Native American Indian - themed nicknames... offensive or simply a tribute?

Question

I think it is RIDICULOUS that all these schools are being forced to change nicknames. In the lower divisions, the NCAA has deemed that any team with an Indian-themed nickname cannot host a playoff game. I don't want to see schools like Illinois and Florida State lose their nicknames next. What's your opinion?

Answer 1

I don't see how Native American nicknames are a tribute. Are they supposed to glorify how "mighty" these tribes are/were? Do you think the tribes feel mighty these days? Do you think they like seeing the pride they have in their ancestry commercialized & sold on t-shirts to instead represent sports teams from colleges that have little-to-no outreach to the Native American communities & provide them paltry, if any, services?

Ex.: Think of the money that Florida State has made off the "Seminole" name: how much of that money do you really think has gone to the Seminole tribe? Enough for many members of the tribe to attend Florida State or some other college? Not likely. (Last I heard, only 40% of homes on reservations had landline phones! That may become less relevant now that wireless phones are becoming more pervasive, but the statistic still demonstrates how under-served these communities are by basic utilities.)

The argument I've heard countless times regarding the maintaining of Native American team names is that those who would change the names have no respect for "tradition." But the only reason I've heard to KEEP the Native American names is "tradition." Tradition for tradition's sake? That's a pretty measly argument for it. Can't we question tradition when it's only purpose is to perpetuate itself? Why can't alumni take pride in the universities they went to, no matter what the schools' mascot is at the time?

On the other side of the ledger is the objectification/commercialization of once-great Native American tribes who have had their ancestral identities relegated to poverty-stricken reservations and the occasional museum. Poll data has suggested that Native Americans do find the names offensive AND don't find the names offensive, depending on what poll you read, so the question about whether it offends them isn't the only question to ask here, IMHO.

I look forward to seeing explanations about how the Native American nicknames are a "tribute" that actually benefits or glorifies the Native Americans in question. Until then, I will refer to the professional football team from our nation's capitiol as the Washington People With Sunburns. ;)

Answer 2

I DISAGREE.


Definitely Not !! It's very demeaning and degrading. None more so than the Cleveland baseball team. Its' logo is an awful characterization - beet red person, with buck teeth, stupid grin, etc.

Consider the following made up stereotype examples to understand the degradation(those that find humor are sick):

1) The Portland Polacks - logo: short haired guy with pushed in forehead, hunched shoulders and a "?" over his head.

2) The New York Negroes - logo: a very dark skinned African American male with a big smiling grin, salivating over a watermelon.

3) The Jacksonville Jews - logo: a male with a hooked nose, long side hair, yarmulke, and counting money.

4) The Georgia Girlies - logo: a naked big breasted female; with the expression "I love being sexually attacked"

5) The Memphis Males - logo: a man holding his 4" penis; with the expression "Chicks sure dig my 9" love stick"

6) The Arizona Americans - logo: A man and a woman in uniform, watching over an otherwise naked, hooded prisoner who is standing on a box with wires around his neck and made to fondle another naked male prisoner.

IT'S ALL SICK, UNFAIR and DEGRADING. The First Nations People (you called them Indians) treated the land with respect and were minding their own affairs. Along came invading terrorists. The inhabitants were robbed, raped, murdered, and enslaved. Perhaps the past may never be adequately corrected; but the degradation must be stopped. Surely there are symbolic mascots that are positive and fun.

p.s. I'm a huge sports fan, attending about 60 different sporting events (pro and college) per year.

Answer 3

Here is the real issue. It is not an issue of whether or not it's offensive or a tribute. It's an issue of political correctness. It's also an issue of some people looking for something to complain about just for the sake of complaining. To the best of my knowledge and understanding there has never been a professional, college, high school or youth team that has chosen to use a Indian nickname with the intent of being disrespectful or degrading.

I agree that it is not right to force a school to change it's nickname in the name of political correctness. In our desire to respect everyone's heritage we have accomplished the opposite of what the original intent of political correctness was. The intent was to create respect for everyone but in actuality is has cause more dissent and separation between us, more anger and distrust.

It's really very sad.

Answer 4

As one of the earlier responders said, how would we feel if teams used racial slurs or caricatures as team nicknames? I think it's easy as a white person to dismiss their concerns, but it's not a fair reaction.

I have no problem with a name like "Seminoles," which pays tribute to a tribe. But how can anyone seriously think that a name like REDSKINS is anything other than a racial slur, comparable to calling your team the N-word, Kikes, or something equally offensive? Same with the Cleveland Indians' Chief Wahoo, given the typical "Indian" name, and with that offensive, toothy grin that reminds me of the portrayals of Asians in old movies.

I'm not overly politically correct, but I can see how these things offend in some cases.

Answer 5

Ask the Native Americans, if it doesn't bother them it shouldn't bother us. Oh wait that seems to be the idea behind the appeal system and why the Seminoles will still be around. I don't think too many, if any, are actually offensive anymore and this is silly.

Answer 6

Tribute.

I live in Illinois. Totally stupid what they're doing trying to get rid of Chief Illiniwek.

I'm part Seneca Indian (very little) and would rather see the image of Indians keep alive one way or another - just so we don't forget who was here first.

Answer 7

Depends on the Indian tribes/nations in question. The Seminole tribe has no problem with the "Florida St Seminoles"

Answer 8

Gee, I don't know. Wouldn't YOU find it offensive if people were using names that were very sacred and spiritual for sport? Not only that, but the ancestors of the same people attempted and nearly succeeded in the complete genocide of a race who originally live on the land we now call "home".

How would you feel if someone came into your house and befriended you before they raped, murdered, and tortured your family and then played a game that cheapened and stole any sanctified presence it may have once held?
Fro crying out LOUD people. Its just NAMES that were NEVER yours to play with in the first place. Who cares if these "poor defenseless" schools have to come up with something more clever to name themselves. The fact that you even have to asks makes me sick to my stomach.

Answer 9

As my wife, who is part indian, said once, "What would you think about a sports team called the Ni***rs?" These team names aren't friendly nicknames for the most part. They are racial slurs against the indians (i.e. Redskins, Braves). If these names were chosen by an indian group as their mascot, sure, no problem, but they aren't.

Answer 10

A tribute, I think it's a good thing to have a sports team with a Native American name. As long as it isn't an offensive racist name, we should keep it. It's all because of this f*cking political correct crap that liberals are pushing down our throats.