#1 The biggest argument that people make for the teams keeping mascots and their names is that a small percent of Native Americans are really “offended” by them. The percent of Native Americans that are offended shouldn’t be ignored just because they are a small percent On top of that, the statistics involved are complicated and hard to verify. #2 Teams seem to “target” Native Americans: Use their image and names with less worry about retaliation because they are a minority and would be less likely to retaliate than another group, in the case of their culture being attacked #3 The image of another culture (which is more prominent and larger in our society) wouldn’t be used as a mascot or team name because it would offend a larger group
In Using Indian Names for Sports Teams Harm Native Americans, Ward Churchill discusses why using names like the Washington “Redskins,” Colorado “Savages,” or Kansas City “Chiefs,” are a racist practice and should be put to stop. The team’s mascots also use feathers, beads, spears, and “war paint” in an attempt to look like stereotypical Native Americans. Churchill says many American Indians have been against he uses of native names, gestures, and symbols. Churchill recognizes the rough historical relationship between natives and the non-natives. Certainly, colonization detrimentally effected many Natives, and the American Government historically has moved Natives out of their own land.
The NCAA, National Collegiate Athletic Association, declared 10 years ago that using native imagery to promote sports teams is hostile and offensive and put 18 schools on a notice that a change would be required to participate in the NCAA. The Washington Redskins also face several protests, political stress, and legal involvement over their logo but the Chicago Blackhawks are unbothered. There is no doubt that the Chicago Blackhawks logo is one of the most recognizable logos in America. It is unfair that other organizations have had to change their logos or are under the process of changing their logos and the Blackhawks have not. However, some people need to realize how costly it would be to change the logo.
When people talk about mascots being named after Indian cultures they think that the Indians being recognized should feel honored. However, when that team plays their rival the other fans are taught to hate those people causing them to hear hateful and degrading comments throughout their lives. “If it’s the team’s tradition, then it’s a legacy of bigotry.” (Wulf). People don’t show respect for Native Americans they use them to create a profit.
The Fighting Sioux Name Change The University of North Dakota, found themselves in a battle against the Standing Rock and Spirit Tribes a few years back. The Standing Rock and Spirit Tribes found the term “Fighting Sioux” and the Indian head logo disrespectful and, in fact; racist toward their heritage. After Brittany Bergstrom, the author of The Fighting Sioux: The End of a Legacy? spoke with some of the students from University of North Dakota she starts to notice that changing the name is just as offensive to them as the name itself is to the Standing Rock and Spirit Tribes. “When the ‘Fighting Sioux’ lawsuit came about, I had really never thought one way or the other about the name… I became very defensive over the name.
The author uses a personal anecdote to begin his argument: he “bought the Cleveland cap with the famous Chief Wahoo Logo on it” (520), which betrayed his Creek mother’s faith; as a result, his mother jerked the cap off his head and “threw it in the trash” (520), which left an indelible impression on him. Shakely’s personal experience is efficient to draw a vivid picture about “Indian Mascot” abuse for audiences. Based on his experience, he believes that possessing dignity and respect is the right to everybody, and it doesn’t apply to majority rules. Therefore, Shakely claims that college and professional teams should abandon Native American names and mascots because it is racial
These mascots are disrespectful to the natives and pressure people to create stereotypes for the cultures. However, people think that the mascots are a way to honor the indigenous people and other cultures. We shouldn’t use mascots to honor the different cultures instead we should honor them in a way that’s not mocking them. Works Cited Ipatenco, Sara. “Pros and Cons of Indian Mascots.”
Not only is what they 're doing offensive it’s also disrespecting to the history of Native Americans. They have been suppressed for years and now with the Washington Football team name it causes the Native American people to be upset EVIDENCE: Racism and racial discrimination are attitudes and behavior that are learned and threaten human development. Which means that people should be taking proactive steps to prevent intolerant or racist acts. Indian mascots, symbols, images, and personalities establish an unwelcome hostile learning environment for American Indian Students.
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. These stereotypes are mainly coming from mascots.
“Schools use these as ways to honor them for being brave and to look at them as a leader,” (“Native American mascot controversy”). This is a good idea, but students don’t think any students think this is the reason for the name. If the school really had this idea in mind they would do more to dignify it. But from what I’ve experienced it is that schools don’t really honor other teams' mascots. They have posters and chants going against the opponents mascot in a disrespectful way.
Another argument against using Native American mascots is that banning them is an important step toward creating a more inclusive and respectful society and environment in schools and sports. The use of Native American mascots can create a hostile environment for Native American students, families, and fans, who may feel belittled and disrespected. By banning these mascots, schools, and sports teams are taking an extreme step toward making a more welcoming and inclusive environment for all students, families, and
The Indian mascot was originally designed to render tribute to Native Americans, not as a racial symbol. In the past forty years, changing the name backfired, and citizens began taking offense to the name because they felt like the name represented the color of Native American’s skin. Nevertheless, many fans, including Native Americans, do not consider the name or the mascot to be degrading or racial. Fans of the Washington Redskins participated in a poll that reveals, “77 percent reject changing the name” while in another poll “71 percent of NFL fans did not find the Redskins name offensive” (Lingebach 2). Clearly, from the results of the two polls, many fans would be unhappy if the Redskins’ name were to be changed.
There are many sports team names and mascots whose names reference Native Americans; this has become a public controversy due to the sports team names being interpreted as a racially offensive pursue. Most people do not take into consideration that these teams have an important meaning behind them, and how they contribute to the insightful history of Native Americans themselves. It would be a catastrophe having to lose all the history. 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.
I noticed the tremendous amount of discussion being faced about the controversy of the Cleveland Indians mascot, Chief Wahoo. Is this entire thing a racial slur or just a way to honor our Native Americans? Even though some might think that it is an honor to the Native Americans that Chief Wahoo is the mascot, but there is a whole other side of the argument. I believe the Cleveland Indians should ban their mascot.
We have since adopted the phrase “Native American,” as a more appropriate (and yet still all encompassing) term. However, another antiquated expression has recently gathered a lot of media attention. The National League Football team for the Washington D.C. Metropolitan area plays under the name “The Washington Redskins.”
Couple teams that carry names that are very offensive to the natives are the Atlanta Braves, Chicago Blackhawks, Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Chiefs, and arguably the most popular of them all, the Washington Redskins. These teams carrying such names bring offense to all the native