The Debate Over Native American Mascots
The debate to get rid of mascots that depict the names of the Native Americans has been on the air for some time. Most of the teams in sports have applied the mascots claiming that it is a symbol of respect to the indigenous generations that lived in the country ages before and had to brave the punitive conditions imposed upon them by the European colonialists (Whiteside 66). Another group argues that the idea of using the names that refer to the Indians is stereotypic and borders on racism. The fact that the names mention certain aspects of the culture and seem to embrace mockery is the greatest concern to the affected population. Teams such as Cleveland Indians and Washington Redskins though thought to be advancing unity and honor to the natives only tend to heighten segregation and contention. Both arguments bear potent reasoning except that the concept should be evaluated from its origins.
Escalating Concerns and Hatred
According to the New York Times published in 2016, the concern about the use of names and imagery was escalating and breeding hatred among the citizens of the country. For example, the display of a whooping gesture was most intimidating to the native population (The New York Times n.p.). With the aim of cultivating tranquility and cohesiveness, the persistent employment of mascots that target the native population will only work towards limiting the achievement of that goal. Respect is an important virtue that helps with the development of mutual understanding among individuals and reduces the instances of racial segregation or the depiction of the same (Whiteside 68). Since the 1960's the concern has been registered in several states and the government has been pursuant to the course of abolishing the use of all forms of imagery deemed to stereotypic.
California State's Action
California State became the first to eliminate the use of the word "Redskins" in their schools. Representatives of the Native Americans have been in the limelight trying to defend their position by stating that the mascots are dehumanizing. As a result, their continuous use draws them back to the centuries of turmoil and they foresee the possibility of being sidelined in the course of policy making (Whiteside 70). However, school managers to counteract the plea of the Native Indians have cited that racism is not an issue that should be linked to the mascots. In sporting, the perpetrators of the use of mascots claim that they are vital in capturing the support of this population towards the teams. Conversely, questions have been raised as to why the other ethnic groups are never a center of attraction when it comes to this area.
Seeking National Outlook and Patriotic Support
There exists a multitude of options to choose from names that could give teams the national outlook and command patriotism from supporters. The use of mascots seems to be ill-favored and an instigator of racism. It is paramount that the states that are looking forward to upholding the rights of every individual that resides in them abolish the use of mascots and other forms of intimidating imagery. Recently, most schools and teams have responded positively to the grievances of the Indian population even without external coercion (The New York Times n.p.). The advances are promising but there needs to be legislation that advocates for the ban in a bid to hasten the process. Moreover, it is not enough to have the use of mascots banned but the policy should also be reinforced.
Works Cited
McPhate, Mike. Carlifornia Today: The Debate over Indian Mascots and Imagery. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/22/us/california-today-indian-school-mascots.html. Accessed on 22nd September 2016.
Whiteside, Erin. "Politics in the Toy Box: Sports Reporters, Native American Mascots, and the Roadblocks Preventing Change." International Journal of Sport Communication 9.1 (2016): 63-78.
