2007-03-27 05:05:08 · 13 answers · asked by sunclanjen 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Other - Cultures & Groups
I am a Native woman. I can respond to most of the ignorant comments posted here. First I will tell you that the reason it is socially acceptable is because the majority culture is not educated. It is also because of continued oppression. They feel they have the right to determine what is and what isn't okay, even if the people themselves are saying repeatedly STOP!
The rest of this email is educated responses to what users have posted as reasons why it is OK.
1) Why not fight against the fighting Irish, why only Native Americans?
Answer:
1st: Native people have always said we would support the Irish community if and when they come forward. So far they haven't and we have.
2nd: A leprachaun is not an actual person while the Native mascots do represent a person.
3rd: The history of Native oppression is different from that of Irish oppression. The Irish did experience oppression when they first arrived in America however they are pretty much now accepted as part of the dominant culture. Although some cultural stereotypes do exist they have the benefit of White priveledge.
Native people experienced oppression from the arrival of colonizers. Their oppression has consisted of Genocide, Cultural Genocide, Rape, Land Theft, Torture, and Kidnapping among others. Native oppression still occurs today and the Native mascot is a symbol of that oppression.
2) What about the Huskies and other animal mascots?
Answer:
Native Americans are a race of people. They are not animals.
3) The illini are now extinct. We are honoring them.
Answer:
There are living descedents of the Illini. They do not like the mascot.
4) The mascot honors Native people.
Answer:
1st: Native people say that it doesn't. Why does your opinion count more than theirs? It is their people being misrepresented and hurt.
2nd: The Illini mascot misrepresets Native culture. The outfit worn by the mascot is not an Illini outfit. It belongs to the Sioux tribe which has a completely different culture. The mascot performs gymnastics and calls it a Native Fancy Dance. It is not a Native Fancy Dance, ask any Native dancer. The outfit is worn out of context and so is disrespecting Native culture. The outfit consits of sacred Native objects such as feathers that would not be traditionally used in such a way. The term Redskin means the bloody skin of a Native person, it refers to scalping. When people go to games with Native mascots they do the tomahawk chop. Imagine a Native child sitting in the audience while everyone is doing the tomahawk chop. How are any of the things listed above honorary? The bad certainly outways the good.
5) This is a matter of political correctness. It doesn't really hurt anyone.
Answer:
Native people say it does hurt. It spreads cultural ignorance. In towns where Native people are present some fans get carried away and Native people get physically injured (sometimes for protesting the mascot, sometimes for just being Native). Please read testimonials by Native people of the several ways they are being hurt by this. If even one person is hurt then it should stop. If the political correctness helps people heal then let us support it. And it is more a matter of continued oppression and excercise of White priveledge than it is of politcal correctness.
6) Some Native people say that it doesn't bother them.
Answer:
Please remember that they do not represent the whole. If a large portion of one ethnic group says something is wrong it is worth looking at. It is also possible that this person does not have all the facts or feels so oppressed that they do not feel safe speaking out against mascots.
Some useful websites:
http://www.ulm.edu/mascot/position.html
http://www.bluecorncomics.com/mascots.htm
http://www.indianmascots.com/
2007-03-27 10:09:16 · answer #1 · answered by RedPower Woman 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's just hard to change a school's mascot once it's been around for so long. The mascots were generally chosen before society realized this wasn't such a swell idea.
Newer schools do not choose Native Americans or caricatures of them as mascots.
I've only been a Trojan and a Tiger.
2007-03-27 05:09:31 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Most universities are pulling their Native American mascots, but I think it is a great way to pay tribute to the Native Americans that were in those parts way before us white folks. Sometimes we forget to think about that. Maybe it will make people think about what was there before them. The Junior Highs in my area, Washington State, all pay tribute to local native American with their school names & mascots and no one around here seems to have a problem with it.
2007-03-27 05:10:22 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
It isn't. Most decent schools have changed their racist mascots. However not all are racist or stereotypes. Some are based on respect for Native Peoples as powerful and people to be looked up to and emulated. I know that the Florida State Seminoles are trying to keep their mascot with the input and blessing of the Seminole tribe. They have, from day one, gotten input from the Seminole people in regards to their mascot.
2007-03-27 05:21:04 · answer #4 · answered by FTW 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Actually in the next town over from where I live, the team was the Scarborough Red Skins. They changed the name and mascot because of complaints.
2007-03-27 05:10:49 · answer #5 · answered by a_poor_misguided_soul 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ummmm its not that is why they are forcing many colleges to retire 80yr old mascots and such! Read the news -- look it up on google.
And its freaking bull -- its not an insult -- it should give natives a little pride that a school or any institution would honor them by saying we are the warriors or whatever we can win with our strength and pride!!! People are way too sensitive these days in my opinion!
2007-03-27 05:24:38 · answer #6 · answered by Okaydokay21 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Because most people don't understand that wearing of certain things like feather headdresses, is sacred and only certain people can do it in the Native American culture. They also don't realize that dances are also sacred and religious.
The typical American thinks they're somehow honoring Native Americans when really they're making a mockery of what they hold sacred. I really don't know who to blame for it because in school we don't really learn about Native American culture so it's hard to understand how the things we do are offensive.
2007-03-27 05:12:24 · answer #7 · answered by Serenity 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Thank you for asking this!
I am so angry. I have personally boycotted many teams, college and pro, because of this.
Yesterday I saw in the paper about a male fan, a BROTHER Black Man (I am black), of the Washington Redskins, mourning Crazy Ray, the great fan of the Cowboys, with a chieftain headdress on! I was so mad! How dare he do this?
I don't take kindly to insults. No one should insult anybody. I was pissed when everyone was calling the Irish drunks and talking about my people and this pisses me off too!
Thank you for reminding me that those of us who care need to step up the campaign to end this BS of having Native Americans be ridiculed.
****I never really answered your question, sorry...it is because people don't think about what they are doing and want to keep with traditions, no matter what, even if they are disrespectful...if we put their families on display like that it would be a new day!***
2007-03-27 05:11:48 · answer #8 · answered by soulflower 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because it is. Notre Dame uses Fighting Drunk Irishmen for gods sake. The Irish dont cry about it. Most of the mascots that use Native Americans are not insulting they are complementary
2007-03-27 05:07:52 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
Using Whites as mascots is ok too. There's the Minnesota Vikings and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
2007-03-27 05:17:14 · answer #10 · answered by thetruth_00 1 · 1⤊ 2⤋