Tomahawk racism out of sports teams! A fight over whether some names of sports Native Americans have been fighting for a while to change the racist Washington Redskins mascot. Native American groups are asking that Native Americans be recognized in all aspects of America’s system. Some Native American names already changed, but many still remain under debate. One Native American group is pushing hard for this racism to end by standing with protests, videos, and petitions.
The NFL doesn’t see how this logo could offend Native Americans because the team hasn’t received any complaints or negative feedback from Native Americans nationwide. It’s about time President Obama steps up and does something rather than talking about it. He needs to make an example out of this case because it is true racism towards Native Americans inside of America’s professional sports teams! Native Americans are not only Native Americans, they are people that should be treated like everyone else. Native Americans were the first people to live in America all those years ago.
Native Americans deserve respect, and it’s time for sports teams change their racist names before Native American tribes take legal action against them. Sarah Little Redfeather Kalmanson said, “I feel like this is our civil rights movement of the 21st century. ” Lawsuits should be filed against teams like Washington Redskins if they refuse to change their logo by Native American tribes because racism towards Native Americans should never exist! Why do white America think it’s okay to call Native Americans Redskin? It is just as bad as calling African-American a black person even though black is their skin color.
Native Americans are offended by this logo, and Native American students have a higher dropout rate because of how Native Americans were treated in the past. Native Americans have been forced to assimilate into white society for years now, and Native American mascots need to be banned from sports teams because it hurts Native American children inside. The Washington Redskins name needs changed immediately! Native America should not only receive respect but much needed change in our system towards Native Americans historically and presently!
It is upsetting Native Americans that the sports associations are an all-American thing, but Native Americans are not allowed to be associated with the sport with their kind of people. Native American mascots continue to minimize Native American history and culture in order for Native Americans to continue existing under racism. Native Americans have felt offended by this because they feel like they are being degraded by other people’s opinions, which continue to grow. Native American mascots do not allow Native Americans to participate in the same activities that others are able to participate in without an opinion of their Native American culture.
Native Americans have been pushed to the side for years, but no one has gone so far as removing their history and culture from society. Native American mascots are used in place of actual Native Americans in sports teams across America. These Native American mascots do not give Native children a chance to be proud of their heritage and culture because they could never live up to the “history and honor” that these Native American symbols bring with them. The Washington Redskins is the most popular Native American mascot in America.
However, many people feel that it should be changed due to its offensive nature toward Native Americans around the country. Many scholars believe that this specific mascot could open up old wounds because Native Americans would associate it with atrocities committed against their ancestors. Native Americans have been forced from their land, sent to boarding schools where they were taught English and Christianity, and many Native American women were taken from their homes and raped by white men .
Native American mascots only remind them of the hard times Native Americans had to live through. Native Americans were not given a choice when it came about creating these Native American symbols and mascots. The first Native American mascot was created around 1890 during a time in which Native Americans were thought of as savages . It became popular for college football teams to start using Native American mascots during the 1950s.
During this time, Native people started growing tired of how they were portrayed through these mascots (i. e. violent such as Chief Illiniwek, or cavemen such as the Washington Redskins). Native Americans wanted positive representation in society and they did not want to be associated with Native American mascots anymore. These Native American symbols do not properly represent Native Americans because there is no accuracy in depicting culture and history behind these Native American mascots (for example: The University of Illinois’ team name is the Chiefs; however there were no Native Americans around when European settlers came to America, therefore it is inaccurate).
In other cases, Native American mascots are direct representations of what certain teams think Native Americans should have looked like . It can even get more offensive if Native people hear how their language sounds since feathers on a mascot would sway from left to right to imitate “war paint. ” Native Americans are tired of not being portrayed correctly in society because Native American mascots only perpetuate the idea that Native Americans are history.
Native American history is still being rewritten today due to Native American mascots which makes it hard for Native children to learn about their culture because Native children have no role models. The Washington Redskins always bring up bad memories for Native Americans around the country, therefore they should be removed from society completely. When schools think about changing their racist Native American mascots, many people say “it’s tradition” and “Native Americans should be honored.
However, when America thinks about its bright future in education, one cannot look at the past when racism was taken lightly. Removing these stereotypical images will help Native Americans feel more comfortable when Native Americans are being portrayed in society. Native children should not have to grow up with Native American mascots that do not correctly represent Native Americans. Native American history, culture, and tradition is still being written today due to Native American mascots which will help Native youth better see themselves in years to come.
If America never changes its racist views toward Native Americans, then Native Americans would always be left behind when it came to education and representation in society. The Washington Redskins are a classic example of stereotypical “Indian” behavior . However, no other race has their race used as a mascot for sports teams across the nation. When one thinks about racism toward Native Americans today, they think back to the Washington Redskins because this was the most popular Native American mascot in sports. Native Americans should not have to be represented by a race other than their own.
Native American mascots only remind Native Americans of the past and Native American history. Native Americans should be able to look at society and feel proud about themselves instead of feeling shameful because these stereotypes continue to perpetuate the idea that Native Americans are history. As Native students enter college, they will have limited resources when it comes to being represented in a positive manner while attending college without having Native American stereotypes brought up (i. e. , Chief Illiniwek, Washington Redskins).
There was an incident during one football game where fans dressed like stereotypical Native Americans with brown paint on their face to “honor” Native Americans at the University of Illinois; Native Americans found this very offensive and Native American students were bullied by these fans. Native American mascots have no place in society today because Native Americans are still being ridiculed, misrepresented, and discriminated against due to Native American mascots. Native Americans should always be represented as Native Americans- not some distorted image that some team thinks Native Americans looked like.
