Almost everybody loves going to sporting events and seeing all the excited fans as well as the energized mascots. There has been quite a variety of mascots and logos seen in schools whether it be high schools or colleges and in professional leagues. According to a search done by an ESPN FiveThirtyEight reporter through a database known as MascotDB, out of the 42,624 teams in the database at the time there were 2,129 sports teams that have reference to Native Americans (Munguia). That’s about a five percent of all mascots while Native American only make up roughly two percent of the population of the United States in 2014 (US Census). There has been much debate and controversy around mascots and team names that reference Native American throughout the years and gaining more attention especially with the most public debate regarding National
Sometime in your life, you have most likely attended a school that had some sort of mascot. These mascots, often animals, are carefully selected to represent not only the school’s competitive teams, but also the whole student body. Mascots are also used to represent professional sports teams. However, the use of Native Americans, an entire race of millions of people, as mascots is extremely insulting and should be banned.
Dating back several hundreds of years ago, Native Americans have been deprived, dehumanized, and demoralized ever since Christopher Columbus and his men came and seized the land from the Indigenous Peoples. There have been many tactics that have been used to strip the dignity of the Indigenous Peoples, but the use of an American Indian sports mascot is one tactic that has been in effect since 1932. There are some supporters of these various American Indian sports mascots such as Dan Snyder, the current team owner of the Washington Redskins, that do not feel that these sports mascots have any negative connotations. Dan Snyder may have had a few points when he wrote his letter, but he fails to realize that the American Indian Sports Mascots are
Mascot is a popular Sydney suburb with a friendly community spirit. That’s how its residents describe this quiet, friendly suburb. It has a diverse culture and population, it’s close to Sydney and is surrounded by other great suburbs like Surry Hills, Eastgardens, Kingsford, Marrickville, Newtown, and Alexandria. It’s close to the airport, but unlike the other suburbs around it where planes frequently fly in and out, the airplane noise in Mascot is minimal.
There has been many controversy with teams using Native American name for mascots and has become a major issue in today’s society. Many have viewed the Washington Redskins as honor for Native Americans, others see it racist, insensitive, and demeaning. Woods (2016) claims that “the complaint is that the use of stereotypical team names, mascots, and logos perpetuates an ideology that dehumanizes and demeans the cultures of Native Americans” (p. 298). Since the issue arise, many scholars, journalists and leaders have joined the battle to ensure that each team will eliminate the nicknames since it is considered abusive or hostile. It may take time but the trend is growing. More than 1,400 professional, collegiate,
There is at least one school in every state with a Native American mascot. Using Native American mascots is an important topic and is debated all over the country. When schools select mascots,they use them for team pride, not for a joke. They are meant to show courage and bravery for that team. Using Native American images and names in professional, college, and high school sports teams does not reinforce and perpetuate stereotypes because the teams using them are taking pride in it.
Many people look at the Washington Redskins logo and see it just the same as any of the other NFL teams’ logos. So, why take the time and money to change their brand for the very few amount of people that think it’s little offensive? In the past couple of years, a lot of people see many pro and college sports teams differently because of their mascot or logo. Native Americans, whose culture diminished ever since Europeans stepped onto the shores of the East, are used as branding for all levels and divisions of athletics teams. A lot of people argue for both sides of the conflict, with one side reasoning that the logos look racist and disrespect Native American culture, and the other side reasoning that they honor Indians and there is not even an issue. However, a ton of people fighting for the Indian mascot’s removal do not know how Native Americans themselves truly feel about them. Also, the general public probably does not know either that many schools actually work with specific tribes to make sure that they respect their culture. The United States should not ban Native American mascots because most Native Americans don’t get insulted from sports teams’ logos and many teams work with tribes to make sure that they don’t disparage Indian customs and traditions.
