9/21 Mercury Update:
Word on the Street: What do you think about the controversy surrounding K-State's "EMAW" phrase?
Jan Wissman: "It was "EMAW" when I was here as an undergrad in the '60s. Except we said 'Every Man a Wildcat,' not EMAW.' I just don't think of it as being gender related. I'm very much for equality and equal rights, but I just don't thnk of it as being gender related."
Well said Jan.
Then there was this gem in the Letters to the Editor section:
To the Editor:
We seem to have once again created a tempest in a cracked pot, and over what? EMAW versus EPAW--you have got to be kidding me! And why in the name of nothing that is holy would The Mercury put it on the front page as if it is important news?
Let me make a few points. First of all, I started going to Kansas State in 1965. I do not remember any concerted effort to use EMAW. We did say "every man a Wildcat," but there wasn't any EMAW on shirts or bumper stickers or chalked on sidewalks or on the sides of buses or on the front page of The Mercury. Everybody knew it was a man's sport played by men, which is why we said "every man...."
This brings me to my second point. Something was said that alluded to political correctness. The dictionary says a person is a human being whether man, woman or child. Which means technically EPAW is EMWCAW, which you can't even pronounce! It is a man's sport, hence EMAW....get it right. Women get to help with the food for tailgating (which is why tailgating was invented), unless there is fire involved!
Lastly, we don't need any fun graphics with a wildcat paw to be associated with EPAW, so don't go there, no matter how cool that might be. I hope this settles this nonsense once and for all. Now... let us kick some Hurricane backside!
Richard Baker
3052 Conrow