The following is the transcript of a Foellinger balcony narrative from April 14, 2000. It is an unedited excerpt from the original Chief dialogue document.

I was born in Cook County Hospital in Chicago, was raised here, educated here and other places, worked for an American Indian organization here in Chicago before I went to Washington. I worked a lot on the Chief Illiniwek issue and I feel very strongly about it.

I believe that to make human beings mascots, whether they are American Indians, whether they are black or they are Hispanic, whether they are Asian, whether they are women, whether they are children is wrong, fundamentally spiritually misguided.

I also realize that the University of Illinois makes a lot of money off of Chief Illiniwek. And from my past experiences, that is a driving force in the move to keep this symbol as a symbol for the sports team for the University. I also understand that the University of Illinois feels very strongly about change and how important it is to keep what they have.

Unfortunately, what they have is something that is very painful to American Indian people. What they have is something that has been giving them very bad publicity in all the other top ten universities that they play with in sports. I understand that the University of Illinois has been reprimanded by other universities. Has been boycotted and will probably be continued to be boycotted.

This is not good for the students or the programs of the University of Illinois. The University of Illinois and the students who come here need to come to a place that is racism free. It can learn about life and learn their academics and learn what is good and true and real. And the University of Illinois should be an institution that can teach them those things.

By retaining Chief Illiniwek the message that you send is that you are indifferent to the hearts and minds of not only American Indian people, but all of the young people who have come out today to say no, this is not something they want in their life. What you are saying by retaining the Chief is that you don't care.

And when you don't care, you will not attract the kind of quality of student that you need, that will maintain the academic excellence of the University of Illinois. And when you don't maintain the excellence of the University of Illinois, your endowment shrinks, your student enrollments shrink and you will start to feel the financial pinch. That is what is in store for the University of Illinois if it resists the change that has been brought upon them.

So I urge you to look at the economics of this issue. I urge you to look at the ethics of this issue. And I urge you to look in your heart and think how would you feel if someone disrespected your family, your religious beliefs, your history and your culture. Thank you very much.

See the U.I. Dialogue on Chief Illiniwek page for more transcripts and information.