I'm going to wade into territory that I would probably be better off staying out of but since I don't know when to keep my mouth shut here goes nothing. The whole issue of team mascots being given pseudo Native American nicknames has always left a taste in my mouth - and not a good one. Now that the NCAA has finally gotten around to doing something about it, everybody is in an uproar over it.
It seems that this is an issue that won't go away. From the Atlanta Braves, the Cleveland Indians and the Washington Redskins in professional sports through the college ranks with the Florida Seminoles and the Central Michigan Chippewa's to name just a few.
For the majority of these teams the mascots or nicknames have been a part of their identities for decades. In those innocent days before political correctness no one thought twice about the significance of either impersonating another race or utilizing a nation's name as a signifier of a characteristic. In all of these cases the name was chosen in the belief that it represented a positive attribute that could be associated with the team.
Fierceness in battle, bravery, etc. were all characteristics that any sports team would love to embody. I mean what sounds better to you: The Cleveland Indians or the Cleveland Accountants.
The motivation behind the names is obvious. The intent was never negative; in fact some would even say they were positive because of the qualities that were emphasised. Why than, all the uproar about something as innocuous as a nickname or a mascot?
A stereotype even when construed as positive by those utilizing it, still only generates a one dimensional view of a people. It reduces the complexity of human nature down to a series of characteristics imposed on a people by outside forces. Instead of treating a race of people like individuals they are lumped together into a singular category.
All black people have rhythm and are good athletes, Jewish people are good with money, and Asians are studious are observations and commentary made by others. It becomes up to them to prove that they are capable of doing something other than what is considered normal for a person of their type.
Have you ever heard of "white" males being defined in that manner. Can you name any specific trait that they are assigned in the same manner as described above? Not in our society. Perhaps if we were to live where our culture wasn't predominant we would learn what it's like to be on the receiving end of that kind of treatment.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - John Bill
I would be pissed if there was a team called the dumb Pollack’s or the drunken Irish. Just because you have been doing something for years doesn't make it right.
2 - D.C.
Another politically correct holier-than-thou lefty. Grow up out there.
3 - alienboy
HI D.C: - the idea is that we write thoughtful, interesting, and possibly even funny responses, not shallow attacks on the writer personally.
Perhaps you are the one who needs to show a little maturity here; just because someone has different views to you doesn't make them less valuable than your own good self...
4 - JB
Excellent arguement. Our culture has become numb to how racist these "mascots" are. Can you think of any other group of people that are so widely used in this way -- everthing from sports teams to fast moving vehicles. But Native people aren't animals, or objects, or relics from some romantic past. They are real, diverse and individual people and cultures. They have survived a genoicde in THIS country. As a society we have come far, but until people stop trying to rationalize the "tradition" of Indian mascots, we are perpetuating cultural genocide and appropriation for profit.
5 - Mark the Sane and Sensible
Tell me something, JB, were you born in America? If so, then you are a native American, no matter what your racial or ethnic origin may be.
"Our culture has become numb to how racist these "mascots" are."
Bullshit! They are a testament to their fierce fighting spirit. Should we instead honor their ability to drink vast amounts of bad whiskey instead? Of course not. Their ability to fight was their best feature. They taught us how to fight wars by not marching in formation but by hiding behind trees and other natural objects. That was very significant and important in the development of modern warfare tactics.
It seems like you've watched Dances With Wolves too often.
6 - D.C.
Again-grow up.
7 - Margaret Romao Toigo
gypsyman, this is one of your best articles yet -- as well as one of the best I have read this week.
I never really considered the negative impact of positive stereotypes before.
I used to be one of those people who would say, "lighten up, it's only a mascot," but, now that I think about it, you're right, if it's only a mascot, then it should be no big deal to change it.
8 - Mark the Sane and Sensible
ms. Toigo:
"if it's only a mascot, then it should be no big deal to change it."
And you said before you weren't in favor of political correctness?
I LOVE catching you libs in contradictions!
9 - Margaret Romao Toigo
I never said that I was not in favor of political correctness, only that I despise the way that some of the more cumbersome terminology mangles the language.
I have always tried my best to be politically correct, I'd just rather call it tact.
