Mascot or racist symbol? Should Indians be used as mascots?  Why do you think so?

Different Opinions

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What Is Your Opinion?

Opinion Board

I think that using Native American images for sports teams, etc. is wrong.
Victor, Stanford

I THINK THAT THEY ARE OK BUT I DON'T LIKE TO LEARN ABOUT THEM
PIERRE RAMSEY 5TH

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE INDIANS SO I CANT JUDGE THEM.
RUEBEN RODRIGUEZ 5TH

I think the Clevland Indians should get a new mascot.
John, 7th grade

I don't like the Indians because they can not do the Stone Cold stuner
Brian Ross 5th

The list of why mascots of Indians runs on and on. One main reason I like to tell people why it is offensive, is when sports teams have a Native American related name and cartoons are made often showing the Indian getting beat up, etc...Or slogans such as we will " Beat those Indians"- stuff like that. Very demoralizing.. Peace
James, 11th

I don't think that Indians should be used as mascots. They are humans just like anybody else. I would not want to be used as a mascot.
Yael Greenberg, 4th grade

I don't think any racist images should be used as mascots, but if they agree to spread the honor--when we have the Washington Blackskins or the San Francisco Chinks or the Los Angeles Chicanos--I'll shut my mouth. Nobody would consider anything like that, but it's okay to treat Indian culture as something other than human.
Pat Merzlak, Nurse

I think that the people that made the mascot, weren't trying to hurt the Indians feelings.
Carli 5th Grade

I think it's not right. They're people too. Also they should have a say in what they want.
Diana 5th Grade

I think the Indians are cool but the Dogers could still win them
Daniel Hernandez Grade: 3rd

From reding all the coments in these page I am sadden by the rididculos personal offense some people take. It is Ok to have indian symbols, it makes us be out there. The only people who are offended are the people who feel ashame or do not understand, because if they would they would understand what's real or not, what is fun and serious.
Carlos Montes 12

I think that the mascot is fine. I t has nothing to do with racism and the people who think it does need to get a life. The symbol has nothing to do with indians of the past generation
Megan Kinney 7

I think that it is okay because we are not using them in a mean and racist way. We think that the indians should be honored that we use this symbol because we honor it. We also honor the indians for all that they have done.
erica Douglas 7th grade

It is not racist at all. It is just a mascot. Who really cares anyway it looks really cool.
Jason Sharratt and Brandon Brown, 7th Grade

i think that we should not be offended by mascots. it is just a team symbol and really does not mean any thing.all the good teams have an indian mascot so we should be all proud.
sarena and erin,7

I think it is ok that they have Chief Wahoo as the Indians team mascot. I think that the Native Americans should be honored to have a mascot after them. If they are proud of who and what they are then they shouldn't mind. I do not understand why it would even be considered as a racial problem. We are the Indians.
Allison and Jessica seventh grade

It is not racist at all. It is just a mascot. Who really cares anyway it looks really cool.
Jason Sharratt and Brandon Brown, 7th Grade

I think it's not racist! There is nothing wrong with using a little cute indian face. It's been our mascot for a long time and have we ever thought of doing anything disrespectful to any indians?? It's just a cartoon character! We have nothing against indians. Sooo quit making a big deal over nothing and use your time doing something useful for a change.
stacy and meghan, 7th

We feel that the people who are against this mascot should actually be honored that we picked this symbol to represent our team. We can tell what the Native Americans feel. We understand that they don't like how it looks. They may feel as if we are mocking them with this symbol.
Katie & Christine 7 th

I think it is fine to use an indian as a mascot because it shows no racism what so ever. This is just a nice way of symbolizing indians. Its not like they made this symbol to be an insult to indians. Now if there was an indian shooting an arrow then it would be an insult to indians because you would be calling them savages. I think the mascot is a perfect symbol. I think they should stick to it because there is no racism what so ever.
David 1 & 2, 7th

Sometimes it is easier to see racism in other cultures than it is to see it in our own.   Nevertheless, the mascots are inappropriate, derogatory and demeaning.  I look forward to the day when they are illegal.
karen

For all of those who believe we should be proud of having our image twisted and contorted
and used as a mascot, isn't it time to share this "honor" with those of other ethnic
backgrounds? I am in agreement with Pat Merzlak. I am very proud of my Anishnabe
heritage and it hurts to think that there are people in this country who believe that the wild
antics of Chief Wahoo pay tribute to my Ancestors, who were removed from Illinois at
gunpoint and "relocated" onto reservations. Is the lesson of Littleton, the targeting and
murder of others who aren't "us", never to be learned?
Susan, Historian

our opinion is that who cares about them.it's their faultif they tack things real.

