Over the past two weeks, Marquette has been abuzz over the issue of our sports mascot. Should we return to the Warrior or stick with the Golden Eagle? Some people are rabidly pro-Warrior, some cry foul due to "political correctness."

According to Taryn Sauer's Sept. 28 article entitled "Alums, students, faculty split over Warrior revival," advocates of political correctness like Ray DePerry of the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council won't be happy even with a generic warrior. The article also highlighted the views of alumni who don't feel the Warrior — even a Native American Warrior — is offensive. Marquette is trying to respect the views of both sides, but neither side is pleased. They don't appear ready to compromise, either.

I'm not going to judge who is right or wrong. I'm going to suggest action. Marquette should simply make a decision already. The longer the debate is prolonged, the worse Marquette is going to look and the more likely that no one will be satisfied with the result. To illustrate this, I would like to tell a little parable. I apologize if you've heard it before, but it has a point …

An old man and his grandson were making a journey with only one donkey. The old man was riding the donkey and the boy was walking. A person scolded the old man for making his grandson walk. So the travelers traded places. Soon they encountered another person who couldn't believe the boy was riding while the elderly man was forced to walk. So the travelers decided they would both walk, hoping to prevent further criticism.

Then another person said the travelers must not be very smart. After all, they're both walking when they have a perfectly good donkey to ride. So now both the old man and his grandson got on the donkey. However, another person criticized the travelers for putting too much strain on the donkey. By now the donkey was tired, so the travelers decided to carry the donkey the rest of the way.

The travelers soon came to a bridge over a river. While crossing the bridge they stumbled, dropped the donkey in the river and it drowned. The moral of the story is if you try to make everybody happy, you will lose your ass.

Marquette should keep this in mind while considering the mascot question. Trying to find a compromise is fine and dandy, but neither side seems prepared to give any ground.

The longer Marquette draws out this debate — and the longer Marquette is viewed as pandering (unsuccessfully) to both sides — the worse off Marquette is going to be. There comes a time when you have to pick a side and stick with it. There will always be those who disagree, but you cannot let a few malcontents — on either side — force you to vacillate. It makes you look weak and it ends up making everyone unhappy.

Marquette, do not lose your ass.

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