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Arguments for native american mascots
Native american mascots in sports controversy
Native American Mascots: Insult or Honor Essay
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Sports Teams Names Should Not Change 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. One of the teams that have very few if any complaints about their name are the Florida State Seminoles. In 1947, the student of Florida State chose the name of Seminoles for no other reason other than to honor the courageous, …show more content…
For example, The Dartmouth Big Green were once called the Indians; Oklahoma removed Little Red; Marquette Warriors changed to the Golden Eagles; even the prestigious school of Stanford was once called the Indians. However, most schools or sports teams have accommodated by not removing or not showing their mascots, but for these teams to remove the names is taking away the history of the team, and in some ways probably bring positive spotlight to the Native American culture. These teams do not want to choose a name or mascot that a lot of people do not like or look down upon. They choose names that have a rich history, and they can carry on the tradition. This is why some sports teams have no problems with keeping their sports names without any …show more content…
The name redskin is an offensive term used to refer to Native Americans, and it comes from native people being killed with their scalps cut off. These notions offend people in many different ways depending on how you see it. However, the Redskins are not named after the offensive term that many think. The Redskins before they were called the Redskins were the Boston Braves. They then changed their name to the Redskins to honor their coach William “Lone Star” Dietz who was a Sioux Indian and other Native Americans that were on the team. They also wanted to avoid conflict with having the same name as the baseball team. Also, a survey of over 500 Native Americans from the Annenberg Public Policy Center said that 9 out of 10 Native Americans would not be offended if a non Native American team called themselves the Redskins and a surprising 8 out of 10 would not mind if they were called a Redskin. Also, even Mark Rypien said the Redskins name shouldn’t change by stating, “I can see the viewpoints of both sides … it takes away the history of the team.” Mark Rypien is a former Redskins quarterback who is a descendant from Native Americans. These are the type of people they need to start asking because they would have the most knowledge if the team name is disgracing their ancestors and obviously it is
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,
Like manny colleges across the US the University of Lincoln Nebraska has a college football team. The team is called the Nebraska Corn-Huskers, There were manny nicknames for the team before, But this was the one that stuck. The name was originally thought of by Charles Sherman in 1899. The football team is part of the pride of the state, for the sport and toward the university. The 5th African American football player was on the huskers. At that time the university was a mostly white university. During the 1900s the team won 5 national titles. For the past 340 games in memorial stadium every single seat has been taken
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 Native American mascots used range from names like the Indians, Chiefs, and Braves, which are some of the more generic ones, to Seminoles, Fighting Illini, and Chippewas to name some of the tribal based names. The idea of having a Native American as a mascot seems respectful to the tribe and a way to honor the people who first arrived in this country. Many people find it racist and derogatory to call teams by these names, while it actually honors their culture and shows respect. They find it racist or offensive to the tribe itself, even if they have no connection with the tribe at all.
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.
There is considerable controversy that dates back to the 1960’s over sports teams’ names that reference Native American heritage. “The National Congress of American Indiana’s (NCIA) created a campaign in 1968 to eliminate stereotypes found in print and other media.” (ChangeTheMascot.org). The American Indian community has worked for many years to abolish the right to use Native American Names, spiritual and cultural symbols by professional sports teams (Teters) that they feel offensive. The Washington Redskins football team continues to battle a long standing controversy to change their name. Native Americans, politicians, fans of American football, as well as the general public all seem to have opposing viewpoints regarding if this team should be forced to change their name out of respect to those offended.
Many races are unjustly victimized, but Native American cultures are more misunderstood and degraded than any other race. College and high school mascots sometimes depict images of Native Americans and have names loosely based on Native American descent, but these are often not based on actual Native American history, so instead of honoring Native Americans, they are being ridiculed. According to the article Warriors Survive Attack, by Cathy Murillo (2009) some “members of the Carpentaria community defended Native American mascot icons as honoring Chumash tradition and the spirit of American Indian Warriors in U.S. history and others claimed that the images were racist stereotypes” (Murillo, 2009). If people do not attempt to understand and respect Native American culture, then Native American stereotypes will become irreparable, discrimination will remain unresolved, and ethnocentrism will not be reprimanded.
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?
Why should 12-14 year old girls be able to wear their school provided cheerleading uniform to school? You open the closet trying to find something to wear to school, but then you remember that tight, uncomfortable outfit that you have to wear to school that day. Your cheerleading uniform! You want to run away but you already know that you have to wear it or face the consequences (even if that means getting kicked off the team!). Twelve through fourteen-year-old girls should not be able to wear cheer uniforms to school. There are many complaints about the uniforms that girls are forced to wear. Some complain that they are very uncomfortable especially during the cold and windy weather. It’s like they are in prison! Students have clothes that express them in detail, color, or even style. People should never be separated from what they like, and schools should definitely
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
I don’t think children or teens should have to wear school uniforms. It deprives them of their freedom of speech. They should have the right to wear what they want when they want. The uniforms are degrading and appalling. Everything would be dull and boring if everyone looked the same and wore the same stuff! Whatever happened to our U.S. Constitution? Some kids become stressed out and could get depressed because they cannot choose what they can wear, In Our own country? The land of the free and the home of the brave and we can’t even choose what we wear? The effect would be: students becoming angry and violent, and worst case scenario, suicide.