For the past few decades there has been a debate raging in American sports culture about the use of Native American names in sports. Teams like the Washington Redskins and several other professional and college teams have been criticized for using Native American names as mascots and team names. Some people criticize the names and say that it’s offensive and demeaning and should be changed. Others say that the names honor Native American heritage have been a team tradition for many years and should not be changed. Sports teams should not use Native American names as trademarks or mascots because they promote negative stereotypes of Native Americans in society. These stereotypes reinforce negative views of Native Americans in society. These stereotypes can harm Native Americans by keeping these stereotypes alive in society. This creates negative impacts on Natives when they see these stereotypes . First , Native American names should not be used in sports because they promote negative views of Native …show more content…
Other teams around the nation have gotten rid of the symbols that are offensive.According to the Syracuse University archives the athletic teams used to be named after an offensive Native American stereotype called the Orangemen . After decades of criticism the university decided to change it’s name to just simply the Orange. The school rebrand was seen as an attempt to remove the negative and stereotypical depiction of Native Americans . Despite this the school continues to uphold their traditions without the name. Other schools have done the same throughout the nation as well removing their offensive symbols. According to USA Today.com several schools have made the change . This shows that schools are starting to realize that these symbols are offensive and demeaning and are coming around on this
Asian Americans could be represented by logos that have slanted eyes, buck teeth, big glasses. Churchill continues by saying there are white teams that are centered on ethnicity but could be renamed. The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame can be called “Drunken Irish”. Churchill even includes gender and sexual preference like the St. Louis “Sluts,” or Detroit “Dykes,” Churchill says, “None of this is demeaning or insulting, at least now when it’s being done to Indians.” He explains why there are demeaning names and symbols used.
In “Is the College Use of American Indian Mascots Racist,” the accord to the dispute was that it is okay to use American Indians as mascots if the
When people talk about mascots being named after Indian cultures they think that the Indians being recognized should feel honored. However, when that team plays their rival the other fans are taught to hate those people causing them to hear hateful and degrading comments throughout their lives. “If it’s the team’s tradition, then it’s a legacy of bigotry.” (Wulf). People don’t show respect for Native Americans they use them to create a profit.
In the case of the Washington Redskins, the owner Dan Synder is opposed to changing the name, claiming that the name is not offensive but very respectful and honors the people Indigenous to America (Martinez). “The Redskins have said that the name, adopted in 1933, was chosen because American Indians were brave and strong”(Belson). Implying that Synder feels that the name is associated with gallantry and warrior quality and feels that the word isn’t racist at all. He feels that because the fan yell “Hail Redskins” that this also conveys how the name is and example of honor and not disrespect (Martinez). He has also gone on record saying that he will never change the teams name, which he can legally due because of the teams trademark (Martinez and Belson).
he past 40 years have witnessed an increase of Asian athletes in American sports. In addition to their low population, earlier Asians lived in an era when racial discrimination and oppression impeded their access into sports (Zhao & Park, 2013). Asians had been discriminated against since the arrival of Chinese immigrants as cheap labor for the railroad and mining industries during the mid-1800s. This discrimination became more obvious during World War II when thousands of mostly Japanese Americans were forced out of their properties, separated from family and friends, and placed in internment camps. There they were subject to horrific living conditions, extreme deprivation and brutality.
"The team and its leaders are so obsessed with clinging to a dictionary-defined racial slur that they are willing to abandon their hometown and local fans in order to continue degrading Native Americans," said Joel Barkin, spokesman for the grassroots campaign. "Now that Bruce Allen has been relieved of day-to-day responsibilities as general manager he must have a lot of free time on his hands to double down on this racist moniker and try to figure out what to do about Native Americans returning donations from the team. Unfortunately, Bruce Allen, team owner Dan Snyder and the Washington team fail to understand that you cannot buy acceptance of continued racism. The Washington Redskins football team through the years has been put under increasing pressure to change its name in order to stop causing offense to Native
These are all teams that have stereotypes. If a team name, mascot, or insignia is offensive, then just change it; it is just a sports team. Even if a team changes it, it is not like every jock, or sports fan is not going to know theyour new name, mascot, or insignia. Using Native American images and names in professional, collegiate, and high school sports teams do reinforce and perpetuate stereotypes because the mascots and team names give stereotypical features. These stereotypes are mainly coming from mascots.
