There is a debate in American sports that spilled over into the general public, is it disrespectful and discriminatory to use Native American terms and references as names of sports teams. Another aspect of this debate is it fair to use a characterization of someone of a minority race as a mascot. This issue has been frequently debated, and not even all Native Americans agree as to whether this is disrespectful. One position is that the stereotypical portrayal of any race is demeaning. The opposing position is that it is done to honor the race not demean them.
One of the observances made is that there is a predominance in the use of Native American references in sports team names as opposed to those of other races. . The Boston Celtics, the Minnesota Vikings are decidedly racially based names. As to the, New York Yankees the pejorative term Yankee or Yank is used to describe an American usually from the north east but not of a particular race. A brewer or a pirate is an “occupation” and while usually portrayed as a white male is not necessarily of a particular race or gender.
As a result the predominantly racially based sports team names and mascots are of Native American origin. It should be further noted that at the time of their formation and naming many, if not most of the Boston and Minnesota team members were drawn from their communities, so that there were many persons of Celtic Irish origin on the Boston team and the Minnesota team did have many Nordic players so that these teams derived from a racial origin consistent with their team names. . This is not true of the Native American team names that were so named at a time when there were no Native Americans on the teams, and racial segregation laws barred many persons with Native American origin from participating in the sport. The heart of this debate then comes down to the issue of whether racially derived team names and mascots are by nature also inherently racist as well? Going hand in hand with this is the issue that Native Americans have been singled out as a target for this demining racial treatment. .
The three team names that most often come under fire as being racist are the Chefs, the Braves and the Redskins. Since the Seminoles licensed the uses of their name this team and Native American Nation have thereby lifted themselves from the debate. Based upon this, the argument could be made that using a name rooted in an ethnic background is not in and of itself racist. However Celts and Vikings are not seen as derogatory names. The term “Redskins” in particular is generally accepted to be in the same class as “Whitey” or “Chink” and caries negative connotations and a stereo typical aspect. .
Analyzing this matter further argument can, and has been made that Chief is analogous to King and therefore complementary. Brave also is generally seen as a complementary term. When used in the context of the difference between describing Native Americans and Europeans its correlate would be warrior. However, because Redskin segregates and stereotypes a racial group based sole upon its physical appearance it is inherently racist. For this reason it is the team name most often singled out for protest by Native Americans as being racist.
This general attitude is carried out in the choice of mascots. Of the other racially based team names only this Vikings use a stereotypical human figure consistently as a mascot. Most teams use an anthropomorphic animal figure or a racially undefined humanistic character. This effectively singles out the Native Americans for racist treatment. In particular it should be noted that Vikings are historic figures and not a living culture as are the Native Americans. .
Using further Rogerian theory to analyze the arguments on both sides of the debate that centers on the racist implications of racial identities utilized as sport team names. The argument that the stereotypical portrayal of Native Americans as it is used in its current context in the names of Sports Teams and mascots is demeaning even when this intent is to honor the race not demean them. .
This is based on the facts that of the major league teams that actively use racial identities only the Native American team names and mascots refer to races that were not prominently represented in the teams and their regions at the time of their formation and naming. The Boston Celtics, the Minnesota Vikings are decidedly racially based names. However they also represented the players and their fans at the time of their formation and naming. . In contrast, at the time when the teams who bear names that reference Native American nations those teams were not drawn from the Native American communities who were generally barred from major league sports due to American Apartheid laws.
Of the teams other than the Celts, the Vikings and the team names drawn from Native American sources the other sports team names that refer to humans do not carry the same racial bias. A brewer or a pirate is an “occupation” and while usually portrayed as a white male is not necessarily of a particular race or gender. . The Brewers refer to the predominant occupation in that locale and, with its seaport location there was privateering, or piracy activity that was historically relevant to the name of the Pirates. Therefore, those team names do not carry the same racial bias as do the team names with Native American origins. .
In regards to mascots, most teams do not use fully human characters or caricatures as established mascots, or portrayed with the exception of the Vikings and the teams with Native American names.
In reference to the significance of the choice of how the reference is constructed in analyzing this matter thought must be given to the choice of words; Chief is a similar title to King and therefore complementary. Likewise Brave would find its parallel in the Europeans its correlate would be warrior and when used as an adjective is generally seen as a complementary term. . However, Redskin is a racial slur, similar to whitey or chink and therefore the most frequently cited as an inappropriate name for a major league sports team, especially one who is centered in the American capitol region. With regards to the mascots and logos, with the exception of the Vikings the Native American Characters traditionally stand alone as human mascots. . Therefore the argument that the stereotypical portrayal of Native Americans in Sports Team names and mascots, even when it is done with the intent to honor the race does demean them and is in fact racist.
Works Cited
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