...selections that reflect multiple viewpoints on the same topic and develop and express an opinion on an issue based on the evidence presented. You will develop a product that expresses your point of view about the use of Native American mascots for school or sport teams. Role: You will assume the role of an avid sports fan or the resident of a community that has a sports team with a Native American mascot. Audience: The president of the professional sports team, president of the college or university, or local school board (all with Native American mascots) Situation: Recently Houston ISD joined a growing list of organizations that no longer allows the use of Native American names as mascots for their teams or school. Stanford University, for example, changed its mascot from the Indian to a redwood tree in 1972, and others have followed suit after an NCAA ban and public outrage over what is considered by some to be ethnically offensive stereotypes that belittle Native Americans. Others believe that these names are embraced by fans who are honoring the heritage and history of the American Indian. Your challenge is to review all of the documents in the library and determine whether Native American representations should or shouldn’t be used as team mascots. You must convince your audience of your position by using evidence from at least three of the resources in the document...
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...The Chicago Blackhawks, Washington Redskins, Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Chiefs, and Atlanta Braves are all professional sports teams in America that use Native American culture to represent them through the means of tribe names, logos, and mascots. These teams have received a lot of media attention around the debate as to whether the representation of Native Americans is offensive or not. Controversy surrounding Native American mascots first came into the public eye during the 1960s Native American Civil Rights movement, where the use of these mascots was criticized for being insulting. However, the people who conceived these teams, knowingly or not, created an atmosphere of prejudice and discrimination growing the brands into multi-million...
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...years the Native American mascot debate is one that has gotten major press. Native Americans are very angry and want to be heard. The tribal names that these natives go by are something that mean very much to them. School boards, and sports teams around the country have used these mascots, and names to define who the team, and or school is. Today, many people see using Native American names for mascots to be racist. These mascots and cultural figures are part of the Native American culture. To go and generalize these people into a sports team that have nothing to do with who they are, is being very prejudice, misleading, and in many ways wrong. Native Americans deserve the right to be heard and understood that their names, tribal figures, and beliefs are theirs. Mascots used to define them bring nothing but racism, shame, stereotyping, and generalization. Many sports teams, schools, and universities in the US have adopted some incarnation of the Native American warrior as their mascot. However, many people, of Native American heritage as well as non-Indians, believe that the portrayals of Native Americans in this manner is a harmful, racist aspect of our culture, and one that we should take strong measures to prevent. It is not wrong for one to say that racism all around the world needs to be put to an end. We as Americans hold ourselves to high standards of being accepting to all ethnicities. It is hard to understand how we are unable to relate to Native Americans and understand...
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...English 101 Professor Herdzina January 26th, 2018 Major Essay 3 Outline Many of us have favorite Sports teams and as a way of familiarizing ourselves we usually point them out by their mascots and names. Little did we know that our team’s mascot or name may be offensive to a particular culture and has an underlying meaning. According to the Director of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indians, as early as 1912 Indian names for sports teams have been used in the professional sector. Following this example many high schools started naming their teams using Indian culture and the use of Indian inspired Mascots. We may like the way the teams name and its mascots suit them, but to the Native American...
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...The objectification of Native American figures, symbols, and culture is prevalent in many schools and professional sports teams across America today (Chaney, Burke and Burkley 43). Nearly 1,200 high schools and 90 colleges in the United States use Native Americans as their school mascot (Chaney, Burke and Burkley 43). Throughout football games, pep-rallies, and other school related events, fans chant Native American war chants and dress in stereotypical cartoon-like costumes (Pewewardy 181). Although some people would argue that these symbols are intended to honor Native Americans, they often portray them in an inauthentic and clichéd manner (Chaney, Burke and Burkley 43). Because of this, the barbaric, wild, and savage mascots have become a representation of the Native American...
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...article from ESPN (2014), “A Redskin is a football player. A Redskin is our fans. The Washington Redskins fan base represents honor, represents respect, represents pride. Hopefully winning.” To the American Indian, a redskin is a derogatory term used to negatively described their past and present. I can relate this term because it could be considered the same to them as calling me nigger or a Mexican a wetback. However, the word “nigga” is used a greeting or a term used to describe a friend. In my personal experience I have seen all races use and it is unfortunately widely accepted throughout America....
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...Native Americans, Struggles, Mascots, and Controversy There has been a national debate for years over Native American athletic mascots. “Members of the North Carolina Mascot Education and Action Group and the Guilford Native American Association, however, repeatedly told us that they perceived the use of Indian mascots, logos, caricatures, and similar images by our schools as a clear form of institutional racism” (Grier 2005: 51). In this paper we will discuss the controversial impact of the Native American stereotype used as mascots. In the early 1900’s when the threat of colonization was abolished Americans started to use the Native American mascot to show their acknowledgement of their struggles. Although this was symbolic it has been an ongoing controversy within schools and sports. California is the second highest state that uses the most Native American imagery and symbols. The importance of this contemporary issue is an ongoing debate in California that has impacted the true history of Native Americans and the battles they went through. The truth is crucial because their imagery and interpretation is misunderstood in American history. In the early 1900’s it became acceptable to use Native American imagery for advertisement. “One of the reasons why most Americans find the mascots unremarkable and do not turn a critical eye toward the mascots is because of the prevalence of similar images throughout U.S. popular culture” (King, et al 2002:391). Although years later...
