Mascots Perpetuate Racism In Schools

Junípero Serra has been decapitated, defaced, and became a saint all within a month’s time. He is surrounded by controversy. Many celebrated for he was the first Latino to become canonized. Rubén Mendoza of California State University of Monterey Bay explains, “Father Serra was not only a man of his time, he was a man ahead of his time in his advocacy for native people on the frontier.” However, Valentin Lopez who is the chair of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band explains that “Serra’s and the Church’s failure to learn form the teaching of Christ or from the life of St. Francis resulted in the complete extinction of many, many California tribes and great devastation for many others.”

Is using Native Americans as mascots for sports teams offensive? It does not matter if it is a high school or a college, sometimes even the NFL. Examples of sports teams that use Native Americans images are Washington Redskins, Florida State Seminoles, and a high school Cherokee Braves. It is not offending and there should not be any problem because it is not making fun of anybody. Using Native American images and names in professional, collegiate, and high schools sport teams does not reinforce and perpetuate stereotypes because it symbolizes their culture, shows that they are ready to play, and appreciates their coexistence.

Mascots and team names are stereotypical or offensive. These are all teams that have stereotypes. If a team name, mascot, or insignia is offensive, then just change it; it is just a sports team. Even if a team changes it, it is not like every jock, or sports fan is not going to know theyour new name, mascot, or insignia. Using Native American images and names in professional, collegiate, and high school sports teams do reinforce and perpetuate stereotypes because the mascots and team names give stereotypical features.

Many claims toward this idea of "racism" are due to NFL and college team names such as the Washington Redskins, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Florida State Seminoles are just a few. However, the underlying truth is that teams with names like these are meant to honor and represent the pride and strength these tribes have had throughout their history. "We Seminoles embrace the mascot... they honor us", says James Billie, the tribes chairman. When he claims this statement, he is referring to their mascots having more than the appearance of calling out a specific race but to recognize the ones who deserve the merit (source C).

Native American themed mascots such as Braves and Warriors should not be used due to the misrepresentation they give of Indians. There are many sports teams and schools that use Native American themed mascots. The use of these Native American mascots have created a lot of controversy among people. One side of the argument centers around the idea that Native American mascots are misrepresented and stereotypical. The other side talks about how Native American themed mascots are used to honor Native Americans. Native American mascots though are a misrepresentation of the Native American people. As stated in the article “Native American-Themed Sports Mascots are Racist and Reinforce Negative Stereotypes” former APA President Ronald F. Levant states that “These mascots are teaching stereotypical, misleading, and too often, insulting images of American Indians.” Teams such as the Washington Redskins, Cleveland Indians, and different schools across are depicting the

Over the past few years, the controversy over sports names or mascots has increasingly become an uproar. The main sports teams being targeted due to controversial mascots are programs having names that deal with Native Americans. Well known programs, such as, the Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, and the Washington Redskins are just a few of the many teams being targeted due to controversial team names and/or mascots. Currently, the Redskins are receiving the most heat from racial groups. However, professional sport teams are not the only teams receiving negative remarks; there are well known colleges that are also receiving huge blows for racial symbols. For example, one college in particular is the University of Mississippi which has been

Indian Boarding schools were created in the 1800s to “Kill the Indian, Save the Man.” They achieved this by transforming the natives looks, culture, language, and teaching them a certain way so they would be able to function in a “european society”. Indian boarding schools taught students both academic and “real world” skills, but they did so while ripping the indians from their culture.

There are many factors that effect Native Americans such as treaty rights, health, education, and economic issues, a number of studies done by various government agencies, including the Department of Justice, have shown extremely troubling rates of violent crime inflicted on American Indian peoples, most by non-Natives, as well as a suicide incidence among American Indian children and young adults that is several times that of other ethnic groups or the general population. However, Native Americans representation through mascots and logos is an issue that effects the Native people in a more personal way. Native Americans sport team logos, mascots and nicknames are representing Native Americans in a disrespectful way which is effecting the way we perceive

Who is the single greatest writer of American literature? Furthermore, what text upholds said writer as the greatest? Most people would argue that perhaps Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, or even William Faulkner are top candidates for the title of the greatest writer in American literature. However, how many people would nominate a woman? How many people would nominate an indigenous woman? Not many people would argue that Zikala-Sa’s “The Soft-Hearted Sioux” qualifies her as the single greatest writer of American literature.

The Washington D.C football team has started a controversy with many people that are from the American Indian background. The “indian” sports mascot, logos, or symbols show an image of the Native American people that is not true.

Reynolds constructs an interesting correlation of government intervention regarding culture in this matter to the same government intervention that Native Americans had to deal with for much of their history in the United States (659). In this particular portion of her article, she makes the argument that this is the exact same issue that Native Americans have fought against for so long, the government’s right to act and regulate issues of culture (659). Reynolds states, “More government is not the answer to a community concern” (659). Her argument clarifies that this a local issue and thus should be decided locally and not handled by the federal or state governments (659). She is worried that a negative message may be sent to students if schools do change their mascots. Reynolds believes this will relay a message to children to avoid discussing cultural differences of Native Americans because of fear of offending them (659). She believes this is completely detrimental to the understanding and acceptance of cultural differences and acceptance of our differences in society. Reynolds argues that if the mascots are kept, it will invoke more discussion among children and therefore they will have a better understanding of cultural

Have you ever been offended by a name that someone has called you? More likely than not, the answer to this question is yes. This is the stand that some Indian tribes and the government are taking on the use of Indian names and mascots in sports. This controversial topic has been discussed and argued over for at least the last decade, if not longer. People are starting to wonder if using these kinds of names are appropriate or offensive to the tribe the team is named after. The debate raises this question: should Indian names and mascots be allowed in sports?

In the 1960’s the Mexican American population in cities like los angeles was big. As

“A Sports Illustrated poll conducted a few years back is often cited: It indicated that most Indians are not offended when teams adopt native nicknames,”(Doc 2). Not only that but also, Reyn Leno, a local native in the state of Oregon says, “Our people are proud to be known as Indians, Braves, Warriors and Chiefs,” (Doc 5). This seems to contradict the argument that, “The use of stereotypical images of Native Americans by educational institutions has the potential to create a racially hostile educational environment that may be intimidating to Indian students,” (Doc 7). It states the Native American students are having a hard time in school, but a Native American himself says that they are proud to have these

The film Smoke Signals describes a journey that two Coeur d’ Alene Indians, Victor and Thomas, were going to Phoenix to take the remains of Victor’s father. During journey, Victor’s attitude toward his father was changing from complaint to finally forgiveness.