I don't see why Indians should be used as mascots, so long as the picture is not degrading, like the comical one. My high school's mascot is the Chief (Santa fe Chieft). Everyone at my school is proud to be a chieftan. we dont' look at it as disrespecting american indians. we look toward the chieftan head as representing pride.
christine, 12th

Jonathan grade 5

I thinkthey should not change the name but they should build a statue for them.
Jonathan grade 5

I thinkthey should not change the name but they should build a statue for them.
Jonathan grade 5

Native americans aren't supposed to be called Indians anyway... I think, along with many others, that the name should be changed... I dont think any of the players on the Indians are Native American anyway
Erin Flanagin Grade 7

Native americans aren't supposed to be called Indians anyway... I think, along with many others, that the name should be changed... I dont think any of the players on the Indians are Native American anyway
Erin Flanagin Grade 7

I am a current citizen of the muscogee nation. I have friends that are native american and we attend pow-wows regularly. For a over a hundred years our culture has been stripped from us. Now, we get some health care and other things. Many of you probably think we don't deserve. Think about this though. Its a little like stealing someone's wallet then giving it back to them cause..."Your a nice guy." Do you expect us to thank you for striping away our culture...something we will never get back? Yet, we are the only race that the nation feels is ok to mock/insult/and persecute. Do you think a picture of a big nosed indian for the cleveland indians logo is honorable? Its desgusting and racist. Thoughts like that are RESPONSIBLE FOR GENOCIDE.
Anthony Towry , 12

Most mascots are symbols of animals and usually take on the best qualities of that animal. Or they are representative of a group of people with the same interests such as the Forty-niners, any one could be a forty-niner, they do not represent a certain race. What other group of people have been used as names, for cars, trucks, RV's baseball teams, football teams, cities, counties, and the list goes on and on. It's a disgrace that we have allowed this to happen to such a dignified people. I could never support a team with a Native American name nor would I ever buy a vehicle named in the same fashion. PS I am not Native American
Rovina Salinas

I really dont care because it dont matter what people do or say. It is what comes from the heart. Everyone should just mind their own business. ps. im an indian from oklahoma and my favorite baseball team is the Atlanta braves. You dont see me complaining do you? Nope didnt think so. Its all good and indians should be proud and honored to have a team named indians or what ever. After all what harm is it doing?
annonimous

Mascots using Indigenous Americans and their culture are sort of built into the "system software" in the brains of Euro Americans (and wannabe EuAs). Of course it's gross and racist - if you get it. We are not commodities, we are not the land you stole, usually in utter violation of your own laws and treaties, it IS NOT OK if some nincompoop gets off on a caricature, it is, instead, deameaning and goes against all the so called principles of EuA culture, equality, justice, and so on - its dirty secret - maybe that's why some are outraged that we raise the issue. Niawen:kowa Russ Imrie Mohawk, Kahnawake
Russell Imrie (Univ of Calif)

As a graduate of another Asheville area high school, I can be objective about this subject. The whole mascot debate is a sad cry for attention. Mascots are chosen to promote the teams as powerful and dominant. They aren't chosen as an insult to any race or creed. Should most of the American public raise hell over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish because the mascot caricature is "unattractive" or "demeaning"? No. Should the day come that we have completely inanimate objects as our symbol of school or team pride? Modern technology is taking most of the "humaness" out of the world so why is it such a problem for us to use (con't)

(con't) Why is is such an insult to adopt a human figure as the symbol of our team pride? Should we do away with the Tuscola Mountaineers, Madison Patriots, McDowell Trojans? Why not? Aren't they also "gross" depictions of some human being? Can anyone see how out of hand this is? Quit crying about petty things and fight for things that really count. According to a 1989 graduate of Erwin, their Native American "mascot" volunteered for the position, proudly wore his ceremonial dress and even brought his own horse. Was that racism against himself?
Melanie - Freshman, ABTCC & MHC

(con't) Why is is such an insult to adopt a human figure as the symbol of our team pride? Should we do away with the Tuscola Mountaineers, Madison Patriots, McDowell Trojans? Why not? Aren't they also "gross" depictions of some human being? Can anyone see how out of hand this is? Quit crying about petty things and fight for things that really count. According to a 1989 graduate of Erwin, their Native American "mascot" volunteered for the position, proudly wore his ceremonial dress and even brought his own horse. Was that racism against himself?
Melanie - Freshman, ABTCC & MHC

(con't) Why is is such an insult to adopt a human figure as the symbol of our team pride? Should we do away with the Tuscola Mountaineers, Madison Patriots, McDowell Trojans? Why not? Aren't they also "gross" depictions of some human being? Can anyone see how out of hand this is? Quit crying about petty things and fight for things that really count. According to a 1989 graduate of Erwin, their Native American "mascot" volunteered for the position, proudly wore his ceremonial dress and even brought his own horse. Was that racism against himself?
Melanie - Freshman, ABTCC & MHC

This is a digrace to the Native Americans
Camp Sertoma

I couldn't agree more. As an Irish American I am upset with the Univ of Notre Dame. They should get rid of their mascot too! The Fighting Irish is a racial insult to all Irish Americans!!! If you haven't guesse yet --- it's all sarcasm. Getting rid of the Fighting Irish is just as dumb as getting rid of the Cleveland Indian mascot.
Joe, Teacher

