Why Is It Important To Use Native American Mascots?

I am a fan of the Chicago Blackhawks National Hockey team. Of all the National Hockey team names and logos, they are my favorite because the name just looks and sounds superior. Not once has it ever crossed my mind that the name “Blackhawks” could be offensive to Native Americans. “Indian” mascots were created at a time when racism and bigotry were accepted by a dominant culture (NCAI). Some of these mascots include: Atlanta Braves, Washington Redskins, and Cleveland Indians. Native Americans feel oppressed and disrespected because Indian mascots portray their culture falsely, they are used the same way as animals, and there are people who find it all right to use them. Although some argue that it is an honor to use Native American imagery
The word dates back to the institutionalized genocide of Native Americans in the mid-1700’s. The British King, George II, ordered his subjects to get rid of the Indians. For each scalp they butchered, they were rewarded with money. The scalps were known as “redskins” (Holmes). This term is very offensive towards the Native Americans and brings back the painful history of their ancestors. Some Natives describe the word to be equivalent to the N-word. Many have tried to get the Washington team to change the name, but Daniel Snyder, the owner of the team, stated that “[they] will never change the name” (Gandhi). His response expresses the stubbornness and ignorance of some Americans about the mascot controversy. Native American mascots are not only used in professional sports. They are commonly used in high schools and colleges. In a study about how many sports teams use Native American Mascots, it stated that there are 2,129 out of 42,624 teams with Indian mascots. 493 of those use the name “Indians” and 75 use “Redskins.” 92 percent of the 2,129 are high schools while the rest are college, semi-professional, professional, and armature league teams. That is a large amount of sports teams that stereotype Native