Native American Mascots

In a majority of cases, this view is even endorsed by the tribes themselves (Morrison). They argue that the restriction and ultimate elimination of the Native American mascot would also abolish the nation’s historic view of this cultural entity as characters of strength, determination, boldness, resourcefulness and courage. They contend that these same positive attributes are not only required by athletes, but are held expectations of the sporting community. The pursuant argument entails that there is an inherent oddity in the suggestion that naming a team after an Indian tribe is a calculated insult.

After reading “Playing Indian” and “Fighting Mascots”, the arguments and tactics that Suzan Harjo employed in her article was relating back to the passing time of Native American history. Specifically, Harjo explained the color that the NFL team, the Washington “Redskins”. For instance, “...impose this false identity, its name is even more vile, because it is rooted in the commodification of Native skin and body parts as bounties and trophies” (621). Additionally, Harjo is exploiting the history that Native people have suffered and by showing off Native Americans as some sort of trophy does not sit well with her. Ultimately, I think that Harjo is effectively stating her argument to the Washington Redskins NFL team by relating to past history.

Before this topic, I have no experience with the "Indian Mascot". After reading some of articles, I am very impressive by the argument in the article which is "Redskins, Sambos, and Whities - Racism in Sports Mascots." I am not a big fan of any sports, so I have ever not known about the meaning of a sport team's mascot. Now, I am opened my mind. I realize that after every mascot, it has a different meaning. Some are good, but some may hurt people's feeling. Some people said that they think the Indian American and supporters are too sensitive when they care much of a mascot. However, we can not understand someone if we do not stand on their position. The Indian Americans have a indigenous culture with a lot of things we have not known. The stereotypes

The year is 1991.  The Atlanta Braves had just completed their first trip to the Fall Classic in four decades, and the Washington Redskins were undefeated, well on their way to their third Super Bowl title.  All across the eastern seaboard, sports fans were tasting success - while American Indians were in an uproar.  This year witnessed the peak of the protests over the use of mascots with American Indian themes.  With two of the major professional sports teams in question making front-page news across the country, many of us heard American Indians' complaints for the first time.  Suddenly, thanks to the cries of thousands of demonstrators, the names of many Americans' favorite teams had become synonymous with "nigger."

​In 2014 a Native American’s protested in Washington against Washington’s NFL team named the “redskins” . The protesters claimed they are not “mascots”, and protested the name “redskin” is a slur of harm not honor, and if anyone were to call a Native American a “redskin” to their face there would be serious problems. They also protested that they should not be seen as “bygone people” and that it is inhuman to name the nfl team “redskins”. They even went to the extent

Former chair of the Los Angeles Native American Commission, Jack Shakley, in his argument, “Indian Mascots-You’re Out!” disputes whether Native American mascots should be allowed to be the face of American sports teams. Shakley’s purpose is to convey the idea that is insensitive to have Native Americans as mascots. Jack Shakley uses a passionate tone to show readers that not only is using a Native American mascot racist, but it is wrong and should be changed to a less offensive mascot. Shakley starts off using pathos to the readers by telling a story from his childhood. In the article, Shakley demonstrates the ability to use strong pathos and logos arguments to support his claims that we should get rid of Native American mascots and steam names.

“The use of the Redskins nickname was conducted among a random sample of 504 Native American adults. Ninety percent of respondents said they are not bothered by the Redskins name, and 73 percent of respondents said they do not find the name disrespectful” (Eitzen and Zinn). Native American logos are a very controversial topic but, what most people do not know is how the Native American population feels about these logos. Sports teams should not get rid of Native American logos because they represent Native Americans, the logos represent freedom of speech, and most Native Americans support the logos. “An agreement with local Native American tribes features a hockey arena, the Ralph Engelstad Arena, and the attached Betty Engelstad Sioux Center,

or many years now many people have been debating whether schools and professional sports teams should use Native American imagery, nicknames, and logos to represent mascot. “When I was a kid, me and my friends, we really thought that they had captured and killed Native Americans and pasted them all over the building,” Samuel Henry Washington Redskins fans said. “We were just kids, we didn’t know any better. But we really, honestly believed that,”. Many people need to respect how the professional sports team or any teams use Native American imagery, and when teams use Native American mascots, it is not an offensive slur against them.

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

Chiefs, Redskins, and Braves. All names of popular, professional American sports teams, all are offensive terms for Native Americans. It is time for these teams to make a positive change. The names are insulting, not just to Native Americans, but to all Americans. Furthermore, the names and images of mascots encourages negative stereotypes that don’t represent our nation's history. Sports are supposed to bring us together, but the use of these names keeps us apart. It is in the best interest for all American sports team to abolish the use of ignorant names that are reminiscent of the mistreatment of Native Americans in our nation’s history.

     Many people do not consider themselves supporting Native American mascots that depict them in a bad manner. But when people walk around with a Atlanta Braves shirt on with a Indian with a tomahawk in his hand, it is degrading to the Indians. It is stereotyping them. School mascots and Sports team’s mascots are named after groups of people for no reason known. Notre Dame was founded by Irish Catholics, but their sports team was named the Fighting Irish. The name Fighting Irish has nothing to do with the Irish Catholics, it depicts them in a wrong way.(Price, 3). Team names can be changed to similar names that do not depict certain groups of people. Like the Redskins can be called the Red Hawks or the

Almost everybody loves going to sporting events and seeing all the excited fans as well as the energized mascots. There has been quite a variety of mascots and logos seen in schools whether it be high schools or colleges and in professional leagues. According to a search done by an ESPN FiveThirtyEight reporter through a database known as MascotDB, out of the 42,624 teams in the database at the time there were 2,129 sports teams that have reference to Native Americans (Munguia). That’s about a five percent of all mascots while Native American only make up roughly two percent of the population of the United States in 2014 (US Census). There has been much debate and controversy around mascots and team names that reference Native American throughout the years and gaining more attention especially with the most public debate regarding National

Sports teams are using stereotypical mascots for their teams and brands that are associated with controversial images of Native Americans; these cause problems with mascots. Sports are using mascots which are stereotypical with negative connotations to the Native Americans they aware of the problem, not changing the mascots; when it is easy (but expensive) for teams to switch their names and mascots, and finally they use hurtful language when they play games and people use horrible remarks about Native Americans. Sports teams and schools are using mascots which are stereotypical. “They are wrong because they propagate false or misleading beliefs about others and contribute to disrespectful mis relationships. ”(S.P. Morris Journal).

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

Many people look at the Washington Redskins logo and see it just the same as any of the other NFL teams’ logos. So, why take the time and money to change their brand for the very few amount of people that think it’s little offensive? In the past couple of years, a lot of people see many pro and college sports teams differently because of their mascot or logo. Native Americans, whose culture diminished ever since Europeans stepped onto the shores of the East, are used as branding for all levels and divisions of athletics teams. A lot of people argue for both sides of the conflict, with one side reasoning that the logos look racist and disrespect Native American culture, and the other side reasoning that they honor Indians and there is not even an issue. However, a ton of people fighting for the Indian mascot’s removal do not know how Native Americans themselves truly feel about them. Also, the general public probably does not know either that many schools actually work with specific tribes to make sure that they respect their culture. The United States should not ban Native American mascots because most Native Americans don’t get insulted from sports teams’ logos and many teams work with tribes to make sure that they don’t disparage Indian customs and traditions.