***CITE 2 SPECIFIC ARGUMENTS FROM THE ARTICLE IN YOUR RESPONSE***
YOUR RESPONSE SHOULD BE 5-6 sentences.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
INDIAN MASCOTS
Take a side: Is naming an athletic team after an American Indian tribe a way of
honoring the tribe or an insult? Why do you think Native American names and
mascots have so often been chosen for teams? Do you agree with Suzan Harjo that
“the use of Native references in sports reduces the entire race to caricatures”?
Why or why not? What do you think of Souderton Area High School's decision to use the Big Red mascot as a replacement for the Native American mascot at sporting events?
***CITE 2 SPECIFIC ARGUMENTS FROM THE ARTICLE IN YOUR RESPONSE***
YOUR RESPONSE SHOULD BE 5-6 sentences.
***CITE 2 SPECIFIC ARGUMENTS FROM THE ARTICLE IN YOUR RESPONSE***
YOUR RESPONSE SHOULD BE 5-6 sentences.
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I believe that it is not offensive, but a sign that we will not forget and we even honor the Indians that's why they are chosen to be mascots so often. I have seen people worship sports teams no matter what the logo is. In the article some Indians found it as though they were being put at the "pinnacle" of a sporting event. also in the article some members of the tribe found it as a source of pride to be the center of the schools pride and respect. i do not agree with Suzan because when i think of Indians i think of my heritage my family a noble and honorable people. I do not think of them as caricatures. I believe that SAHS should become the Indians once more and show the pride and honor that they have for my people and my heritage.
ReplyDeleteI believe that naming an athletic team after a Native American is a way of honoring them in a way that is trying not to be insulting. This is a way of honoring those who were here and lived on this land before us, and is more as a means to show an honor to those people. I believe that Suzan Harjo has many points in this argument but it is only like that if you have your own personal viewpoint along with hers. If you look with the other side you will see how we try not to anger them in any way but try to be good about not insulting them. Athletic teams have tried to tone it down a little bit to the rousing argument and is trying to be nicer on how they put the Natives under the spotlight.
ReplyDeleteI think that we are kind of honoring them by symbolizing them as a part of a sport team. They played a big part in making us who we are today. How are we moking them? We made the a mascot...... Its not like we are making fun of their culture. All were doing is using them as a Mascot.
ReplyDeleteOur school is named the indains but there is no way that we are offending indains. I think that people are overreacting
DeleteI think that naming a team after a African American tribe is an honor. I think this because some African American tribes have been proud that their tribe is a team or school name. I think that naming teams after African Amercians was a way of saying sorry for being really mean to African Americans. I do not agree with Suzan because some tribes like their tirbes being used as team names. It's just Suzan's opinion. I think that Souderton using Big Red instead of an African American mascot was a good idea. Most schools use an African American mascot but Souderton is being kind about it. African Americans argue that people are being racist when we use African American names.
ReplyDeleteI believe Suzan Harjo is wrong, she's just making a big deal over nothing. I think changing the names of sports teams would do more harm then it would help. It would be ruining years of tradition to "help" native americans who arent even offended by it. Actually Eunice Davidson said "He feels honored" by the fact that we'd use a tribes name. Long story short, it shouldn't be changed.
ReplyDeleteHey there Mr. K :D
ReplyDeleteI think that making your school mascot an Indian is niether honorable nor an insult. While Frank Black Cloud says that when the indian name is said at a sports games,they are putting them up on the pinnacle, i disagree. We aren't exactly praising indians or giving them honor. Then Annis says that nothing is positive for her, i also disagree. we arent insulting indians. i dont think whoever came up with their school mascot being indians ever sat down and thought, indians should be honored, or indians should be insulted. No i think that the whole thing is over done and the idea is a matter of opinion that some people need to grow up and get over it. And i dont think we are charactizing indians just because we have a mascot of them. Everyone has a mascot of something. does that mean everything is characterized? No. Personally i like Big Red better than an indian because i think the costume is cool but i dont think we needed to change it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Suzan Harjo that Native American themed mascotts should not be allowed in schools. I think that having mascotts based off native americans is a insult to other Native Americans. It can be considerred name calling and racist to other cultures. People stomping on the gym floor logo is disrespect. I think it was good that our school changed our logo and name. Our schools name is now called "Big Red" and our mascott is a red superman looking guy. This way no one is gettin hurt or insulted. I think all schools should change there name and mascott just like our school.
