Mahalia H

Mascot Controversy

People have all read in articles or heard on the News about all the different lawsuits and controversy’s about having a mascot that is Native American. The way the media portrays the controversy in the last six years people would think this is a relatively new issue but it’s not; the mascot controversy has been going on for decades. On both side of the controversy most people don’t like Native Americans or a single group being bullied and stereotyped over a mascot. Majority of the people that don’t want to change their mascots because they don’t like change; most people in America don’t like changing especially when it comes to their daily routines but changing native mascots might help Indians from being stereotyped.  Not all Native American mascots’ names have a terrible meaning to it, so why can’t the sports teams keep it?

            Keeping the Native American mascots would save money because schools wouldn’t have to buy new uniforms or have to change the logos that probably hang throughout gyms and fields. Sometimes saving money can be more important than trying to respect a mascot and its meaning. Not all schools have money to throw around and spend it on extracurricular activities when they need new text books. Students will be students when it comes to dressing up as an Indian to mock a rival team. Too many people get hurt feelings over showing school spirit and trying to have an ignescent joke. Schools should get to keep their Native American mascot because changing it can make a school lose its identity like UND (University of North Dakota) did. Mascot controversy even takes place on reservations too.

On the Flathead reservation they have had their own controversy about having Native Americans as mascots in the local high schools. The names the tribe wants to have changed are Savages, Chiefs/ Maidens and Warrior/ Starlets; their logos portray a Native American head. About five years ago the Hot Springs Savages were forced to change their name and their logo because the term “savages” means a person regarded as brutal, fierce, or vicious. The majority of people living in Hot Springs understood why their name must be changed and respected the tribes’ decision; Hot Springs name was racist, hurtful, stereotyping and disrespectful to the tribe. Hot Springs held fund raisers to raise money for new uniforms which they would have had to do eventually and with a little work they got the money to get new uniforms; another bonus was they got a new gym and the school its self didn’t have to pay. Changing their name did not make them lose their school identity; it did the opposite. People living in Hot Springs and on the reservation are happy they changed their name and got a new name with a better meaning. Many people are clueless on how mimicking can be hurtful even if it’s a joke because the Natives Americans are a group of people who want to be respected throughout the U.S. They can’t be respected if mascot logos haunt them everywhere they go because most native mascots betray Native American looks; giving them red skin, long black hair, big nose and feathers in their hair. The other school mascot names on the reservation have not been change but that does not mean it won’t happen in the near future.

With the News covering stories on the mascot controversy it’s letting others aware of what’s happening around them and it can help people understand why the mascots must be changed. Students don’t know that they’re not just mimicking their school rivals when dressing up in stereotyped clothing or making war cry’s sound; but it’s disrespecting a group of people and their beliefs. Not all cases workout when changing a native mascot as smoothly as Hot Springs was. People get emotional attached to these names and logos but it is important that they understand having theses names makes a hard ship for Native Americans. Enforcing all schools, associations and leagues all across America to change their Native American mascot names and logos seems to be the best option.