Who could forget the crying Indian that was first broadcast to our television screens in 1971? As he stared on at the pollution of our environment by cars, boats, and a man tossing food out of his window, the Indian couldn't help but shed a tear. It was sad, really, for him to see the great outdoors that his people cherished being carelessly destroyed.

Fast forward 36 years to February 21, 2007. As I sat watching another form of senseless pollution, I, too, shed a tear.

The pollution I speak of was not the carbon dioxide pouring out of exhaust pipes. It wasn't raw sewage overflowing from broken sewer lines at a rate that rivals Niagara Falls. No, it wasn't pollution to our physical environment at all, but rather a pollution to our society.

That pollution is political correctness.

For decades, the University of Illinois has been battling with activists over the use of Chief Illiniwek. The activists say that the Chief is an offensive use of Native-American imagery, and needs to be done away with.

Those on the other side of the debate, including countless thousands of alumni and fans that have seen the Chief perform since 1926, argue that he is a symbol of pride and honor. His half-time performances at basketball and football games have long been a part of the experience of attending home games. Chief Illiniwek is to the university what Harry Caray is the the Chicago Cubs.

In 2005, the NCAA sided with those in favor of retiring the Chief, issuing sanctions against 18 schools that had "hostile and abusive American Indian nicknames.” The sanctions prevented the schools from hosting any post-season athletic events until they capitulated to the NCAA's requests.

The Board of Trustees at Illinois debated the matter for two years. Earlier this month, they officially announced that the Chief's last performance would take place during half-time on February 21. In other words, they capitulated.

Which brings me back to political correctness. The PC culture we're living in has created a new right; the constitutional right to never, ever be offended. You know, the one that doesn't exist.

You see, the thought police at the NCAA deemed Chief Illiniwek offensive to Native Americans, and therefore a violation of that non-existent constitutional right. Naturally, they decided to punish those thousands of racist, bigoted Illini fans that support the Chief. Until the University of Illinois gave up Chief Illiniwek, they couldn't host post-season games. That'll show 'em.

Actually, it did. The university caved in and retired Chief Illiniwek. They retired the symbol that predates the use of official mascots at most universities. They retired a legend, and further empowered the thought police in our society.

Perhaps the scariest aspect of political correctness is that it has begun to trump the First Amendment. Speech codes on college campuses across the country ban language that may be offensive to some students. Department store employees are told to say “Happy holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas” so as not to offend the non-Christian customers.

It has been said that someone who has never been offended does not live in a truly free society. As we see political correctness overtake tradition, as it has at the University of Illinois, we have to ask ourselves: Are we willing to give up our freedoms of speech and expression for the comfort of a small minority?

There is some good news out of the whole ordeal. The university can still refer to its sports teams as the Fighting Illini. 'Fighting' refers to their competitive spirit, and 'Illini' is a shortened form of Illinois.

Dan Maloney, the student that portrays Chief Illiniwek, said after the final performance, “If this is the last time -- and I stress if -- I couldn't think of a better way for it to end.” Let us not allow this be the last time. Let us not allow 'Fighting' just refer to the Illini, but to those of us dedicated to defending the First Amendment. And let us not stand by as political correctness pollutes our free society.