Indian mascot needs to change
January 11, 2016
https://soundcloud.com/mhsmentoronline/jan-6-editorial-indian-mascot
This editorial is a compilation from a discussion held by the editorial board.
Mascots based on the image of Native Americans are a source of controversy across America and Manhattan High is once again fostering this debate.
The argument is simple: Native Americans state that the use of their imagery under the name “Indians” is offensive and should be removed, while others argue it is doing no real harm and should be kept to maintain tradition as well as for monetary reasons. As the topic is rather divisive and relevant to our school, it seemed necessary to introduce the discussion to The Mentor editorial board.
After a rather heated meeting, it was evident that, while there were some naysayers, a majority of the board felt the mascot ought to be changed.
The arguments for such a change are centered mainly about the concept of ensuring basic human rights and dignity. While some argued that not all Native Americans take offense to the mascot, the fact that many do take offense is far more relevant. Native Americans, after all, are the only ones who can deem what is offensive towards them. So any debate as to whether or not the mascot is “really offensive” is invalid if Native Americans are not holding the discussion. Thus, the conversation becomes whether or not to treat the disrespect of Native Americans as a legitimate issue, and, surely, it should be.
As we delved deeper into the concept of “offense,” it was argued that no matter what action the school takes (keeping or removing the mascot) some group will take offense. Certainly there are quite a few alumni and current MHS-goers who would be upset by the removal of the mascot, so shouldn’t we take their feelings into account as well?
To this, we point out, simply, that all offense is not inherently equal. Offense being taken towards the removal of tradition is nowhere near as damaging as offense being taken toward the vilifying of an entire group of people. In fact, if we look to the past, the destruction of “proud” traditions was crucial to the demolition of inequalities within America. Arguing in favor of tradition over the equal and respectful treatment of others has, traditionally, been on the “wrong side” of history.
The next most prominent argument in favor of keeping the mascot is based on the economic toll changing the mascot would have on the school. Surely, one might say, the cost of changing all of our school uniforms and painting over the giant “Indian” heads in our school would be far too much to make changing the mascot “worth it.”
The majority of the editorial board would argue that there should be no circumstance under which capital should be held as more valuable than basic human rights. And, if it really were to come down to cost, as insulting and belligerent as that premise is, we’d like to introduce Adidas’ nationwide initiative to provide financial assistance and design resources to any U.S. high school open to removing logos or mascots that are offensive to tribal communities. This offer should satisfy even the most insensitive of capitalists.
As a last resort, those who wish to leave the mascot as is try to point out that mascots aren’t even “that big of a deal” or that mascots don’t “really matter.” This argument is totally invalid. If our mascot doesn’t matter, then why fight so avidly for keeping it as is when we could easily change it and stop disrespecting an entire group of already oppressed individuals?
In the end, the franticness and lack of evidence that define the argument for keeping the mascot as is illustrate a greater problem within privileged, white America. Those in favor of keeping the mascot are simply attempting to protect tradition so as to maintain their own comfort within an unfair power structure. So, with that, we encourage all of our readers to take a step toward being more empathetic, decent individuals by pushing aside their own need for comfort in an effort to move closer to an equal and respectful America.
Mike Ford • May 7, 2016 at 6:25 pm
I attended MHS from 1984-1986. I’m Mississippi Choctaw and Biloxi. I moved to Manhattan from Shreveport, LA.
I remember having to get the gym shirt from Ballards and thinking I don’t see any Native people here. I saw the [names removed] westside kids war whooping and doing the chop but I didn’t see any Native peoples. Just racist stereotypes perpetuated by westside kids who judged everyone else. I remember being dragged or shined across the mascots head by the north gym as a freshman. Not racist at all. Just part of defending the mythology and that’s the problem. This mascot represents paternalism and mythology not the reality of physical and cultural genocide and land theft.