ReplyDeleteI think the Native American/Indian mascots are a good thing. I feel like they honor the Native Americans and recognize them. I think thats why sports teams are named after the indians. To honor and recognize them, not to make fun or insult them. I don't think that it reduces the race to caricatures becuase I think the way they are used is a good thing. Suzan said in the article that it is a form of name-calling but I disagree. I think it would be a high honor. I personally dont like the Big Red mascot. I liked the Indian better. As stated in the article, some Native Americans are proud of the nickname.
ReplyDeleteI think that nameing a school mascot after an American is honoring them not an insult. I think they have been choosen alot because they are a big part of our history and they seem to have been very heroic. Also we are on their land now. I do not follow her about the caricatures because only schools are using them so its not like they are being mocked. I dont like the new big red because it is dumb. I liked the indians because it stands out m more and we sound more feirce and heroic. I would really like if we went back to the souderton Indians
ReplyDeleteRyan Witoslawski
I don't think that naming our sports teams after Indians or any other race is an insult. It should be an honor because in my opinion I think that it is completely riciculous that they would take offense to that. In the artical it says that one Indian (who grew up on a reservation)said that he thought it was an honor that they would name a sports team after him. I think that Indian names have been chosen for sports teams because they thought that it would show a sense of power. No I do not agree that naming a sport team reduces them to being a caricature. This is because, in my opion it is all how you view it. I would look at it as being an honor, just like how the people of the Spirtit Lake Tribe say that they are proud of the nickname.
ReplyDeleteI can understand why Souderton has decided to change its mascot because they want to make all the people of the school and school district feel welcomed. I however don't like the decision. From the time Souderton first started its first year "Souderton Indians" has been the name of all our sports teams. Its part of the history of the school but at the same time our school does need to keep in mind that we do have people of all races coming to the school, all of them with different views. That I can respect.
Naming a sports team after a Native American Indian Tribe is an honor. It is not an insult to the natives at all. Indians show power, which is something you should be proud of. Using Native Americans as logos shows how great they have been. In the article it states that they are insulted by a Native American Indian logo on the floor of a schools hockey stadium. Having an Indian logo on the floor wasn’t meant to be taken as an insult. Suzan Horjo believes that using Indian logos reduces the entire race to caricatures and that it is racists. I disagree with Suzan having an Indian logo is not an insult or racist. Using Big Red as our mascot is not as great as if it was an Indian.
ReplyDeleteI think that the teams should keep the names and mascots. A reason that many teams probably pick Indian names are that Native Americans are always proud and never give up. They always keep fighting no matter what and strong. I do not agree with Susan Harjo. She says that us using the Native American names make the tribes caricatures, jokes but I think teams using the names is awesome. It shows that we didn't forget about them and since I go to a school that uses Indians as their name is really cool and I'm proud of the name. A reason that Souderton probably changed the mascot to big red is because most people do not agree with me. Most people are offended by the Native American mascot. A man named Eunice Davidson said that he was proud that the teams use the name but others say they are very offended that the big face is painted on the floor of a gym. I think that having the logo everywhere is saying that this is our school, saying we are proud of what our name is.
ReplyDelete- lydia
Having Native American mascots and team names is an honor. Having the Denzel Washington
ReplyDeleteSchool Indians are better than having the Denzel Washington School Thugs. Indian names are better sounding than African names (for example The Thugs). I don’t think the Indians have been reduced to caricatures because there always are people with Indian hats on. I think the use of Big Red brings the tone of the team down compared to the Indian mascot.
