The war on so-called “offensive” college monikers continues, and the latest example comes from Brooklyn.

The New York Post reports:

Long Island University’s athletic programs merger between its Brooklyn and Post campuses is creating unrest.

Alums of LIU Brooklyn are upset that as part of the two programs being melded together — Post is Division II and Brooklyn Division I — the Blackbirds nickname is going to be dropped beginning next fall. The three new nicknames being suggested after polling students and alumni, according to an email obtained by The Post, are the Sharks, Eagles and Falcons. The Blackbirds nickname dates back to 1935.

[…]

On March 25, a group of 12 former LIU Brooklyn athletes and alumni met with the school’s president, Kimberly Cline, to address their concerns after repeated attempts to speak to the administration. But Cline told them they were getting rid of Blackbirds for a few reasons, according to a source who attended the meeting.

They didn’t want to diminish Post in the merger. Cline also said the school has heard that the Blackbird is an offensive racist mascot. The group also asked Cline why not include Blackbirds and Pioneers as part of the ballot, but she said a marketing firm the school has consulted suggested to wipe the slate clean.

This is just … crazy. I have never in my life heard anyone, not even militant social justice warriors, say that the name “blackbird” is racist. I mean think about it: The bird is black.

That is why it’s called a “blackbird.”

Oh well. The blackbird may be on its way out at LIU-Brooklyn but we can still enjoy this cute video made a few months ago of the mascot high-fiving and posing for pictures with students of all colors on campus:

He can even make a basketball shot from half court!

RIP, Blackbird.

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—Based in North Carolina, Sister Toldjah is a former liberal and a 15+ year veteran of blogging with an emphasis on media bias, social issues, and the culture wars. Read her Red State archives here. Connect with her on Twitter.–