Native Americans are the victims of racism since the early years and it needs to change. Native American names for sports teams are now being changed, but some team names are not changing. The Washington Redskins team name at first glance would not seem to be offensive in any way but if you know the meaning of the word Redskin it would be. The word Redskin was invented by the people who would torture and skin Native Americans to use their skin as clothing items and because their skin was red and bloody the name redskins stuck. In addition mascot names are also causing Native Americans trouble.
Recently, the use of controversial words has become a heavily debated topic and has gained international attention as seemingly truthful statements to some, cause insult to others. The Times article "Why 'Redskins' Is a Bad Word", by acclaimed linguist and professor John McWhortor, was published around the time the use of the word Redskin was being debated. In the article, McWhortor aims to clarify the condemnation of the word Redskin, by suggesting that the offence does not stem from the literal definition of such words, but instead the negative and often derogatory connotations the words have. McWhorter begins by introducing the recent discussions surrounding the use of the word Redskins, especially the actions taken by Californian schools
The Impact of Stereotyping on Aboriginals First of all, what are Aboriginal stereotypes? Aboriginal stereotypes are the negative depictions of the First peoples prior to Columbus. Also, the stereotypes served as an imprint on society as to what an Aboriginal First Nation is ‘supposed’ to look like. Some examples of these stereotypes are; Still live in Igloos or Tipi; The Indian Princess; the noble savage; the Native Warrior; the drunk; the wise elder; and etc.
Over the past few years, the controversy over sports names or mascots has increasingly become an uproar. The main sports teams being targeted due to controversial mascots are programs having names that deal with Native Americans. Well known programs, such as, the Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, and the Washington Redskins are just a few of the many teams being targeted due to controversial team names and/or mascots. Currently, the Redskins are receiving the most heat from racial groups. However, professional sport teams are not the only teams receiving negative remarks; there are well known colleges that are also receiving huge blows for racial symbols.
After all, many believe that “It confuses my race with a brand name” (Anderson). Anderson’s matter is important because it proves that with any positive connotation, there comes a negative. He acknowledges that mascots were created as racial stereotypes. Anderson himself writes, “Instead of Snyder suggesting the “Indians” have bigger problems than the name of his team, I challenge him to focus on winning, not just football games but also an opportunity for me to simply sit with my grandchildren to watch my former team without having to cut through racial stereotypes” (Anderson). Anderson contradicts himself here because he can’t have it both ways.
Racial Discrimination in Baseball David Odom English 7-8 Argument Research Paper Professor Yoder Abstract This paper will talk about Racial Discrimination in baseball. More specifically how blacks in the early 1900s where discriminated against because of there color, the teams that the African Americans formed, one of the best African American baseball players of all time Andrew "Rube" Foster, why racial discrimination is wrong, why some believe that racial discrimination is right, and finally what the Holy Bible has to say about it. Introduction
Native Americans and Popular Stereotypes Stereotyping others is a huge problem in society today, and Native Americans are no exception to this problem. According to Shusta et al. , (p. 230, 2015) many people in the United States sense that Native Americans were not treated with dignity in U.S. history, but many are not aware of the extent of current societal prejudices against them.
Schools and professionals sports teams with mascots, chants, and team names that contain racial slurs or insulting caricatures relating to Native American should change their names because they are offending and demeaning to groups of people who have been insulted and abused since people first started settling this continent, their people’s home for millennia. Unlike African Americans who have also been under social ridicule, Native Americans have never had the numbers or a loud enough voice to inspire a change in the way people treat them. The Native American people have been culturally scarred by the treatment of their ancestors and have to hear people cheer for the “Redskins”, a word originally used when encouraging people to bring in Indians scalps for a reward, it only cuts the wound deeper. However in a country where the white majority has never had to deal with persecution on this level find it hard to relate to the Native American