The word redskin originates as far back as 1769 when a British lieutenant colonel was translating a letter from an Indian Chief referring to his people as “redskins” (Shapira). This word in the modern era has created a linguistic debate to whether it’s a derogatory slur or an honorary name for the justification of a football team. Indian people feel that the Washington Redskins name is offensive and outdated depiction of Native Americans. This paper will cover the current efforts taken by Native Americans to abolish the name and their opinions of why the team name needs to be changed. One of the biggest problems Native Americans have with sports teams using names, logos, or anything with Indian affiliation is the negative connotations associated …show more content…
They have made efforts to change the logo, name, and the cheerleading squad name. In the past, Native Americans have had a hard time making positive progress with changes within the organization due to the organization receiving patents for these symbols in the early sixties and seventies. Despite this years later, September 10, 1992 Suzan Harjo and six Americans filed a petition with the Patent and Trademark Office asking for the revocation of the team’s six federal trademark registrations. After thirteen years of waiting for ruling on the Harjo case the Supreme Court declined to accept the Harjo petition. This was a large blow to the Native American efforts to make a change within the organization. Finally, after many years of waiting on June 18, 2014 over twenty years since the Harjo petition was filed the Trademark and Trial Appeal Board got rid of all Washington Redskins patents. Since then the Redskins organization has appealed the ruling in efforts to keep their teams traditions and no changes within the organization have been made. In recent years, the Native American community has been supported by the media that the Washington Redskins team name and mascot is offensive and needs to be changed. President Obama contributed his opinion on the matter and told press “If I were the owner of the team and I knew that there was a name of my team -even if it …show more content…
The Chicago Blackhawks receive less attention for their name because the team was named after the Sioux leader called Black Hawk. The leader Black Hawk can been used as an argument to support honorary purposes. The Washington Redskins have no argument to defend the teams name because it’s a derogatory slur. Despite the Redskins receiving more scrutiny for their team name than any other organization, many high up individuals in the organization have promised that the name will never be changed. “We’ll never change the name, it’s that simple. Never, you can use all caps” said team owner Daniel Snyder in 2013. On November 2, 2014 the Washington Redskins played the Minnesota Viking in Minneapolis. Police estimated that around 3,200 people were outside the stadium before the game protesting including the Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges. Mayor Hodges participated in chants and spoke to the crowd saying “I have a message to the Washington team. The clock is ticking on your name. It’s more than an insult, it’s hate.” Attendants at the protest traveled from multiple states including Kentucky, Oklahoma, North Dakota, and Indiana. Many other protests continue to occur outside the stadiums where the Washington Redskins
The next day, March 17, the Canadians were scheduled to play the Detroit Red Wings at the Forum in Montreal. The mood of the spectators was fowled even more by the fact that the Wings were a point behind Richard's team in the standings. A crowd of nearly 800 protestors had already gathered around the Forum by game time. Due to these manifestations, extra police forces were called to the scene. Officials pleaded with Campbell, asking him not to appear at the game. He ignored them and quietly made his way to his seat. The fans noticed him and threw peanuts, eggs and programs at him.
Teams in every sport, at every level of competition, have a mascot. It is the mascot that represents the competitive spirit and team identity, motivating players and fans alike. Does the symbol chosen have any impact on whether a team wins or loses? Unlikely. But the choice of a Native American mascot continues to ignite debate and controversy among athletes, fans and alumni, as well as those people who might otherwise be disinterested in sports. Utilizing an Indian mascot is nothing more than a veiled attempt at hate speech.
Team mascots that depict a certain type of group is wrong and should be changed. It is degrading and hurtful to far too many people to keep them from staying the same. Native Americans or any other race or ethnicity should not be stereotyped in a way that degrades them in any way. All teams that have mascots that are named after a certain race or ethnicity should be changed.
Mascots are beloved figure heads for sports teams everywhere almost every sport team has a mascot of some kind; that said, sometimes instead of bring people together it can cause a rift between two cultures. Such as Washington’s D.C.’s football team the “Redskins” often the word redskin was a derogatory word used against the Native Americans and while it may seem as though paying homage to the Native American community the overall stereotyped actions of the fans themselves as well as the sugarcoating of the previously racial slur has done little to bring the two cultures together and instead created a larger disconnect between white and Native American. The name Redskin should be retired and replaced so that rather
In the past few years, the controversy over Native American and other racial sport names or mascots have become an uproar. The main sport teams that are being targeted due to controversial mascots are programs having names dealing with Native Americans. Many teams are well known programs such as the Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, and the Washington Redskins. The Redskins are receiving the most heat from racial groups. According to Erik Brady of USA Today “The volatility surrounding such names has amped up in the year since Daniel Snyder, owner of Washington's NFL club, told USA TODAY Sports that he'd never change his team's name: ‘NEVER — you can use caps.’” (3). However, professional teams are not the only teams receiving negative remarks,
In a generation focused on social justice and the elimination of prejudice from our society, there is still a use of offensive language and terminology in the area of professional sports. In “The Indian Wars” by S. L. Price, Price attempts to make the reader aware of sports teams that use derogatory terms as their team name and their mascot. He does this by highlighting football, and trying to determine whether Native-Americans are offended by team names in sports, or more specifically, the Redskins. Price’s essay is ineffective because although he raises good points, he doesn’t help the reader to form an opinion by adding historical context to the derogatory names used. He also uses inaccurate poll results to make assumptions about the feelings
The debate is divided into two sides. Those opposed to the use of Redskins and all Native American names in sports, and perceive the use of such terms and imagery as racist and derogatory towards Native Americans and those for keeping the name who cite the history of the team, its links to Native American players and coaches who were part of the team when it was create...
