This next year many communities might lose their spirit with in. With a simple swipe of a pen people will lose their past. The argument over the mascot name change of the Redskin. Many people of “Change the Mascot! ” Campaign disagree with the “Redskin” name that it is a racial slur, and dishonoring there cultural background, although these schools have never dishonored the name but, support them, decorate their town in there colors, and mascot logo in respect we shouldn’t change the name because they are taking away from the community’s pride and tradition.
To many communities the redskin isn’t just there local grade school, high school, or college mascot but important symbol. The Redskin name has been a problem for over 50 years, so this isn’t a new problem. The term Redskin was first used in 1699 by the Europeans. They used this word to refer to the red pigment of their skin. The Europeans was the first to use this term the “Redskin”. Back then the Europeans would scalp the Redskins for fun. Then in the 1950’s and 1960’s the “Redskin” name was used as savage enemies in western films. This name does have a horrible history behind it.
This controversy has been going on for over 50 years and no one has paid attention until now. A group of Native Americans started a campaign called “Change the Mascot”. Most of the Native Americans that was in this campaign belong to the Oneida Indian Nation group. This Oneida Indian Nation group had a lot to say about this situation. Ray Halbritter, a representative for the Oneida Indian Nation said “The use of such an Offensive term has negative consequences for the Native American community when it comes to issues of self-identity and imagery. (Skinner). With this being said this issue spread to Native Americans everywhere and they would not stay quiet while others would disgrace their family’s ethnicity. Many non- Indians say they do not see the problem with this logo and think it’s respectful but they don’t agree.
“It is not up to non-Indians to define an idealized image of what it is to a Native American. The “positive” stereotypes allow fans and supports to honestly state that they are honoring Native Americans, but this is “… orcing your idea of what it is to honor those people onto them and that, fundamentally, is disrespectful. “‘” (Wikipedia). With this being said, have you ever seen a town or city disrespecting its own mascot? I don’t believe so. These community’s will decorate their main streets and there stores in this redskin logo in pride. They never saw it as a racial slur in any way but a symbol to support their community. This issue has caught many people’s attention including President candidate Jeb Bush the cousin of former President George Bush.
He saw no harm in the name and believes it should not be changed. The Oneida Indian Nation “Change the Mascot” campaign was very upset with Bush’s comment and had this to say towards Jeb Bush, ‘What is surprising is that in promoting the use of the slur, the governor somehow believes he speaks for Native Americans and can assert that Native American people do not find this slur offensive. He clearly is missing something. What is even more appalling is the governor’s declaration that because he personally doesn’t find this slur offensive, that makes it acceptable.
This should be very simple open-and-shut issue in the 2016 campaign: No presidential candidate should be promoting this racial slur against Native Americans. “(Kreps). Jeb Bushes thoughts does not mean that he was speaking for all Native Americans he was just stating his opinion on this topic. These groups of Native Americans refer to this word as a “racial slur” but this word has not been used in those contexts in over fifty years.
If this word has not been used in this context in over fifty years why are they bringing it up still? Meanings of words change over the years all he time so why is it still a problem if it is not referring to that past but as a logo of a sports team that everyone everywhere supports and decorate their towns and purchase merchandise to wear. Teams all over are going to have to change their name over the origin of a word from the late 1600’s. One of the main debates was the depute with the Oneida Indian Nation’s “Change the Mascot” campaign and the National Football League team the Washington Redskins. This was a huge problem because how can they completely change a national team like that?
This was a giant commotion for these fans. Especially for Mr. Dan Snyder, the owner of the Washington Redskins. Snyder has vowed to not change the name whether the law is passes or not to USA Today. (Kreps). The Oneida Indian Nation was outraged with Mr. Dan Snyder not willing to cooperate and agree with their beliefs. People all over where stunned and then many political cartoons of Snyder was made and most them making him seem racist and not aware of the old original meaning of the word but he is fully aware of it and got facts to back up his teams good name.
When Mr. Dan Snyder looked up the history of his team name he was thrilled, the Washington Redskins was named Redskins because there first coach was Native American and some of their players where as well. So therefore this name has a sentimental value to it and they are taking away from this team’s history. These fans have done nothing but support and uplift this name. These fans have done a great thing and turn this bad word into a positive one with nothing but honor and respect.
The Oneida Indian Nation should be proud of how we turned it around and made a positive outcome of this logo instead of tearing in back down. Then bringing up its nasty past it had with it to make it seem like we are making it dishonor there cultural background but in reality we tried making it better. Taking this name away from this team is taking away there spirit and it won’t be the same. There should be an exception to this because this shows that they named it after him for respect and honor of their first oach William Henry “Lone Star” Dietz. He coached from 1933 through 1934 when the Washington Redskins was still the Boston Redskins. Since this has had a lot of people upset many polls have been taken for the people’s opinion. None of these polls have stayed the same they have changed over these past years. Many varieties of polls have been taken of the people. There has been polls on the Washington Redskins Football fans and the players on the team what their thoughts where.
Some polls have been of just Native Americans as well but like I said before many of these polls have fluctuated. In 1992 ABC made a poll on if the name should the name stay or change seventy-one percent said they would keep it. According to ABC two-thirds of the public would keep the name. ESPN placed a poll for the public whether or not the Redskin name should be changed or not they talked about it on “Outside the Lines” which they talked about this special topic of the name controversy on a broadcast Tuesday night.
