Native American Mascots a Tribute or Mockery?

August 24, 2005 The issue of Native American Mascots has been a problem for the last thirty years. During the 1970s several Native American students approached the President of Stanford University to point out the mockery of Indian religious practices that had been performed in the athletic events for over nineteen years by the Universities mascot; Prince Lightfoot. In the article When the Indian was Mascot by Denni Dianne Woodward, she relates the reason why Stanford University changed their Indian mascot to a cardinal. During 1971 to 1972, the students made a petition stating that they wanted the use of the Indian symbol [to] be permanently discontinued they stated that Stanford was not fulfill[ing] its promise to the students of its Native American Program by improving and supporting the program and how long does weed stay in your system thereby making its promise to improve Native American education a reality. In February 1972, fifty-five Native American students and staff presented a petition at Stanford University to Ombudsperson Lois Amsterdam to which she added: Stanfords continued use of the Indian symbol in the 1970s brings up to visibility a painful lack of sensitivity and awareness on the part of the University. All of us have in some way, by action or inaction, accepted and supported the use of the Indian symbol on campus. We did not do so with malice, or with intent to defile a racial group. Rather, it was a reflection of our societys retarded understanding, dulled perception and clouded vision. Sensitivity and awareness do not come easily when childish misrepresentation in games, history books and motion pictures make up a large part of our experience.

In February 1972, President Lyman of Stanford University changed the Indian mascot to a cardinal. Since then some have tried to bring back the Indian, in 1975 there was a campaign to depict the Indian as a noble Indian mascot. The University responded in December 1975 that they would not reinstate the first Indian mascot, nor to replace it with another more noble Indian and they have made it known that the mascot issue is not up for a vote!

According to a study conducted by Richard P. Mills in New York, since the seventies more than 600 colleges, universities and high schools have changed or eliminated their use of Native American Mascots. The changing of demeaning Indian mascots means that people are beginning to understand that Indian mascots do not celebrate or honor Native Americans. Still there are many more schools, universities, and professional teams that need to make corrections to their mascots. Native American mascots are not a correct way to honor Native Americans because they portray negative stereotypes, are culturally biased, and pave the way for injustices to occur in other areas. Native American Mascots need to be banned from all teams from high school to professional so that we may begin to learn about the diversity of our communities so that they will understand and respect our differences and draw strength from them so that we all may become good citizens and productive adults