Harboring Humanity As time moves on the world has plenty of opportunities to improve and make changes. The world has an abundance of dilemmas, but equality should no longer be one of those dilemmas. Equality is seen as a part of humanity and if there are limits to equality, then there are limits on humanity. In the story, The Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara, the topic of equality and socioeconomic status are often discussed. According to the American Psychological Association the definition of socioeconomic status is, “the social standing or class of an individual or group. It is often measured as a combination of education, income and occupation” (socioeconomic status). The story is about an educated African American teacher who takes her barely …show more content…
This should have been held true for all men and women no matter the color, the class, and the education. All humans have to right to pursue happiness and as the author Bambara stated, that means have the equal opportunity to earn as much money as those in the upper socioeconomic class (696). In fact, in the story Bambara makes it apparent the ridiculous amount of money the toys were worth. Bambara said, “Imagine for a minute, what kind of society it is in which some people can spend on a toy what it would cost to feed a family of six or seven’” (696). One might question if it is humane that a toy costs as much as a family’s food. Is it humane? Should something so frivolous be the same amount as something so vital? Lastly, is this factor of inequality limiting or encouraging humanity? The answer to these questions are no this is not humane and no a toy should not cost more than the food for a family of six or seven, and inequality is harboring humanity. It does not make any sense to separate the different socioeconomic classes because when everyone has a steady cash flow and a glowing opportunity at an education the economy hits a golden streak for everyone, and …show more content…
When Native Americans are being made fun of and constantly reminded that their ancestors were torn apart and made out to be savages by the White men, it is hard to pick up the pieces and move on. Native Americans shouldn’t even be associated with savages or racial slurs, but that is what is happening when Natives are being seen as Mascots. For example, at one point OSU was playing against a team with a Native American mascot and they had on a banner, “Send them home on a trail of tears” (Charles). The Trail of Tears is not an event to be made a mockery of, because it moved the Cherokee tribe from their homeland state of Georgia to the state of Oklahoma, and over 4,000 Cherokee people died during the removal (Trail of Tears, PBS). This shows that even though a minority socioeconomic group is working towards advancement in the world of the majority socioeconomic group, but some people in the majority socioeconomic group will find anything and do everything to keep the barriers between the two
The article “The problems with Native American Mascots” written by Laurel R. Davis covers many arguments regarding the use of Native American names and images for sports teams’ mascots. Rather or not sports teams should be able to continue using Native American names for their teams and images for their mascots is a highly controversial topic. Opinions will vary, especially when a person of Native American heritage is being asked opposed to a person of non-Native American heritage. Native American images should not be used for sports teams’ mascots as their use stereotypes the group, misrepresents many aspects of the Native American culture, as well as negatively impacting the lives of those that come from Native American heritage.
Asian or any other ethnic group is unthinkable, so why are Native Americans still fair game”? (Shakely 522) Jack Shakely, former chair of the los Angeles City/county Native American Commission as well as president emeritus of the California community Foundation, effectively argues that removing Native American names and mascots from college and professional teams is the right thing to do. Indian mascots for sports teams are offensive to many Native Americans because they are portrayed as savage cut-throats or act like fools. Jack Shakely argues his point in the article, “Indian Mascots- You’re Out!” by explaining his experience with Indians portrayed as mascots and how dignity and respect are not subject to majority rule. A fourth-generation Oklahoman of Creek descent, he is the author of “The Confederate War Bonnet”, a historical novel of the Civil War in Indian Territory. Shakely is mixed-blood Muscogee/Creek and his family has fought against Indian stereotypes. Being a known author, a leader of these important organizations, Native American, and personally dealing with his family fighting against Indian stereotypes makes Shakely creditable to argue his point effectively. I also believe that Indian names and mascot should be removed, because I would be offended if a sports team was named after African Americans and an African American mascot was dancing around like a fool. Some Native Americans believe that people are getting the wrong impression about them. Only %16 of Native Americans find Indian names and mascots offensive but Shakely states, “If 16% of a population finds something offensive, that should be enough to signal deep concern. There are...
...ers' evolution from mother and student into a leading voice against the merchandising of Native American sacred symbols -- and shows the lengths to which fans will go to preserve their mascots." In keeping all the Native American Mascots in schools, colleges, and professional sports teams we are showing a lack of respect. The Native Americans have voiced the lack of honor these names are bringing to them. "The fact that history has ignored the incredible pain we have inflicted on Native Americans does not now give us the right to ignore their largely muted call." Americans need to take a step back think about how they would feel if there ritual and or sacred tradition was misused. "We feel that we are being put in a position of sacrificing our dignity and pride and will never be treated as equals in white society as long as the use of Indian symbols continues."
The author Justin Angle says how in a study the mascots and names were shown to people unfamiliar with Native American culture and the sport teams, in the end of the study most of the participants viewed Native American’s as “war like”, which can carry negative consequences in the real world affecting the views of some future employers, creating a view that though Native American’s can be seen as strong and bold they can also have been perceived as violent and irrational. The uses of Redskins also create the belief that it is culturally appropriate for the constant use of Native American culture this has led to thousands of schools and sports teams to have questionable mascots and names. Such as the Savages from Salmon High school and the baseball team the “Indians” whose mascot was a hooked nose red skinned Indian with bucked teeth. Comparing this to the now frowned upon depiction of African American as black red lipped stereotyped popular in the 1920s advertisements does it not show similarities in a cultures becoming a caricature. While one is view as racist the other is view and honorable due to it representing one of the greatest passtimes in America,
In his article, Price got one thing right: The Indian Wars have not ended. They continue in the ongoing struggles over mascots and other issues that affect Native American sovereignty. Consequently, there definitely is an easy answer to the issue of Native American mascots. Native Americans are people, not mascots.