Sa Chahta anumpa (My Choctaw language) is a tradition thousands of years old. The Choctaw language was a military code language in World War One. It has survived the intentional attempted eradication pushed by English only immigrants and their educational systems. Your mythological mascot has been around 80 years. Perspective.
Your mascot homogenizes the diverse indigenous cultures of this country. There are 574 federally recognized tribes, nations, bands, and communities in the US. Your mascot doesn’t address this at all. One mascot makes it easy for White consumption. I look at comments here. There are Citizen Band Potawatomi members in Kansas. The names Wamego, Belvue, Wabaunsee, Paxico, Onaga, and Rossville are associated with them. They were east of Manhattan from 1846 to 1870 before their 1861 and 1866 treaties and the Union Pacific Eastern Division railroad and allotments forced them primarily to Indian Territory. They came to Kansas on the Potawatomi Trail of Death from Indiana by force and violence in 1831-32. They moved when the Prairie Band Potawatomi came from Iowa and Illinois to near Mayetta in 1846.
This mascot whitewashes and honogenizes history. It needs to go.
Marty hauset • Feb 4, 2016 at 5:29 pm
As a former sports editor for the mentor, i applaud you for taking up this issue. I think this is one of the best, most cogent and informed opinions i have read about such issues. It is well written, articulate and insightful. Well done!
todd thaemert • Jan 30, 2016 at 3:47 am
“Greater problem within privileged, white America” and “So as to maintain their own comfort within an unfair power structure”………………these comments are judgemental and are offensive to many people. Remember, in our modern culture we as a society frown upon offending any particular group.
Diane Flerlage • Jan 29, 2016 at 1:43 pm
Thank you for exposing the two sides as you have done in this editorial. I also hadn’t heard of the assistance Adidas has offered all high schools in this predicament. It is never easy to change tradition.The last sentence in your editorial sums my feelings up 100%
Chris • Jan 28, 2016 at 11:23 am
Why? This is crazy. Get over yourself and stop being so offended about everything.
Nikkole Salter • Jan 3, 2017 at 4:00 am
You should not get over yourself… how can you? What does that even mean? Become disembodied? Forget yourself? That’s is crazy. Continue to respect yourself and demand equal respect in our society.
Joshua Wildin • Jan 28, 2016 at 8:31 am
Well done students! Now, if only adults would in many cases take your brave stances.
Ryan Runyan • Jan 22, 2016 at 9:02 am
MHS Indians represent Pride.
Nice to see a positive comment from the student body at MHS in support of the Indians. I wish the Mercury would have posted the Mentors editorial so the community can see what the editorial board of the Mentor feel about the mascot. I know when my youngest went to MHS and worked on the Mentor, I always had a parent copy from him to read. Frank Felber brought up a good point on how many students on the Mentor editorial board are Native Americans, I can say my youngest was at the time. While a student at MHS, my son was ridiculed by friends for his support of the Indian mascot, and I’m guessing they didn’t believe his heritage was Prairie Band Pottawatomie. I’ll have to admit there was a time when my wife broke MHS protocol during a football when my oldest son was playing during a game. She started to do the Indian Chop. Pretty sure she was the only one at Bishop doing the chop and my daughter would tell her it wasn’t allowed at MHS games, due to the fact its offensive to the Indians. Pretty sure my daughter got her first lesson on her Indian heritage as my wife reminded her she was Indian and should not be offended. My daughter looks more like me, blonde, blue and we both sunburn badly. I welcome the Mentor Editorial Board to visit my wife, her name is Sharon, and she is the first generation on her father’s side that wasn’t raised on the reservation. You should hear the stories she could tell about her father while growing up poor on a reservation and the hurdles her parents had to face when her father met and married her white mother after WWII. The two raised a great family in Manhattan. Her father retired from USD 383 and was just as proud of the mascot being the Indians. It should be noted the most familiar design of the Indians was designed by his friend, Brent Yancey who was Citizen Band (the Potts from Oklahoma) who retired from MHS as the art teacher. Just so you know a little history of the MHS Indians, the headdress is native to