The year is 1991. The Atlanta Braves had just completed their first trip to the Fall Classic in four decades, and the Washington Redskins were undefeated, well on their way to their third Super Bowl title. All across the eastern seaboard, sports fans were tasting success - while American Indians were in an uproar. This year witnessed the peak of the protests over the use of mascots with American Indian themes. With two of the major professional sports teams in question making front-page news across the country, many of us heard American Indians' complaints for the first time. Suddenly, thanks to the cries of thousands of demonstrators, the names of many Americans' favorite teams had become synonymous with "nigger."
Mascot: a person, animal, or object adopted by a group as a symbolic figure, especially to bring them good luck (“Mascot”). Our team is trying to get Spartacat, a hockey mascot for the Ottawa Senators, inducted in the mascot hall of fame. Something to know about Spartacat is that he not only has an effect on his team, but the whole entire community. It’s important for Spartacat to be in the hall of fame because he will bring an astounding amount of joy and fun to the museum. He is a very energetic and approachable mascot who will make going to the mascot hall of fame an enjoyable experience. On the other hand, some people argue that lions are dangerous and Spartacat wouldn’t be the best idol for kids. Spartacat should be in the mascot hall of fame because he impacts the hockey games for the Ottawa Senators, teaches kids to skate, interacts with other mascots, there isn’t any other lion mascot that looks like Spartacat, and he volunteers his time at schools.
Teams in every sport, at every level of competition, have a mascot. It is the mascot that represents the competitive spirit and team identity, motivating players and fans alike. Does the symbol chosen as a mascot have any impact on whether a team wins or loses? Unlikely. But the choice of a Native American mascot continues to ignite debate and controversy among athletes, fans and alumni, as well as those people who might otherwise be disinterested in sports. Why all the controversy?
The controversy of Indian mascots is a widespread issue seen across the U.S.;is it racist , or is it justified? From different viewpoints from many people the answers vary from group to group.I believe it is not racist and believe that it is honoring. Natives should have the final say, but regular americans still step in and want a say in the whole issue. The Indian mascot has been used all across the U.S. ranging from elementary schools all the way to college and professional sports teams. “In fact Over 2,128 other teams use indian referenced team names not just professional”.(Munguia, Hayley)Ranging from many racial terms to regular tribe names. The main focus of the controversy is focused on the professional sports team the Washington Redskins.Many people see this team as racist and degrading to Indians. Some say it is similar to the racial slur n***** to African Americans. I believe the Redskins, may be politically incorrect representation of the Indians but not all indian mascots are racist or wrong. Indian mascots bring history, power, cultural, education and strong images of Indians to Native Americans and all American people. .
In the recent years the media has sparked a controversy weather names such as the “Redskins” should be changed and this debate still rages on because there is no clear cut answer. I am on the side that Native American mascots should not be changed. First, Native American people see this as a chance for dialogue and conflict resolution. Next, This gives people to have an insight on Native American culture. Finally, many Native Americans feel that the names are not offensive.
With the exception of only three major league teams, the Angels, the Yankees, and the Dodgers, most baseball teams have a mascot. This mascot may not seem to have much of a purpose and according to some, the mascot is more beneficial in other sports, but there is a purpose to it. To ensure the crowd is entertained. However, many people still want to know why baseball has mascots. The answer is simple. It is a distraction between plays, something that people can enjoy seeing during downtime, and something that symbolizes the team.
Have you ever wonder what is the big deal with teams with Native Americans name? I'm going to tell you about the argument with teams that have Native Americans such as the Washington Redskins. With a lot of people trying to get the Washington Redskins to change their because it's racist, they still don't because the cost of name change and uniforms, and quiet simply their is not enough support to change it.
School has been using mascot since the 1800s. So that tells us that mascot is used to show what the school is like because those are the things that people remember about the school. John L. Lewis Elementary School opened two years ago in Wilkes Barre; PA is located in Luzerne County. It was a big mining town, but the mines got flooded. And the town seeks to improve its riverfronts. John L. Lewis Elementary should choose the River Rats as its mascot because it meets 4 out of 5 criteria. The criteria that they river rats because it meets is powerful, name matches school, represent the area, and unique.