The Pros And Cons Of Cultural Stereotyping

Stereotyping wasn't a big problem when living in Texas. Living in Wisconsin was a whole different story. People find it offensive, and it could end up being racist. Always remember what is being said to others and how careful one has to be. Even if they know what people are saying just for fun and no harm is intended, people can take it to another measure. Nothing shouldn't be done period and we shouldn't allow it.

     Many people do not consider themselves supporting Native American mascots that depict them in a bad manner. But when people walk around with a Atlanta Braves shirt on with a Indian with a tomahawk in his hand, it is degrading to the Indians. It is stereotyping them. School mascots and Sports team’s mascots are named after groups of people for no reason known. Notre Dame was founded by Irish Catholics, but their sports team was named the Fighting Irish. The name Fighting Irish has nothing to do with the Irish Catholics, it depicts them in a wrong way.(Price, 3). Team names can be changed to similar names that do not depict certain groups of people. Like the Redskins can be called the Red Hawks or the

“To remember who you are, you will need to forget what society has tried to teach you to be...culture matters. Be proud.” These words from an unknown Native American about one major subject: Native American culture. The beliefs of Native culture have been with Native people for as long as they have lived. They believe in sacred acts that have supported and healed Natives and better their heritage. Then Whites began to make American Indian mascots to “honor” Natives. They have had a purpose to honor Natives, but have recently shown a bias towards Natives. Over the past 30 years, there has been a national argument between non-natives and Natives as to whether school and professional sports teams should use Native American imagery as their mascots,

Stereotyping and discrimination are very deeply ingrained in American culture. Even though there have been movements taken to combat stereotyping and discrimination such as the Civil Rights Movement, the Women’s Rights movement, and the Black Lives Matter Movement, it still exists. This raises the question of, how do we end it? While there is no definite answer there is a way to avoid stereotyping and discrimination. The three essayists Bharati Mukherjee, Judith Ortiz Cofer, Brent Staples and show that by learning about stereotyping, people can also learn how to change themselves to avoid discrimination based on stereotypes. By comparing and contrasting these essayists experiences as well as outside research to show the theme of why people

Chiefs, Braves, Redskins, and more have been the mascots for schools, and sports teams for over 60 years. Countless universities throughout the U.S withhold Native American logos, whom many take offense to, while others believe it’s an honor. Current Events magazine (Doc 1), Oregonlive.com article (Doc 5), and Dan Snyder (video) all come to a consensus that Native American mascots represent and glorify rather than slur and insult. With this, The best approach to this situation is to allow the sports teams and schools to choose their mascots for themselves.

Sports teams across the country are all represented by a mascot. A mascot is used in a variety of ways, but mainly to represent a team’s identity and motivate both players and fans alike to bring out the competitive spirit. Many teams are represented with normal names and themes, while some are more controversial such as the Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Blackhawks, Cleveland Indians, Florida State Seminoles, Atlanta Braves, and Washington Redskins (to name a few). A prickly topic for years, even decades the usage of Native American mascots continues to strike controversy in fans, players, alumni, as well as disinterested fans. Depending on who you talk to, it’s a stain on the organizations it affects or is it a way of honoring those who

For years Native Americans have been ridiculed, abused, oppressed, and much more. They’re typically the butt of everyone's jokes and have been for some time. Many try to argue that Native American mascots should be looked at as a symbol of respect and that they’re honoring their rich culture, some flat out say it’s senseless humor and that they shouldn’t be offended by it. But what many people fail to realize is that costumes, mascots, imitations, and jokes are all dehumanizing and extremely offensive. Sports teams with Native American mascots contribute heavily to the dehumanizing of Native Americans by associating them with savagery and war.

