11/16/09: The Use of Native American Mascots, Nicknames, And Symbols Is Simply Unacceptable!

According to Los Angeles Times Writer Bill Plaschke (2009), who often times can be seen on Around the Horn, the use of the name Washington Redskins is basically the Native American equivalent to the N-word. According to Native American advocate, Suzan Shown Harjo, who is fighting the name in court, Redskin, "is the worst thing in the English language you can be called if you are a native person." Thus, the continual use of this nickname is flatout unacceptable. Roger Goddell is attempting to clean up the image of the NFL with violence on and off the field. Yet, he is mute on this point. Further, is the derogatory nickname really that important to the franchise? It is 2009, not 1929! Redskin fans and owners. Furthermore, the NBA Washington Bullets were too offensive for those shot with bullets and changed their name to the Washington Wizards (Banzhaf, 2009); therefore why do the complaints of Native Americans fall on deaf ears in Washington?

The most offensive names are not the only ones that need to be changed.

The use of Cleveland Indians, Florida State Seminoles, Chicago Blackhawks, Atlanta Braves, and etc. is not much better. Why? Because the people that own most of these teams are white and the people that patronize these teams usually are not Native American (at least in any great numbers). At least in the case of European teams and fans that use racial nicknames, like Tottenham's Yid Army and Ajax fans embracing being called the "Jews," at least this was a case of having a half-Jewish fan population and having the other half (as well as the Jewish half) embrace the nickname given to it by rivals, instead of looking at it as a negative (Levenfeld, 2009).


Tottenham shirt (left) and Ajax display (right) are displays showing respect and even pride...

I see use versus non-use as a case of the following... African American and Latino comics use negative words and racial stereotypes, but there seems to be an unwritten rule that if you are a part of that group, then you're allowed to use the term. For Native Americans, it is almost like Non-Native Americans use Native American terms at free will, without consultation, like the Native American is extinct.

FYI, SPORTS WORLD IF THE NATIVE AMERICAN SAYS IT IS WRONG TO USE THEIR TERMS, THAN IT IS WRONG.

Also, there is no respectful or acceptable way to do it, unless the Redskins consult Native Americans on an acceptable Native American name and logo. As, at least the Yid Army example is a case of non-Jews embracing the nickname as well as their Jewish neighbors as being Tottenham Hotspur as well. However, with Native American team names, not once did a Native American have any part in it. For example, how ridicoulous is the Florida Seminole celebration? The below image is a white man, spray tanned with a wig, throwing a weapon in the ground in front of 100,000, mainly white people. A blatant reinforcement of Native Americans as savages.



How could this ever be acceptable or respectful? Also what does Chief Wahoo teach us about Native Americans? According to this article by Johnathon Zimmerman (2007), it reinforces the image of Native Americans "as savages on the warpath, with scalps dangling from their belts." Further, it is a grotesque caricture grinning idiotically, according to Zimmerman.


Not much different than this..


In conclusion, Native American logos are inherently racist and a real effort needs to be made by American sport's fans to force ownership and leagues to take notice, and change the names! It's ignorant to have advocates like Suzan Shown Harjo have to fight this alone in the Supreme Court. Sport's fans should tell their teams that they want the name changed as well, whether they are Native American or not.