Comments on: Why is this still acceptable? http://ericstoller.com/blog/2006/01/22/why-is-this-still-acceptable/ | social justice | higher education | technology | Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:20:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: JH http://ericstoller.com/blog/2006/01/22/why-is-this-still-acceptable/#comment-224 Tue, 31 Jan 2006 08:26:33 +0000 http://ericstoller.com/blog/2006/01/22/why-is-this-still-acceptable/#comment-224 Just color the faces in those whacky symbols white. I figure then everyone understands that the images are whiteman made and present as symbols solely in the white mind. I think most people might know that anyhow. Makes one a bit embarrassed at times to be white. Just color the faces in those whacky symbols white. I figure then everyone understands that the images are whiteman made and present as symbols solely in the white mind. I think most people might know that anyhow. Makes one a bit embarrassed at times to be white.

]]> by: Eric Dwight http://ericstoller.com/blog/2006/01/22/why-is-this-still-acceptable/#comment-216 Sun, 29 Jan 2006 21:21:36 +0000 http://ericstoller.com/blog/2006/01/22/why-is-this-still-acceptable/#comment-216 <a href="http://wampum.wabanaki.net/">Here's a great site for Native American information.</a> Here’s a great site for Native American information.

]]> by: brownfemipower http://ericstoller.com/blog/2006/01/22/why-is-this-still-acceptable/#comment-154 Fri, 27 Jan 2006 00:22:02 +0000 http://ericstoller.com/blog/2006/01/22/why-is-this-still-acceptable/#comment-154 I'm always the first to<em> make sure nobody is offended, that my friends and family and co-workers don't say disparaging things about classes of people, </em>etc. My college thesis was even about ideology that led to the oppression and subjugation of Native Americans. Even so, I have *never* understood the outcry against using Indians, or Native Americans, as mascots. It's not a derogatory thing. But you see, there is a big difference between "offending" somebody in a polite discussion, and a power structure furthering oppresive and racist representations of a group that it is activelly striking out against.. A singular person talking to another person and using the N word is a form of "offending". Using the power of a structural institution (as baseball, football, hockey etc ARE, because the structure of capitalism supports and encourages their growth), to define a group extends well beyond "offending" some individual--when you're talking about a group of people that is currently engaged in an active battle to keep their land/tribes safe from the same imperialistic and colonialistic power structure that is defining who they are to the rest of the world, I'd say you have some really big problems. I’m always the first to make sure nobody is offended, that my friends and family and co-workers don’t say disparaging things about classes of people, etc. My college thesis was even about ideology that led to the oppression and subjugation of Native Americans. Even so, I have *never* understood the outcry against using Indians, or Native Americans, as mascots. It’s not a derogatory thing.

But you see, there is a big difference between “offending” somebody in a polite discussion, and a power structure furthering oppresive and racist representations of a group that it is activelly striking out against.. A singular person talking to another person and using the N word is a form of “offending”. Using the power of a structural institution (as baseball, football, hockey etc ARE, because the structure of capitalism supports and encourages their growth), to define a group extends well beyond “offending” some individual–when you’re talking about a group of people that is currently engaged in an active battle to keep their land/tribes safe from the same imperialistic and colonialistic power structure that is defining who they are to the rest of the world, I’d say you have some really big problems.

]]> by: Eric Dwight http://ericstoller.com/blog/2006/01/22/why-is-this-still-acceptable/#comment-153 Mon, 23 Jan 2006 19:51:37 +0000 http://ericstoller.com/blog/2006/01/22/why-is-this-still-acceptable/#comment-153 Mr Viddy and J.D., This <a href="http://ericstoller.com/blog/index.php/2006/01/17/crimes-against-humanity/">article illustrates why the use of Native Americans as sports team mascots is racist and oppressive.</a> Mr Viddy and J.D.,
This article illustrates why the use of Native Americans as sports team mascots is racist and oppressive.

]]> by: Eric Dwight http://ericstoller.com/blog/2006/01/22/why-is-this-still-acceptable/#comment-152 Mon, 23 Jan 2006 19:47:21 +0000 http://ericstoller.com/blog/2006/01/22/why-is-this-still-acceptable/#comment-152 Hi J.D. I think you hit the nail on the head: "...using Indians, or Native Americans, as mascots." Native Americans are being used against their wishes by sports teams (professional and college) that make millions of dollars off of the sale of caricatures of native people. For example, the Cleveland Indians logo depicts Native Americans as people with big teeth, large noses, and wearing a feather. Oh, and the mascot is in all red. "Teams take pride in their names..." - Exactly, teams a.k.a institutions of power use Native terms, customs, and symbols for profit. How many Native Americans are on professional or college sports teams? I believe this is indeed an issue because it dehumanizes Native Americans and contributes to the maintenance of stereotypical and oppressive imagery within the United States. Hi J.D.

I think you hit the nail on the head: “…using Indians, or Native Americans, as mascots.”

Native Americans are being used against their wishes by sports teams (professional and college) that make millions of dollars off of the sale of caricatures of native people. For example, the Cleveland Indians logo depicts Native Americans as people with big teeth, large noses, and wearing a feather. Oh, and the mascot is in all red.

“Teams take pride in their names…” - Exactly, teams a.k.a institutions of power use Native terms, customs, and symbols for profit. How many Native Americans are on professional or college sports teams?

I believe this is indeed an issue because it dehumanizes Native Americans and contributes to the maintenance of stereotypical and oppressive imagery within the United States.

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