the Pottawatomie’s as I’m sure other First Nations, and if you visit my wife, she can show you a picture of her great great grandfather who was a chief and worn a similar headdress depicted from the MHS Indians. Did you know during the Civil War, the Kansas Legislature wanted to remove the Indians from the State and the area Pottawatomie’s met with the Confederates (for reasons unknown), but soon after this meeting General Lee had surrendered and the rest is history. Maybe this is why our State Capitol has Ad Astra on our dome, to ensure Kansas never forgets its heritage and its First Nations. So please, let’s not toss away a great symbol of pride, which is the MHS Indians. I was a little shocked when LaVerne Bitsie-Baldwin, a director of K-State’s multicultural engineering program and others came out and claimed the MHS is a horrible mascot. Sorry Ms. Bitsie-Baldwin, but my wife and our children are far from being horrible and they are very much proud of the MHS Indians, just as the Navajo High School (Red Mesa) is as proud of their mascot, the Redskins. So whatever happens to the MHS mascot, no doubt USD 383 parents, students, and our great community will find one’s way, such as our State motto: Ad astra per aspera, “To the stars through difficulties.” These are the times which make us great.
Please feel free to print this and if you want to do an opposing view story on a local American Indian who has strong roots in this community, feel free to call my wife…just let me know.
Ryan Runyan Manhattan, KS
Tamara Faw Faw • Jan 13, 2016 at 3:02 pm
I am an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe, The Otoe-Missouria tribe of Oklahoma and a descendant of the Ioway tribe of Oklahoma. I am a 1999 graduate of KSU. I was part of a group of Natives that opposed your mascot back in the late 90’s. I think that it is good that you all are at least discussing this issue again.
The points we made so long ago were that these stereotypical mascots affect our Native children, it makes them question their own identity, they wonder why they are being made fun of. They know how real natives live and who real natives are and then they see these caricatures and cartoons that are suppose to represent and honor Natives. It sends the wrong message to our young people, that it is okay to be portrayed in these ways by society.
Other points we made were that Native people are not your mascots, we are a race of people with a culture and traditions that we hold dear, you are not a tribe, you are a school district, you have no right to use any of our symbols (profile of a chief) and sacred objects (eagle feathers painted on trash cans and woven into rugs). Eagle feathers are to never touch the ground, to have a head of a chief as a mascot, represents the severed head of a Native chief.
Having a native mascot gives other school districts the opportunity to degrade and dishonor with signs and chants that say for example: “Scalp the Indians!” “Punish the R-word” etc., the R-word is the same as using the N-word. By definition, it means an offensive and derogatory term referring to Native Americans. It comes from when the government paid for each ‘Indian skin’. The red comes from the blood that stained the skin. I mention this because I heard the term used several times during your meeting.
Our main point was that Stereotypical Native Imagery is unacceptable in today’s society, it is morally and ethically wrong, period. It has nothing to do with being politically correct (no other race of people are used as mascots) or whether or not it offends everyone. The fact that it offends one Native should be enough and I represent that one Native.
To address the issue you mentioned about the cost of changing your mascot. This should help: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/e75fdec4f3de4c548053a7c577ce8807/adidas-offers-help-eliminate-native-american-mascots
The athletic shoe and apparel maker will provide free design resources to schools looking to shelve Native American mascots, nicknames, imagery or symbolism. The company also pledged to provide financial support to ensure the cost of changing is not prohibitive.
Adidas announced the initiative in conjunction with the White House Tribal Nations Conference in Washington, which includes leaders from the 567 federally recognized tribes.
I hope the information I have provided to you helps you all have a better understanding of the issue you are discussing. One more thing, “IT IS NOT AN HONOR!” If you want to honor Native Americans, do away with your school’s stereotypical mascot! Thank You!
Regards
Tammy