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...In the article State to Reexamine Schools’ Use of Native American Mascot Names the author’s believes that Oregon schools should change their Native American mascot. The author gives many convincing points such as some see the use of Native imagery as an offensive stereotype or a racist practices. He points out that Native American have pushed for the state to do something about the issue. It is very clear where the author stands on this topic. Although the author gives many arguments for his side of the subject, he gives ment counterarguments as well such as the names and mascots may be embedded into the community or that changing the mascot will cost a lot of money because they would have to change gym floors, uniform, signs etc. He brings...
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...Offensive Mascots Can some mascots be racist? Mascots can be very offensive towards Indian/Native American races because they form stereotypes about different races. These mascots need to be changed, because it is bad for the people being offended, and the community as a whole. People argue that this doesn't hurt the people, but it does, constantly. Everywhere they go there are stereotypical things around them, because of their teams mascot. Some people may say that it would cost to much money to do this kind of operation. Well, first off, it was the school's fault for having their team mascot offend many different religions of Native Americans. Their team mascots can be stereotypical,causing people to think that Native Americans are either “war like”, or “fierce”, when they really aren’t what people think.”It is racist. It is harmful. It is shaming. It is dehumanizing” See-ah-dom Edmo, vice president of the Oregon Indian Education Association. This is why the cost shouldn’t matter of changing these school mascot names....
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...Many communities contemplate which mascot they should choose to represent their sports team and what their schools stand for as a whole for what seems like eons of time. Deciding on the perfect mascot can take forever; since there are so many things to consider! Mount Morris, Michigan, like so many other schools, went through a selection process to choose their mascot. A great choice was made when they nominated a panther to symbolize the schools. The panther is supported excessively by the entire Mount Morris community. At football, basketball, baseball games, tennis matches, volleyball tournaments; you name it, they’re always there. Students, parents, and faculty members show up loud and proud, supporting the Panthers. At homecoming, townspeople arrive with a distorted appearance, blue and white paint on their face as if it were a canvas. Even if your mascot is an offensive representative, community support shows that it isn’t that terrible after all. Look at the Hoboes of Laurel Hills, Florida. Most people find the word ‘hobo’ demeaning because it’s a derogatory term for migrant workers; yet, they have an annual Hobo celebration to show how much pride they...
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...A White House aide said he wore this alternate cap “in recognition of the sensitivities” caused by the image (Jehl). However, the first majorly publicized action the franchise itself took concerning the logo came in 2009, when they removed Chief Wahoo’s image from outside their spring training facility in Goodyear, Arizona. When asked, the president of the club said there was “some sensitivity” around using the Chief Wahoo image outside the complex (Bamforth). There are many Native American tribes residing in Arizona, and this is presumably where the sensitivity came from. In 2014, the Cleveland.com Editorial Board published an editorial decisively saying that the Indians should retire Chief Wahoo. It was this very editorial that really ignited the heated arguments about the Chief. Two years pass, and the club owner Paul Dolan announces that the grinning Chief will be retired to a secondary logo in April of 2016. Shortly after, an activist in Toronto filed a lawsuit against the franchise, deeming the image discriminatory (Bamforth). Although the lawsuit fell through, the tension continued to grow between supporters and protesters, especially when the Indians were brought to center stage during the 2016 World Series. Finally...
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... The Redskins team name didn't just become a hot topic it's been a hot topic for 31 years. Since 1972 people have been saying how offensive the name is to the native americans. The Redskins may lose the rights to their mascot, and will not have any new stadiums built for the team until the name is changed. Other teams have also changed their names, and it has not change how the fans see them or their profit from the games. The Redskins should change their name because it is the right thing to do if native american beleive the name of a team that represents them should be changed then who are we to say no. “Redskins can't possibly honor a heritage or noble character trait, nor can it possibly be considered a neutral term. It's an insult, a slur, no matter how benign the present day intent.” said Bob Costas, NBC sports host. The term redskin is originally used to refer the native...
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...U.S. using Native American Mascots.” All sports teams have mascots to represent their schools pride and strength. Mascots generally don’t fall under exploration, except for the ones that represent Native American tribes. These mascots are usually based on inaccurate descriptions of Native Americans causing controversy on whether or not they should be allowed. Many Native American tribes have been feeling offended, which is why the issue has been arising today with well known sports teams including the Fighting Sioux, The Redskins, The Indians, Etc. This controversy has had a dramatic effect due to the widespread ban of many of the Native American tribal sports...
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...People have virtuous rules, or ethics, they live their life by. The cartoon “Mascots” has kindness, the article “Who Will Save the Savior Sibling” has charity, and the excerpt from “Lather and Nothing More” has temperance. To begin, the use of Native American mascots is not appropriate virtuously because it goes against kindness. In his cartoon ”Mascots”, Phil Hands persuades caucasians to change their Native American mascots because it is insensitive to Native Americans. Native American school has caucasian mascot. The mascot in the cartoon depicts a stereotyped caucasian man to parallel how Native American mascots are used. A real caucasian mascot would insult a large number of caucasian people. Native Americans are insulted by mascots depicting...
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...In the article “Indian Mascots- You’re Out!” on the LA Times, Jack Shakley, discusses the utilization of Native American mascots in games. The author portrays the utilization of Indian mascots throughout history of game. He discusses how it has annoyed a few individuals. The way games can utilize Indian mascots can be extremely segregating. He talks of how the mascots look moronic and does idiotic things before the fans. Shakley’s ethos is that he is Indian himself and his mother felt like Indian mascots weren't worthy (520). The way he utilizes emotion is by making you feel that Indian mascots are awful to have as mascots on the grounds that the ways they are depicted resemble fools. He creator utilizes logos to demonstrate that evolving the mascot of a group isn't shabby; Stanford lost a huge number of dollars when they...
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