Offensive Mascots

[jerseydevil]

Indians mostly have a problem with this, and it's really only a vocal minority. My friend Trish and I always discuss this and she thinks it's ridiculous how much some people get worked up over a stupid mascot. I've never met anyone on the Indian reserve that had a problem with Indian mascots. Herr mother laughs about it too. Trish's grandfather was also chief of Six Nations.

To make a point against the Indian mascots a fringe Indian groupn is selling a shirt for a mock sports team - the "Fightin' Whites" -

Spoof protesting Indian mascot raises $100,000 for Indian scholarships
DENVER, Colorado (AP) -- What started out as an attempt to shame a local high school into dropping a mascot name viewed as racist has raised at least $100,000 for scholarships for Indian college students

The effort began last winter when a group of Indian students at the University of Northern Colorado asked officials at nearby Eaton High School to change the school's mascot from "Fighting Reds" because the name was offensive.

The thing that gets me about all this is that the Six Nation Indian Reserve has had a grocery store for several years called Red Man or Red Face. Trish told me about and I have seen it.

These Indian groups also make it seem as if only their "heritage" is used as mascots. I guess they haven't heard of the New England Patriots, the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame, the Vikings, etc.

A lot of these groups don't even know the history of why teams are called what they are - and just complain. There was a complaint several years ago about the Cleveland Indians. Thyey didn't realise that the team had been named in honor of their best player who happened to be Indian.

Just to let you know - I'd buy this shirt. I don't find it offensive at all. If they named a team - "whitey" I couldn't care less.

There are a lot of Italians (fringe group again) that are outraged by the Sopranos. I'm part Italian ancestory - and I don't care. If you're going to have a show revolving around the mafia - what etnic group are you going to use? There is of course the Korean mafia, jewish Mafia, Chinese Mafia, Russian Mafia, etc. But none of those have been "romanticised", and they're just not as "cool".

When we moved out to Indiana - there were tons of rumours dealing with us being members of the mafia. The most popular was that their was a hit on my father and we were forced out there. (I was forced out there, but not by the mafia, by my parents. ) If people wanted to believe it - that was their business.

Do people have any thoughts on this? Has anyone else had rumours like these spread because of people's perception and not based on any facts?

Discuss. (Old Saturday Night Line character, the jewish talk show host).

[BeardofPants]

Not technically a mascot, but I find it annoying that they still dress monkeys up and make them dance around -- haven't they heard letting them grow up in a natural environment. Oh wait: maybe it's Baseball Players in the Mist.

[Silverstripe]

Personally, if people say they find a name offensive, I have no problem with changing it!

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by Silverstripe
Personally, if people say they find a name offensive, I have no problem with changing it!

So you're for trying to please 100% of the people 100% of the time? What happens if I find it offensive to change the name?

[Silverstripe]

No, I'm not for trying to please everyone 100% of the time, but when it has to do with ETHNICITY like this, and it clearly COULD be considered offensive, and IS, by many people, then why not change the name? After all, we'd hardly name a team the "Blackskins," have a mascot of a rather ugly stereotypical African American, and not expect African Americans to get offended! Or naming a team the "Fightin' Chinese." We wouldn't do that!

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by Silverstripe
No, I'm not for trying to please everyone 100% of the time, but when it has to do with ETHNICITY like this, and it clearly COULD be considered offensive, and IS, by many people, then why not change the name? After all, we'd hardly name a team the "Blackskins," have a mascot of a rather ugly stereotypical African American, and not expect African Americans to get offended! Or naming a team the "Fightin' Chinese." We wouldn't do that!

We have the Fighting Irish - and I'm part Irish. Like I said - there are the Vikings and the Patriots also. If a school named their team "whitey" I don't think most people would really care.

Also - why should a group outside of the organisation have any say on the name anyway?

It does make me extremely mad that New JERSEY's two NFL teams would rather have everyone think they're New York teams, when they're actually both New JERSEY teams. I wrote a letter to Governor Christie Todd Whitman and I received a letter back from the New Jersey Sports Authority saying that it is not New Jersey's policy to tell a company what name they should have. I find it offensive that the Giants and Jets are New JERSEY teams yet display NY on their uniforms. When they moved over to NJ in the 70's they dropped the NY from their name and were just known as the Giants and Jets. So what I do - is I refuse to go to their games, I root against them and I removed them off the sports page of my website.