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Rev. John A. Buehrens, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, declared the position of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations in its opposition to Chief Illiniwek, the sports mascot of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Rev. Buehrens wrote, "... add us to your list of organizations that oppose the racist practice of giving sports teams or mascots names such as 'Chief Illiniwek'. Such practices, implying a basic disrespect for Native Americans, are especially inappropriate for a public university."

The Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations joins with the American Jewish Committee Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America-Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (represents 280 national and international religious institutions) Jewish Council for Public Affairs (a national organization representing 122 local and 13 national groups) Marist Society, National Conference of Christians and Jews, Racial Justice Working Group of the National Council of Churches, Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi, Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, United Church of Christ, United Methodist Church, and the United States Presbyterian Church in urging the University Of Illinois Administration and Board of Trustees to: Retire Chief Illiwek and discontinue licensing Native American symbols as representations of the University.