Essay Sample on Use of Native American Team Mascots

Introduction

Native Americans team mascots contribute to no small number of team mascots in American schools and national sports team. While some of the teams and schools view the use of these mascots as a way of honoring the Red Indian community the community has other views (Elizabeth Locklear, 2018). Activists such as bill mills who are advocating against discrimination and championing for the equal treatment ethnic group like the Indians. In their view this as a way of dishonoring the community (Elizabeth Locklear, 2018). So, is the use of team native American team mascots a way of honoring the native American people? or does it further the discrimination and the prejudice that the community has been experiencing this essay is focused on determining the validity of one of the hypothesis.

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According to Sharleen the leader of the Native American mascot movement the use of Indian mascots in teams dehumanizes the people (YouTube, 2018). The purpose of this mascots in teams accord less respect to the Indian community, and they are seen as an avenue of furthering entertainment (YouTube, 2018). Sharleen explains the origin of the term redskins which is famous in many teams and institution (YouTube, 2018). The term redskin was used where people were rewarded for bringing the scalp of a Red Indian man, woman or child after killing (YouTube, 2018). Redskins is a derogatory term for the Indian community, and it represents a dark phase of the life of the Indian people (YouTube, 2018). People use the redskin term to refer to the skin color of the Indians which is still discriminatory and racist (YouTube, 2018).

Recent polls that have been done to determine the percentage of the Red Indian community that is offended by the use of mascots and the redskin term have provided results that are contrary to the claims of this activist (Cincinnati.com, 2018). Sharleen, however, dismisses this polls saying that the elections can be manipulated to provide results that are not conclusive (YouTube, 2018). Considering the origin of the terms that many of this teams use such as redskin, it's clear that their use furthers the prejudice and the discrimination that the Red Indian suffer.

Considering the evidence from the conducted polls and the reluctance of many of the people from the Red Indian community to fight for their rights. Billy Mills and the other people who are fighting against the use of Native American mascots are not likely to win the battle anytime soon. First, the use of this mascots has a long history in the teams. Many of the teams take the mascots to represent the identity of the team and will fight to protect this identity. Billy mills project that teaching the young people their traditions will give them a chance to fight against the discrimination that their community experience.

Conclusion

Several teams have changed their mascots. However, there remains a large number of teams using the Native American mascots (VOA, 2018). The native red Indians and the teams using these mascots have different views about the symbolism that the mascots represent. The community should consider how the community that is affected feels about this since it is their culture that is being violated.

References

https://uncw.edu/csurf/Explorations/documents/ElizabethLocklear.pdf. (2018). [online] Available at: https://uncw.edu/csurf/Explorations/documents/ElizabethLocklear.pdf [Accessed 4 Aug. 2018].

YouTube. (2018). Dishonorable Mention 2004 HBO Sports. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_VzREpuou4 [Accessed 4 Aug. 2018].

Cincinnati.com. (2018). Native American mascots: Time for schools to change?. [online] Available at https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2018/06/11/native-american-mascots-time-schools-change/676650002/ [Accessed 4 Aug. 2018].

VOA. (2018). Native Americans Applaud Removal of 'Racist' Sports Mascot. [online] Available at: https://www.voanews.com/a/native-Americans-applaud-removal-of-offensive-sports-mascot/4230122.html [Accessed 4 Aug. 2018].