Hello everyone,
I have decided that this week's blog will be about racism shown in sports, through pro-teams to high schools. I'm sure most of you watch pro-sports, you may not necessarily follow them, but I'm sure you are familiar with some of their popular mascots shown on television, on merchandise, and in games. There are several big name teams that use Native American reference as their mascots such as the Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Braves, and the Cleveland Indians. All of these teams use some sort of Native American reference, but when they are being used, are they being used with respect? Most of these team portray the Indian as having a big cheesy smile, and abnormally red skin. At times this can been seen as a racist move. (Image to the right)
A few years ago, there was a baseball playoff game against New York and Cleveland, the New York Post found it appropriate at the time to headline the paper as "Take the Tribe and Scalp Em". This, in my opinion shows very little respect to Natives, and should have not been a public opinion. That is a racial slur, because in past times, scalpings did occur, but it's not like it happens anymore! To Natives, being a chief is the highest position you can obtain, and is a very respected position in a Native community. (more info) These teams are not showing the mascot with respect. Like I said earlier, they are showing them with huge noses, very red skin, and a huge buck-toothed smile. I myself come from a family with a native background, my grandfather is 100% Ojibwa, and my mother is half, and I know that Indians don't look like this. This portrayal is embarrasing to Natives. They are creating an image for the public, and the image is not positive. The image the public gets from the media is showing the indians as an unattractive race of people. (Image To Left)
They are stereotyping indians, as an uncivilized race of people. And, they basically are making fun of their cultures, and beliefs. There are some mascots dancing how they think indians dance, but they don't actually understand the meanings of their dances, and why they do them. (more info)
Now in high schools and colleges, groups are fighting to remove Native Americans as their mascots, because they don't want to disrespect the Native Americans. Indians are a race too, not just a race to be made fun of and turned into a ridiculous caricature for people's enjoyment.
I think the paper saying to 'take the tribe and scalp em' is uncalled for, and is not something that should be glorified, but I think that naming a team after Native Americans would be an honor to them. People rally and cheer for teams that have a Native American mascot. There are also the Patriots and other teams that have a certain people group as the team name, and that is not considered racism. I would consider it a good thing to name a team after people of our country. I hope this was not offensive to you. I didn't mean it that way.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that it is a sad thing to see how people can not realize that certain things can be offensive. I would have to say that these teams that use the names are trying to offend the cultures or the tribes. It is more along the lines of the actions and words that end up being associated with the names. Which is uncalled for like the racist comment in that newspaper article. To me i would find it to be a great honor to have my tribe's name used by a sports team. That's just me though. I also want to say that your article was putting out a good point.
ReplyDeleteYou made some good points, there are SOME mascots that could be offensive. However, I think that some people need to lay off on the political correctness. Where will it end? The vikings will offend Norweigians. The Fighting Irish will offend the Irish. PETA will be all over the use of tigers being vicious. Personally, I think people can distinguish that it is a team name made decades ago. I don't go up to natives and say "Hey there are some redskins" or "There are The Fighting Sioux." Also how do you explain the teams from the reservations? In North Dakota there is a team from Four Winds (which is on a reservation) who has the mascot "Indians." I would think that they would have changed that a LONG time ago, as I was taught at a young age not to call natives "Indians."
ReplyDeleteMany natives from the area tend to be fans of the teams anyways. I know there have been votes from the native communities to keep UND's Fighting Sioux logo. However, if all these teams are going to find the money to change their mascot and logo, I urge them to be called the Cleveland Crackers or the Houston Honkies. Personally, I think that would be awesome.
I can definitely see where things can get offensive to certain people. And there are some things in the media that you read and you really have to stop, think, and re-read because you can't believe that that was actually put down on paper for others to read. Like that one headline "Take the Tribe and Scalp Em". That is completely and utterly unnecessary in my opinion. Of course there are some people who will read it and just brush it off the shoulder but others will take great offense to it. Is it really worth offending a person’s religion to sell a few copies of a paper?
ReplyDeleteIt's bad that people don't know when they are being offensive to certain cultures, and in sports native americans have been the most talked about. Taking the "Fighting" out of nicknames has become a big media area in sports and many tribes are acting out to have their named be removed from the word fighting.
ReplyDeleteI came from a school where we were called the Britton Braves. We had so much controversy do to our mascot the Brave, which was symbolized as the profile of an indian head. I don't think it was protrayed as making fun of the indian culture at all, but apparently the Native American culture did. I thought it would be sweet to have had such a strong culture that you have a mascot because of it. I guess I just didn't see the wrong in that, but I can see how the red, cheesy smiling indian could be taken offense to.
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