I asked Sebastian about the big controversy about the Redskins logo and more importantly their name. “ I find their name very racist because if it would have been named the “Blackskins” everyone would immediately know that is wrong and it would get changed instantly. It sucks people don't see it the way I do and the fact that it's the nation's capital football team makes it ten times worse. Also, the word Redskins was put in newspapers for bounties against Native Americans, so how isn't it derogatory?”. Schools and sports teams just shouldn't be able to use Native Americans as a mascot to represent their community. Why is it that we place the name “Indians” in the same category as lions or bulls? It’s not right that we use them as a mascot. They are people just like everyone else. If schools and sports teams use them they should have to ask permission from the tribe to “honor” them. The Florida St. Seminoles are an example of that. They asked permission to honor the Seminoles by using their name and a Seminole Native American as a mascot. The mascot is actually a member of the Seminole tribe riding out on a horse named Renegade before
Jean Anyon’s “Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work” claims that students from different social classes are treated differently in schools. Anyon’s article is about a study she conducted to show how fifth graders from the working, middle, and upper class are taught differently. In Anyon’s article, she provides information to support the claim that children from different social classes are not given the same opportunities in education. It is clear that students with different socio-economic statuses are treated differently in academic settings. The curriculum in most schools is based on the social class that the students belong to. The work is laid out based on academic professionals’ assumptions of students’ knowledge. Teachers and educational professionals assume a student’s knowledge based on their socio-economic status.
The idea of having a Native American as a mascot seems respectful to the tribe and a way to honor the people who arrived
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.
In many low income communities, there are teachers that are careless and provide their students with poor quality education. These teachers are there just to make sure that they keep receiving their monthly paychecks and act in this way because they believe that low income students do not have the drive, the passion, or the potential to be able to make something of themselves and one day be in a better place than they are now. Anyon reveals that in working class schools student’s “Work is often evaluated not according to whether it is right or wrong but according to whether the children followed the right steps.” (3). This is important because it demonstrates that low income students are being taught in a very basic way. These children are being negatively affected by this because if they are always being taught in this way then they will never be challenged academically, which can play a huge role in their futures. This argument can also be seen in other articles. In the New York Times
She even describes what that experience in the school environment was like for her. This tactic directly coincides with pathos, one of the modes of persuasion. Her purpose of creating this article goes along with wanting to persuade those who engage in using offensive Native American imagery to realize why it’s harmful and offensive. By using pathos, she’s able to get inside the reader’s emotions to feel some of the feelings she had to feel as she grew up. The essay only includes a brief description of her perspective in attending a school that had a Native American mascot, but the way she writes about how she was silenced with her opinion by staff would raise questions for people who believe that everyone should have a voice. Even more so if that voice is directly affected by said mascot. The author goes on to speak about how she purposely missed her high school reunion because of the plans that was rumored to be happening. The plan involved an alumni student painting a warrior face on the gym to commemorate their old mascot. Some may see this as harmless, but the mascot was eventually changed years ago, when they still attended – so why would that be necessary? I agree that the mascot should have been changed, but some may still finish this article and wonder how and why it offended her so thoroughly. Adding more
The dispute over whether Native American mascots should be used as a team symbol dates back to the 1970’s (Price 2). There are those who are passionately against Native American mascots. These advocators insist that Native American mascots are degrading to the native population and the mascots do not represent the true identity of Native Americans. What they fail to realize is that this argument focuses entirely on the perception and predetermined judgment that any Native American mascot is discriminatory and dehumanizing. This is simply not the case.
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, ...
The subject of equality and inequality are a sensitive and controversial topic. Both equality and inequality were portrayed in the short story, “The Lesson.” In this short story by Toni Cade Bambara, Miss Moore, a well known woman in the neighborhood, gives the children in her local area a lesson about the brutal inequalities that are in existence within the socioeconomic status system. This leads the children to ponder about the equality and inequality that exists within society. Toni Cade Bambara uses her short story, “The Lesson” in order to shed light on the injustices and racial inequalities in society. The goal of the story is to not only fight for racial equalities, but socioeconomic equalities as well.
The means of justifying these inequalities are important for the entire world. Education played and will always play a big role in everyone’s lives. Equality in education will eventually guarantee every person a better position in society. Educational inequality is the difference in learning effectiveness and results as faced by students with varying backgrounds. The effects of educational inequality are not only left within the circles of education, but also remain further to have an impact on other life aspects. All over the world, there have been unending calls to reform education at each level. With various causes that are very much connected to society, history and culture, the educational inequality has apparently been one of the most difficult challenges to address. Regardless of the challenges faced in removing educational inequality, education has continued to be a very important part of society with a big expectation of moving it forward. In the current-day America, very many disadvantaged children have continued to grow up missing key skills. Discrimination has continued to persevere in educational achievement between racial issues. Above all, low performance levels among these disadvantaged children have over the years been responsible for the long-term issues, especially in such an society with higher levels of skills and a failing incomes offered to those people that are less-skilled.