Flags line the streets, individuals adorn themselves in American paraphernalia, and people openly discuss their beliefs without fear of ridicule. This is Hillsdale College.
The United States is supposed to be this way, but according to the president, a significant number of citizens are “a threat to this country.”
While Biden blabbers on about the division in this country, Hillsdale College steps up as a haven for medical liberties, a beacon of freedom of thought and speech, and a protector for the many great asylum-seeking Californians.
Because of this, Hillsdale College needs to change to a more fitting mascot that emphasizes the school’s commitment to excellence, courage, and liberty.
An obvious contender for the coveted gig is the bald eagle.
The beloved bird became an American staple early on in the newly-formed United States.
According to a History Channel article by Elizabeth Nix, “The Continental Congress gave Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams the job of designing a national emblem for the new nation. However, the three Founding Fathers failed to come up with a design that won Congress’ approval, as did two later committees that were given the task.”
The designs then went to Secretary of Congress Charles Thomson. Thomson fused ideas to create the U.S. emblem. One of the designs by William Barton, a lawyer who submitted his work to the third committee, included a white eagle, which Thomson reasonably changed to the American bald eagle.
Since then, the bird has been a figurehead for American values.
Parading an eagle as a prominent symbol is not uniquely American.
Ancient Rome also celebrated the eagle as “a symbol of imperial power, and therefore represented courage, strength and immortality,” according to the United Kingdom-based Reading Museum.
As funny as it may sound, Hillsdale is already in better shape than the United States. The United States had nothing to go off of when creating their image. The way for the Hillsdale eagle transition has already been paved by one of the glowing figures that adorns the campus.
One of the most memorable parts of campus is the massive statue of the eagle that serves as a reminder of the freedom and liberty that Hillsdale College advocates.
The figurehead of Hillsdale, our beloved mascot, should resemble these values.
The current mascot, Charlie the Charger, is not a failure of a mascot.
Charlie has a fascinating origin story, as reported by the Collegian in 2017.
The college held a competition where students could write the story of Charlie the Charger in 2017. Freshman Cal McNellie took home the gold.
McNellie brilliantly told a story of how Charlie ended up at Hillsdale in hopes of pursuing what is both good and beautiful.
While this is a heartwarming story and invites all of Charger nation to rally around the horse on game days, the eagle’s history goes even further back and connects perfectly to the freedom, strength and courage that Hillsdale College adheres to.
The eagle already has a home here, so why not make it official by swapping out the mascot?
Changing the face of the college will be no easy feat. What would it be if it were easy? This is Hillsdale College, where strength rejoices in the challenge.