The issue of whether or not it is morally right to use Native Americans as mascots has been prevalent for several decades. Some argue that it is an honor to use their images as symbols of a school or team’s ideals, while others say Natives are a people, not a mascot. I hold the position that unless a tribe explicitly states they are not against their image being used, the depiction of Natives as mascots is wrong, especially for largely white areas and/or schools. The idea that the race who marginalized, relocated, and murdered another race that was native to this country and then, in some cases only a century later, proclaim that they “are an Indian” and are proud to call themselves such is unsettling. A century may seem like a large amount

Native Americans value and cherish their culture. It is something that has been learned and passed down from generation to generation in the Native American community. Using Native American mascots creates a misinterpretation of the Native American culture. Many Native American tribes are offended by the use of Native American mascots because, “The symbols connected with NA mascots (tomahawks, war paint, leather loin cloths, and feathered head dress) represent a collective image of Native Americans”, that, “inaccurately portrays the diverse natures of ritual, ceremony, and culture of the many and varied NA tribes” (Arthur 2012). These symbols are important to the Native American culture, and by using them to represent a mascot for a school, college, or some other association is disrespectful to the tribe and culture. Cummings (2008) believes many people think they have a right to use Native Americans as mascots because, “To some, American Indian mascots represent strength, power, reverence, and dignity”. People need to look at the perspective

Many races are unjustly victimized, but Native American cultures are more misunderstood and degraded than any other race. College and high school mascots sometimes depict images of Native Americans and have names loosely based on Native American descent, but these are often not based on actual Native American history, so instead of honoring Native Americans, they are being ridiculed. According to the article Warriors Survive Attack, by Cathy Murillo (2009) some “members of the Carpentaria community defended Native American mascot icons as honoring Chumash tradition and the spirit of American Indian Warriors in U.S. history and others claimed that the images were racist stereotypes” (Murillo, 2009). If people do not attempt to understand

To begin, Native American mascots at schools should be allowed because consequentialy it is right. In Phil Hands political cartoon about the use of racial groups as mascots, he explains to caucasians that people are offended easily. Native Americans are offended by mascots. In the cartoon, the Native American explains that he is

mascots and their performances, logos, or names, are disrespectful and offensive to American Indians and others who are offended by such stereotyping” and “are particularly inappropriate and insensitive in light of the long history of forced assimilation that American Indian people have endured in this country.”

There is no legitimate argument for why an arrowhead on the side of a football helmet, a logo of a Native American chief’s head on the side of a school or even a tomahawk on a basketball jersey is being reverted to as degrading, but the controversy still continues. Some names can be offensive such as Redmen, Savages, etc. But if it is the name itself that offends, it needs to be argued that way and not toward the Native American mascot as a symbol. Arguing a mascot as degrading when really it is meant the name is disrespectful in itself because a mascot is a symbol of a team, not the name; it is also the strength and core of a team. Mascots are purposely portrayed as being ethical, complementary, and respectful, in fact “tribal names find their way onto all kinds of consumer products, such as the Jeep Cherokee and the Dodge Dakota. For the same reason, Indian images appear on U.S. currency, such as the old Indian-head nickel and the new Sacajawea dollar. The Army even names its helicopters after tribes: the Apache Longbow, the Kiowa Warrior, the Comanche, and the Blackhawk. If we were” to let the minority side of this argument change Native American mascots, then “a number of cities (e.g., Chicago, Miami, and Milwaukee), plus about half the states, would have to be renamed (Miller 2001). Mascots are symbols, symbols of spirit, and symbols of strength.

Mascots that portray Native Americans are harmful to these people because they promote a false collective history, diminish their struggle over the past centuries, and constitute a Title VI violation. Some argue that schools should be allowed to persist usage of racially insensitive mascots for monetary continuation and the sake of tradition; however, these lines of reasoning constitute feeble excuses for institutionalized racism. Therefore, schools that use Native American mascots, such as the University of North Dakota, do not foster institutional tradition and financial donation

Chimamanda Ngozi once said, “The problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story.” (Stereotypes). Many stereotypes effect us. They can also have a negative effect and those affected by it can feel insecure because they may be judged or treated because of that certain stereotype. Stereotypes are labels that are unfairly placed on people, and they affect all of us.