I did not come in here looking for a fight -- or even conversation, really.
I like reading gypsyman's articles and I thought this one was particularly good (because it made me think), so I left him a compliment to that effect.
Oh, and I'm not a liberal (or even a Democrat), I am a non-partisan libertarian capitalist.
10 - RogerMDillion
"I LOVE catching you libs in contradictions!"
You mean like how you are for the redistribution of wealth, Markist the Sad?
11 - Matthew T. Sussman
If I recall, the term 'Yankee' was once a derogatory word for 'American.'
How about Cowboys? Dodgers? Pirates?
12 - Shark
Matthew, the term 'Yankee' is still a derogatory term; where I'm from, it means, "Anyone NOT from Texas."
====
BTW: Nice article, gypsyman.
13 - Mark the Sane and Sensible
"I am a non-partisan libertarian capitalist."
Sorry, Ms. Toigo, but you are lying about the non-partisan part. Why do so many of you bloggers lie and distort your motivations and true selves? Your record of articles show a high degree of partisanship. You bash Christian leaders, President Bush, and you support a pothead drug dealer like Marc Emery.
tell me the truth, when have you ever ripped a bona fide left winger with the same fervor you have with Robertson or Bush?
This genteel affectation is one big phony act in my estimation. I see right through you and I'm not afraid to say it.
14 - Mark the Sane and Sensible
"You mean like how you are for the redistribution of wealth,"
Good thing you're a English teaching loser, because you would have failed poli sci.
15 - RogerMDillion
I never said I taught English. I said that it was obvious your comrade Grnade's parents werewn't English teachers.
Are your comprehension skills are really that terrible or have you lost your short-tern memory from all the pot you smoked at the worker's party meeting you just attended.
16 - Margaret Romao Toigo
"have you ever ripped a bona fide left winger with the same fervor you have with Robertson or Bush?"
I did not "rip" Reverend Robertson (I reported other peoples' criticisms of him) and I have not criticized Mr. Bush even once since he was re-elected (have you seen his approval ratings? I don't know about you, but I don't like to kick a man when he is down).
And I have ripped plenty of "left-wingers" for trashing our Second Amendment and other rationalizations of socialist authoritarianism.
17 - DrPat
Margaret, eventually little Markie will get tired of nipping at the adults' ankles, and crawl off to his crib. Right now, he's a bit cranky.
18 - Nancy
Actually, I think there is a team called the "fighting Irish" (Notre Dame?) after the rather notorious reputation the 19th-c Irish had of engaging in brawls at the drop of a hat, or enjoying a good fight - a rep. that some of them are proud of even today. And a team called the Vikings - I believe the logo is a berserker in a horned helmet. I may be recalling these incorrectly.
19 - Nancy
I guess if a team wanted a name that really reflected being win-at-all-costs contenders, they could call themselves the Litiginous Lawyers, or the Playing Pols - but that might be too lowdown & dirty for most.
20 - Gary
I personally think the 'Kansas City Cheifs' sounds better than the 'Kansas City Fat Unemployed Drunks With No Car Insurance And 8 Kids'.
21 - DrPat
How about "Kansas City Crackers"? As long as we're talking about "racist" mascots...
22 - Nancy
Someone has already proposed changing the Washington Redskins to the Washington Rednecks. LOL - I LIKE it! Ditto KCCs: has a real swing to it!
23 - Gary
Sounds good. I bet the crackers would probably laugh and not get too bothered. Some races don't have to fish around trying to place blame on stupid monikers to explain their failings. And Cheif was the opposite of derogatory. Actually it had to be turned into a deragatory term so there would be something fresh to blame for a culture that can't pull itself together.
24 - Gary
And give them crackers some college money and casinos while we're at it.
25 - Matthew T. Sussman
Yes Nancy, there are the Fighting Irish and Vikings. These are two names also given to high school mascots as well.
Let us not forget the Nebraska Cornhuskers, the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns and the University of Mississippi Rebels. "Oh noes, they're people and they're mascots!"
Note: The San Diego State Aztecs are not on NCAA's "hostile and abusive" list. I guess you can't be abusive to a dead tribe of First Nations.