I think that it is honorable for Native Americans to be used as mascots. I think that we use them so much to represent the Indians that were forced off their land, killed, and how little of them are left today. If we change mascots from Native Americans to something else we will be abandoning the fact on how major they used to be to the society and they will be pushed into obscurity. Also, making Indians the mascot puts them at the top and gives them something to have pride for. I do not agree with Suzan Harjo because we use Hispanics, Asians, and African Americans to represent other things as well. I do not like that they changed us to Big Red. One reason is it sounds really stupid. Also, we have been the Indians for as long as I can remember, and because we learn about Native Americans a lot in school we should have been kept as the Indians.
ReplyDeleteI think that naming a team after an American Indians is a way of honoring the tribe. I think that there names have been chosen for so many sports teams because in most of the names it sounds good and it has just became a custom thing. I think that the use of Native referances wont reduce the entire race to caricatures because they have been here for so long. I think that the desision to go to big red was good but we didnt have to do it because we wernt trying to makew fun of the native american. In the article some native americanssaid that they feel honored to have names after them and that they are pround to have nicknames.
ReplyDeleteI believe naming a team after the Indians is an honor not an insult. In the article Frank Black Cloud says "When you hear them announce the name of a professional sports team it gives you goose bumps. They are putting us on a pinnacle." He believes its a sign of accomplishment and power not insult. I believe they chose native Americans as mascots to honor them for their hardships through out the years and to show them that we haven't forgotten them. No I do not agree with Susan I believe a team is a group of people who have complete trust in each other and can work together as one to be able to perform a task. The Indians worked together to survive like herding buffalo and hunting. I believe Souderton made the right decision by changing mascots not because its wrong to do so because it will avoid conflict and any future problems.
ReplyDeletei think that naming a team after the indians is a good honorable thing to do. if it werent for the mascots and teams then people may have forgotton about the natives, like what some members of the souix tribe said. i think that natives have been chosen for teams and mascots because they are a sign of power. i think that the natives image isnt just charicatures, some are very detailed and give the natives a powerful look. some may be in a vulgar poses, but most of them are good. i feel that souderton area high school changed their name to respect the wishes of everyone because souderton wants to be considered a good caring school. i think that their decision was a good thing
ReplyDeletehonestly i could care less . both arguments are dumb , although i can see where they're coming from: like i wouldn't want a football team called the Philadelphia Negros, or African Americans.especially if the people on the team aren't even black. that would defiantly cause a riot. but then again i understand the others point of view with the whole promote the culture to those who might be unaware of its significance, but you gotta understand: things arent the way they used to be. back then out of respect you address them as native Americans. not Indians. today people use the term indian as a sign of disrespect. for example; dunkin donuts. what do you call the people that work there? Indians, dot heads etc. its racial, and if they don't like you to refer to them as it , then dont, because youd be pissed if someone called you a cracker. k bye.
ReplyDeleteI think using Native Americans as mascots is not wrong in any way. I think the reason we use them is because they are known as a strong symbol. I think using them as symbols has embraced them as something more and has kept them alive. Honestly i think it the most stupid thing in the world. i think the Native Americans should grow a pair and get it through there thick skulls that it's not a sign of disrespect.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Suzan Harjo is being over dramatic it is not that big of a deal it is all in fun and not to mock the Native Americans.
ReplyDeleteIf anything I would see it as an honor not an insult I feel that is a horrible decision to change from Indians to Big Red. Because of the middle schools have got the word Indian in the school name.
I believe that having an Indian mascot or school name is honorable Native Americans. I dont believe suzan because we use other races to represent things also. If we get rid of Indian names then we will completely get rid the whole indian concept. There are really no sterotypes for iadians. I dont agree with soudertons decision to change the mascot and name. i dont believe that many people were offended from the name. It is an honor to have your name as a sports name in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI think it offensive having a Native American mascot, because some people reall can take it offensive. I think school teams and teams pick Native American names bacause to represent the Natives, but to some people will take offensive like in school if people walk all over the big large it can make people feel hurt. I do agree with Suzan because it does make some people that get offensive feel a little bit better. SASH did make a good choice with the big red it does make people happy.
ReplyDeleteMax Berdymurtov
Max Berdymuratov
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