Why is it still acceptable to use racist terms when considering native americans? I dare any team to try the same thing using ANY racist term associated with either white black peoples...I.E. The Detroit Dagos, or the Florida Faggots. It wouldnt work. The owners and supporter of teams utilizing derogatory names are racists....simply put!
Merritt Bumpas, Mgmt

Take a look at the portrayal of Japanese and Germans on some of the WWII propaganda posters sometime, and then take a look at these images of Native American mascots again. Do you see any similarities? Gross distortions of the images project into our minds, subconciously, that the people are not human, that they are monsters. Those guys making the propaganda posters weren't stupid. They knew about human psychology and how to play on peoples fears. I find the mascots very offensive. Whats more appalling is that despite peoples protest, these teams are doing nothing about changing their images. It's a slap in the face to Native Americans everywhere. I believe that the creators of the images may not have been conciously aware that they were being racist (who knows?) but the fact is that they have offended people. If ONE natyive American says "Hey that image offends me" then they should change it, period.
Brian Nichols Teacher

Take a look at the portrayal of Japanese and Germans on some of the WWII propaganda posters sometime, and then take a look at these images of Native American mascots again. Do you see any similarities? Gross distortions of the images project into our minds, subconciously, that the people are not human, that they are monsters. Those guys making the propaganda posters weren't stupid. They knew about human psychology and how to play on peoples fears. I find the mascots very offensive. Whats more appalling is that despite peoples protest, these teams are doing nothing about changing their images. It's a slap in the face to Native Americans everywhere. I believe that the creators of the images may not have been conciously aware that they were being racist (who knows?) but the fact is that they have offended people. If ONE natyive American says "Hey that image offends me" then they should change it, period.
Brian Nichols Teacher

Take a look at the portrayal of Japanese and Germans on some of the WWII propaganda posters sometime, and then take a look at these images of Native American mascots again. Do you see any similarities? Gross distortions of the images project into our minds, subconciously, that the people are not human, that they are monsters. Those guys making the propaganda posters weren't stupid. They knew about human psychology and how to play on peoples fears. I find the mascots very offensive. Whats more appalling is that despite peoples protest, these teams are doing nothing about changing their images. It's a slap in the face to Native Americans everywhere. I believe that the creators of the images may not have been conciously aware that they were being racist (who knows?) but the fact is that they have offended people. If ONE natyive American says "Hey that image offends me" then they should change it, period.
Brian Nichols Teacher

What's the big deal? Do the white people not like to hear about the Patriots or the Packers? Should all the whites in California get upset about the 49ers or the Raiders? Maybe all the Catholics and people from Spain should get upset about the Padres... I'm a Chiefs fan, and I think calling them the Chiefs adds dignity and prestige to the team!
Scott, Missouri

"Gross Depictions" come off it!!!! Boston Celtic mascot is a cute little cartoon caricature, and it doesn't seem to bother people. How 'bout the fat little San Diego Padre... But wait, he's white, so that's okay. (Although I probably just made all "size-inclined" people mad at me.) Just get off the high horse and get a life!!!!
Leland, teacher

I HAVE ALWAYS FOUND THEM DISAGREEABLE, THEY BELITTLE THE INDIANS, WHO HAVE SUCH A RICH CULTURAL HISTORY AND ARE DESERVING OF MORE RESPECT.
ELISE LAMOND GRADE 7

I HAVE ALWAYS FOUND THEM DISAGREEABLE, THEY BELITTLE THE INDIANS, WHO HAVE SUCH A RICH CULTURAL HISTORY AND ARE DESERVING OF MORE RESPECT. GREETINGS FROM AUSTRALIA, GREAT SITE.
ELISE LAMOND GRADE 7

i think people should learn to like the indians because they are a big part of american history
lynquay

i think people should learn to like the indians because they are a big part of american history and they are important in history and they still are important
lynquay

I belive that there is no problem with these images being an American Navajo Indian myself.

I THINK THAT IS PRETTY CUTE INDIAN IF THEY WANET AS A MASCOAT BECAUSE A INDIAN HAS A LOT OF PRAVORY.
ANDRES GUSMAN 14

indian mascoting is about as tasteful as if germany had a sports team named the Jews and had a smiling Hassidic Jew as a mascot.

I certainly don't and I don't think the majority of people associate bad connotations of any particular race with their favorite team mascots. I think most people simply think of the mascots as a traditional symbol to identify their favorite sports figures. I would be flattered to be associated with teams like the Atlanta Braves or the Cleveland Indians given their winning records over the last several years. Sports fans are too caught up in pennant races, stats, performances, and winning to get bogged down with deep social issues like you're talking about. They live for the GAME!!!
Danny Musick, Thomaston, GA.