Are organizations like the Washington Redskins, showing cultural competency by having a stereotypical depictio

Question

Are organizations like the Washington Redskins, showing cultural competency by having a stereotypical depiction of native Americans, why or why not?

Answer 1

Obviously it isn't culturally competent to use the word redskin, to have a Native mascot or to sell the mascot items they sell.
Redskin refers to the bloody scalp of Native people, how is that competent.
How is portraying a race of Native people as a mascot competent?
How is spreading cultural ignorance and stereotypes competent?

A Native woman who has more experience than necessary with this issue.

Answer 2

In what way is that name a stereotype, that is, how is it racist? How are they stereotyping Native Americans? What words have their front office officials uttered that are defamatory in nature against Native Americans? Do you have anything in writing? If not, how can you attribute ANY motivation to the owners? How can you draw any conclusion based on the word "Redskin"? I can't and I've been alive a lot longer than you, pal.

Answer 3

.
The Stanford Indian was raised on the reservation; he was Native to the core. He was well aware of his image and the feeling that his presence gave to the student body, alumni as well as America. It was a time in history when survival was the issue therefore Indian country did not have the presence to stand up and say collectively would society stop with the many mascot’s that were degrading. I know that is hard for society in general to understand. There are some mascots that are a proud symbol that are respected. Where do you stop and where do you draw the line with an issue that in the past was demeaning to a race of people.

I think that the mascot thing started as an Indians, in your face, as if mascots were a sign of the continuing dominance over Native Americans. Although the Stanford Indian was a striking image, as many other mascots portrayed, it’s a fact that many gone to the wayside images were symbols that the general public accepted as what Indian Country was all about, a joke without saying.

Within Indian Country the phrase red skin is degrading, the phrase was one of many different historical dominating practices. When a race of people stands up to make a statement that stops the intent, sometimes the quest to realize parity steps on old traditions.
In the past Native American’s were hunted and killed and then a piece of scalp that was considered red was cut from the murdered Indigenous persons scalp and then the scalp was taken to the local legal system or Capital building of the state and the killer received one dollar or five acres of land.
Now can you tell me that Indigenous people are wrong with righting the wrongs that continued via mascots? Being reminded of this and other inhuman facts allows the wounds to bleed not heal. Native Americans have practiced honoring Creator long before genocidal practices had to be endured. In ceremony the real traditional dances were real compared to mascots dancing about with no spiritual meaning. In the eyes of Native Americans being dressed in full regalia was a time to honor Creator not a time to mock the Indian Nations as well as not thinking of Creator and the respect that is realized through ceremony. The experience is too surreal for tribal members to witness.

I know that mascots at some schools ended up being revered by the student body and alumni and that they are upset about losing their respected and beloved mascot. It needs to be understood that with an issue such as mascots; that in the beginning some were very degrading to Native Americans and laughed at by many that saw humor first and identification as time passed on. Things change but this issue dragged on from the days of mascots being a joke with undertones pointed at those Indians to becoming a cherished memory. The mixed results of mascots in America have many angry and many more with feelings of hurt that may never be resolved. The old cliché “live and let live” has to be worked on to make all parties agreeable to standards that become cohesive to Americans.
It must be good to be far enough in the future from the hell that your race had to endure to get to the 21st century with only far and in between distasteful remarks or men doing costumed rituals that still dig up the past and present.