benson. It will stay white because that was the way it was back then. it was brought back a few years ago.
I dont think racial prejudice was in order when they made sir saint white. While the New Orleans Saints surely have their roots in the African-American Jazz and Creole culture of the Big Easy, that echoes the tabasco strong, passionate soul that Louis Armstrong shouted through a red hot trumpet, their roots also come from the French colonists that were expelled to Louisiana by the British after the seven years war, and were known as Acadians or “Cajuns” and they were all Catholic and have preserved their culture and Catholic faith until this day. Sir Saint is an allusion to Sainthood of the church in this French Catholic aspect of New Orleans, and as a Frenchman he would be european. However these traditions have mixed with those of other cultures just as races have in Louisiana. Louisiana culture and traditions are a mixture of French, German, Spanish, African, Native American, Hispanic, Italian, and Greek, and their cuisine proves this. Gumbo is an African word, as is Voodoo, a mixture of African paganism and Catholicism. Louisiana easily has one of the most ethnically welcoming cultures in the country. Plus, the sight of Drew Brees passing the Darren Sproles or Marques Colston, let alone the existence of Jimmy Graham, should be enough that New Orleans doesnt need to prove its bi-racial brotherhood and teamwork. As far as the gay marriage thing? Hell no, not while im around. As long as New Orleans is a Catholic enclave, it wont happen. The sacreligious and blasphemous gay mardi gras that proceeds regular mardi gras is enough. It is bastardization of a Catholic day of Holy obligación that is meant to not only honor the baptism of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, but to prepare for a 40 day period of fasting and prayer before Easter, called Lent. So there.
how about we just leave it how it is, this is bs!! Why are teams mascots that are panthers black? Because Panthers are black! Why can’t we make a white one too, it can be albino, this is equivalent to what you are asking and its stupidity! Dont be butthurt because a mascot is white, there are white people in the world, they really exist! How about we make him Asian, deal? Who gives a rat’s ___ what color he is, wanting to change that to satisfy your craving for everything to be one race to show dominance over another race is racism you racist retards!!