Indian mascots, symbol of racism?

[Mr. Baseball]

Over the years, Indian mascots are starting to disappear from the sports world due to some considering them to be "racist" and "disgraceful towards Native American people". The reason I'm bringing this topic up is because I was with my twelve year old nephew this weekend for a family get to together, and he was telling us that his teacher is making them write a report on how Indian mascots are disrespectful and racist towards the Native American culture.



How dumb is today's society? Even just a few years ago, college's and high school's across the state of Wisconsin were forced to remove their Indian mascots from their schools. I just don't understand it...

Are the Cleveland Indians next on the list? Something tells me that in ten years, there may not be a Cleveland Indians franchise. Maybe the Cleveland Puppies?

http://indianmascots.com/
http://www.aimovement.org/ncrsm/

[RickD]

I hate political correctness sometimes. Maybe they should look at it as an honor instead of an insult. They are nut using the image in an insulting or disrespectful way. Why not look at it as honoring the great warrior spirit of native Americans!

[Mr. Baseball]

I hate political correctness sometimes. Maybe they should look at it as an honor instead of an insult. They are nut using the image in an insulting or disrespectful way. Why not look at it as honoring the great warrior spirit of native Americans!

Quite honestly, it's just a band of geeks getting together and wanting to do something to change sports because they still have hard feelings about not making their little-league team in third grade.

[Mudge]

Personally, I don't care for the name The Indians (they should still be the Spiders in my book), and I have even less of a problem with the Braves.

The Redskins on the other hand; sorry, but that's another story.

[JoshRedcay]

Well that's todays society, everything must be politically correct. It's very annoying and way out of hand.

[Mudge]

Well that's todays society, everything must be politically correct. It's very annoying and way out of hand.

Have to disagree on this one. RE: Redskins; I'm not sure, for example, that the "Darkies" or the "White Folks" would be tolerable.

[LetsPlay2]

The point isn't if whether or not we think it's offensive.... it's whether Native Americans find it offensive.

A large number of Native Americans nowadays live near or under the poverty line on patches of wasteland that the US Government ordered them to live on. If I knew that the descendants of that society (let's be honest, a society of caucasians) took that land and made it their own, and purposely left some scraps and labeled them "reservations", I'd be pretty unhappy about any organization using it as a mascot.... especially when they are making money off of it.

Just my $.02....

[Old Sweater]

I guess some Native Americans would find a big toothy Indian very offensive.

I myself find the tomohawk chop very offensive. Or just plain dumb.

My hometown of Pueblo<very Indian name in itself, changed their name to Timberwolves for their college teams. Adams State in Alamosa also changed their name. Here in Arvada the HS changed their name to Reds instead of Redskins, but the little town of La Veta where my folks is from still goes by Redskins.

[Mickey Mental]

I'm part Native American and neither the Indians or the Redskins name offends me. I think the only thing about the Redskins that would offend me was the fact that they wouldn't allow any black players until something like 1962.

[yankeebiscuitfan]

I can understand that the name Redskins may be offensive to some. But what is wrong with the nickname Indians? Even the logo, a cartoon character Indian head doesn't do any harm IMHO.
A team should never change the name under political pressure. That has happened once during the McCarthy years, when the Reds changed their name into Redlegs just to avoid any prosecution of being communist.

When you look at the issue the way LP2 does, I think American natives have a point. But I think that the political correctness has gone over the top.