Holy Cross on Verge of Dumping ‘Crusader’ Mascot Over Political Correctness

WORCESTER — First, it was the college’s newspaper — The Crusader — that appeared to be triggering campus progressives, as it happened to coincidentally feature the same name as the chief publication produced by the Ku Klux Klan.

Yet a proposal to change the name of the College of the Holy Cross’s newspaper may not be enough, as the Jesuit institution also boasts the same name for its school mascot.

On Sunday the deadline fell for submitting feedback regarding the “Crusader” moniker, and college administrators are now implying that a change in the name is inevitable. The reasoning, however, has nothing to do with an odd coincidence with the KKK — rather, the name is under fire over its ties to the Crusades, a series of religious wars that date back to medieval times and involved campaigns in and around the Eastern Mediterranean to overthrow Islamic control of the region.

“Unlike many mascots, the Crusader has a direct link to our religious identity,” a statement appearing on the school’s website points out. “At the same time, we acknowledge our responsibility to thoughtfully examine the sensitivities and implications this name may bear in light of the Crusades.”

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