American Indian Mascots
By Camryn Sapetti & Noah Wilson
Thesis
Mascots resembling Native Americans are negative, and affect them psychologically. By using these stereotypical mascots, we are making fun of their Culture and traditions. Native Americans are attacked by uncomfortable mascots, making them thinking worse about themselves.
Indian Mascots are a negative representation of Indian Culture
Perspectives:
A Young American Boy: I don't understand, why my favorite baseball team, the Cleveland Indians are getting hate from people because they are called the Indians. I think Indians are cool and fierce warriors. Why do Indian people find this offensive? We are honoring them and find them very interesting. We named our baseball team after them! They should be happy. We are not trying to be rude, we still respect and honor them. Why can't they see that. Go Indians!!
Middle Aged African American Woman: I can understand all of the controversy over mascots. If a sports team had a mascot of Jim Crow, I think another world war would break out. That would not be accepted in the USA today, so why are the terms, "redskins" or "Indians"? These terms are offensive to their culture and are very negative towards a minority race. I can only imagine what the Indian people went through when the settlers moved out west. I have heard horror stories from my old relatives who fought in the civil rights movement. This was a different civil rights movement that is still in progress until we get justice for all and get rid of these offensive mascots.
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Top 5 Native American Mascot Names
Warriors
Indians
Raiders
Braves
Chiefs
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Survey from U of I students on Chief Illinwek Mascot
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Sources:
Accessed October 18, 2015.
2. "The 2,128 Native American Mascots People Aren’t Talking About." FiveThirtyEight. September 5, 2014. Accessed October 18, 2015.
3. Ajayi, Yele. "The Daily Illini: Volume 124 Issue 140." Issuu. April 17, 2013. Accessed October 18, 2015.
4. Moya-Smith, Simon. "Opinion: Native Americans: We're Not Your Mascots - CNN.com." CNN. May 19, 2014. Accessed October 18, 2015.
5. Locklear, Elizabeth. "Native American Mascot Controversy and Mass Media Involvement: How the Media Play a Role in Promoting Racism through Native American Athletic Imagery." Http://uncw.edu/. 2012. Accessed October 18, 2015.
6. Rose, Christine. "STAR - Understanding The American Indian Mascot Issue." STAR -
Understanding The American Indian Mascot Issue. 2008. Accessed October 18, 2015.