"We don't think most high school students are racist, and we don't know whether American Indian names and mascots have led to bullying incidents. But those arguments really miss the point.

To understand the effects of this long tradition, imagine you are Native American. Then think about your people's history.

White European settlers swarmed across this continent, displacing native populations wherever they went. The settlers infected Indians with smallpox, poisoned them with alcohol, massacred them in large numbers, stole their land and forced them onto reservations.

Then they built schools and proceeded to name their sports teams for the people they had subjugated.

That's not an honor. That's an insult."

Get the Story:
Editorial: A mile in their moccasins (The Medford Mail-Tribune 5/25)

Other Opinions:
Editorial: This could get complicated (The Albany Democrat-Herald 5/25)
Editorial: Oregon’s PC ‘Warriors’ (The New York Post 5/25)

Related Stories:
Editorial: Siletz Tribes aren't harmed by use of Indian mascots (5/24)
Oregon board defends decision to ban use of Indian as mascots (5/23)