Let's look at all sports team mascots. There
are only
three categories that almost all mascots fall
into.
1. Animals 2. Objects
3. 'Professions'
Some examples:
ANIMALS
Eagles, Bears,
Falcons, Lions, Tigers, Ravens, Bulls,
Wolverines, Cardinals,
Dolphins, Ducks, Jaguars etc.
OBJECTS
Pistons, Bullets,
Rockets, Suns, Jets, Red Sox, White
Sox, Stars, Rockies
etc.
PROFESSIONS
Packers, Kings,
Steelers, Spartans, Buccaneers,
Vikings, 49ers,
Cowboys, Rangers, Lakers etc.
Obviously there are exceptions.
Such as:
Bills (named after Buffalo
Bill), Redwings (could be an object
or an animal), Titans (a
large giant), Rockies (a mountain) etc.
But most teams fit the 3 categories. Now, a list
of
'Indian' team names/mascots....
Chiefs, Braves,
Indians, Redsk**s, Fighting Illini, Chippewas,
Savages, Seminoles,
Warriors, Redmen, Chieftains etc.
So which category do these fit
into? Simple, none
of the above! These
names/mascots fall into the
category: RACIAL.
It may be argued that the
names 'Chiefs', 'Warriors'
and 'Chieftains' fit
into the 'PROFESSIONS'
category. Allow me to
explain why they don't.
When
you think of a 'warrior', what's the first image that pops
into
your mind? How about a 'chief' or a 'chieftain'? These
3
terms are nearly always applied to American Indian people.
Take
some time to investigate the antics and images of teams
that
use these names/mascots. I have yet to find one team
using
one of these names that isn't up to their ears in the use
of
highly offensive racially geared antics and images. It is
due
to this strong racially offensive connection that I tie
these
3 team names/mascots to the 'RACIAL' category.
American Indians are a race of people, not
ANIMALS, OBJECTS, or 'PROFESSIONS'.
So how does this equate to racial oppression?
Allow me to explain....
Let
me begin by addressing the obvious first. The
terms
'reds**n' and 'brave' are, by their definition
alone,
racial slurs. 'Reds**n' is a historic word
which
came into use during the times when Indian
men,
women and children were hunted like animals
and
murdered, then scalped. These scalps or
'redsk**s'
were then turned in for a bounty. The
term
'brave' is a demeaning word used for many
centuries
in reference to Indian men. It stems
from
the once popular belief that Indians were
less
than human. Indian men were also referred
to as 'bucks', and Indian women as 'does.' These
terms dehumanize and insult. The continued use of
these demeaning words leads me to believe that this
'less than
human' belief still exists today....
These 'Indian' mascots/team
names oppress Indian
people. They
oppress because they continue in the
use of extreme negative
stereotypical antics, words
and images.
Antics like the 'tomahawk-chop', mock
'Indian war-chants',
non-Indians painting their faces
and dressing-up like
'Indians', mascots performing
mock 'Indian' dances
or throwing fiery spears etc..
Indian
children cannot possibly look at a stadium full of
thousands
of people mocking their ethnicity and making
fun
of their traditions and feel good about being Indian. This
is
what 'Indian mascots' do. They glorify all the stupid old
stereotypes
and steal the pride our children could have in
the
beauty of their race. They insult the entire Indian race.
Insulting
an entire race.... the very real definition of racism....
RACIAL should not be a sports team name/mascot
category. Did you know that Irish people, not
so
long ago, fought Notre Dame about the harmful
use of the name 'Fighting Irish'? So
you see, this
issue is not exclusively an Indian issue. Many
thousands of institutions, grade-school, collegiate
and professional, have made the decision to do
the right thing and remove their RACIAL names
in exchange for names that fall into the three
categories above. It is the morally right choice.
We
are people. Not objects for America's
amusement.
We have been idealized, demonized
and
romanticized by America long enough. It must
stop.
We are NOT 'honored'. We are DIS-honored
and
DISrespected. Treat us as people, not as
infallible,
mighty, powerful, glamorous romantic
'warriors'
straight out of a hollywood fantasy movie.
We're
just PEOPLE. And we demand to be treated so.
"I believe that the hidden agenda behind Indian mascots
and logos is about cultural, spiritual, and intellectual
exploitation. It's an issue of power and control.
These
negative ethnic images are driven by those that want
to define other ethnic groups and control their
images. To me, power and control is the ability
to
make you believe that someone's truth is the absolute
truth. Furthermore, it's the ability to define
a reality
and to get other people to affirm that reality as if
it
were their own. As long as such negative mascots
and logos remain within the arena of school
activities, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous
children are learning to tolerate racism in schools."
Excerpt from an article by Dr. Cornel Pewewardy
Comanche/Kiowa
It is my hope that
these honest words have touched
your heart and made
common sense to you. Racism
is racism, no matter
how 'attractive' one makes it
look. Pilamaye
(Thank you) for taking the time to
read this material.
Stop in again, as updates to this
section of Native
Circle will be made regularly.
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