A Cleveland baseball fan in a fake headdress. Still image from 100 Years of the Cleveland Indians Mascot, a video by Mary Annette Pember
Mato Standing Soldier, a senior at Lincoln High School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, explains why mascots like the Cleveland Indians and the Florida State Seminoles are not OK:
While the R-word is one of the more grotesque names used by sports teams, a name like the Cleveland Indians, or Florida State Seminoles, is just as offensive. Although these names are not racial slurs, American Indians have been oppressed for hundreds of years, and to us, it feels like these mascots are making a mockery of our pain and struggle. Naming a team the Cleveland Indians is equivalent to naming a team the Chicago Negroes. Now, some think that using these names for modern day sports teams is a way to honor and recognize Native culture. Since sports teams wish to portray themselves as strong, resilient warriors, it’s only fitting to name themselves after one of America’s toughest combatants, right? Wrong. These names mock Native Americans. They remind us of the past, when our land was stolen and we were killed for profit. It reminds us that we were once considered inferior, and enemies of America. While the team owners may intend no harm, the effects on Native Americans are extremely damaging. Scientific studies prove these mascots lower the self-esteem of tribal children.Get the Story:
Mato Standing Soldier: Native American mascots are not OK (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 2/1)
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