Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Red What?

So in recent months I've become more informed of the history of Native Americans in this country, especially when it comes to the oppression and lets be honest, genocide perpetrated against them.

One issue that has been getting much attention over the years is the use of Native symbols as mascots for sports teams.  In fact, the first high school I attended in the Midwest had the same mascot as a certain NFL team in Washington State. I was curious to see if the same controversy had touched them and indeed it had. What I found disturbing though, was that there was such an outcry to keep the offensive mascot name, that nearly half of the student body refused to vote in protest when it came time to pick a new mascot. I sit here shaking my head. The arrogance of a group of people who when confronted by the very people that a symbol is claimed to honor,yet refusing to listen to or have any sensitivity towards them whatsoever.

I love this video below released by the National Congress of American Indians. Really gets the point across.
It aired in a shorter form during last night's NBA finals telecast. 

 Newsflash.  If I (or anyone) tell you that a word or symbol you're using to describe me is offensive and hurtful, guess what? It is. And it needs to stop. Now.





3 comments:

  1. Its par for the course. Those who adhere label's have no interest in understanding those they've stuck them on. In their heads the history of the offense is simply an attack on American history and we all know that for some, to disturb that is tantamount to blasphemy. They chalk it up to liberals welding political correctness bullying tradition. They ignore the fact that Native American's didn't decide to call themselves Redskins or that this was done with a derogatory, pejorative and racists purposes in mind. The main irony in all of this IS that the proponents of keeping the name argue that it's all about the freedom to call others what they want to call them "even if they don't like it."

    Mija

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