Native Americans are trying to take that next step. For the past 100 years Americans have stolen their sacred names and used them for mascots of high school, college, and professional sports teams. The National Education Association is one of the first to step to the plate by passing, Article I-41, which advises use of Prejudicial Terms and Symbols "The National Education Association deplores prejudice based on race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, age, disability, size, marital status, or economic status and rejects the use of names, symbols, caricatures, emblems, logos, and mascots that promote such prejudice. (92,94)" By having these practices they believe the rights of Native Americans are protected. Native American Mascots in sports need to change to protect and uphold the rights that are granted to them from the constitution.
The idea of having a Native American as a mascot seems respectful to the tribe and a way to honor the people who arrived to this country first. Many people find it racist and derogatory to call teams by these names, while
Issue of whether to keep Mascots in schools or not, started in late 1970’s and from then this debate is going on. Most of the schools have Indian Mascots in place for half a century and suddenly it become problem to use Indian Mascots. Over 500 Native American organizations also announced their support for the removal of those mascots and over 1200 schools across the United States have changed the name of their sports teams and some school refused to play with those schools using Indian mascots. But some school still think that using mascots are just paying homage to the Native peoples and it’s just another group claiming to be offended. Sports teams used those mascots to promote their team’s athletic powers, like wolf, lion and eagle etc. How portrait of an Indain wearing hat with feather or headdress can be offensive or racist? One thing which never be done up to now that is to view our history from Native eyes. First of all, learn about their culture and their living style from their new perspective not the one which is given in our history books. From last hundred years we taught our generations that this is our country and we had a very long war with Indians which won. We also tell different kind of stories like burning of Fort Pequot Indians because they had trade relationship with British company. Can stories like this possibly be related to mascot issue? Using mascots are really a problem or just a political incorrectness.
...t a name they use to represent their school or sports team. As Orvetti, (2011) claims “The team isn’t racist, the players aren’t racist, the fans aren’t racist. So why not a change” (Orvetti, 2011)?
Today in America the word Racism is taken to a whole new level. Even in sports, such as the NFL racism prospers. For instance the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Native Americans are trying to say the NFL is being rude for naming a Team Redskins. The Redskins have had that name since 1933 (Staff). The team had the name of Braves before they adopted the name Redskins. It was changed due to racism purposes. Some people would agree that the whole situation with Redskins is ridiculous because The Major League Baseball series has two teams related to Native Americans, The Atlanta Braves and The Cleveland Indians. The NFL also has more than just Redskins. They have the Kansas City Chiefs. So if they are really worried about total racism why isn’t the Chiefs in on this conversation?
Putting Indians on a helmet shows how America “owns” them. “Not only do Indians have to deal with the fallout of being ‘conquered’ people...the shame of being men who descended from those unable to protect our women...the shame of being women who descended from those raped and tortured…” but they also have to deal with being reminded of the events that happened in the past. Constantly being reminded of these events is disrespectful and torture. In the past, the Indians were helpless against the pilgrims and were unable to do anything to protect their people. Since the name of the mascot is broadcasted visually, Redskins just reminds them that they were owned and still remain to be. Just like corporate America copyrighting their inventions, in Dan Snyder’s position in his letter to the Washington Redskins fans, he continues to want to “own” the name Redskins. Snyder’s action of keeping the team name shows his power of “sustain[ing] long term success if this franchise.” American Indians are being disrespected in this manner by being seen as a franchise instead of a group of people. Especially since such a big issue like this is just for a sports game, it is demeaning for American Indian’s
Redskins, Seminoles, Tribe, Indians, what do they all have in common? They are all athletic team names under scrutiny by people who deem them as being racist. For years, people have argued over the fact that these names and/or mascots are being used in a negative way. Some have been changed while others are still being argued over. Teams with these mascots should not be forced to change their names because the majority of Native Americans are not even bothered by these sports names.
The next reason we’ll be looking at are the stereotypical images commonly seen in literature and mascots. Mainstream media such as “Dances with Wolves”, “The Lone Ranger”, and “The Last of The Mohicans” and mascots in professional sports teams like Washington Redskins, Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves, and Chicago Blackhawks all include representations of Native Americans that for some, are offensive. With this in mind, ...