Re: Sports symbols and respect for native Americans

What seems to be missing in this and any discussion of the dominant culture
using Native American symbols is the story of how the dominant culture
became dominant.

It’s a matter of theft and murder. Stolen lands, lies, broken treaties,
forced removals that killed thousands of people. These natives greeted the
Europeans as neighbors and helped them. That was the honored way. As is
possible for any human beings, they were honorable people with respect for
others and for all their relations which included every entity on earth.

They were beaten and nearly destroyed by those they had first befriended.
And then after their conquerors had taken all that had been in their keeping
for centuries, they took their names, religious symbols and elements of
their culture that the dominant culture made no attempt to understand or
appreciate or value. They took these symbols and corrupted them for their
own use in sports teams, businesses, and countless other ways that even
further demeaned what little had been left to the natives. And they are
puzzled about why the Native Americans are upset about this. Study American History. Walk a mile or two or hundreds of miles with them on the Trail of
Tears. Then decide if this corruption of their words, names and sacred
symbols is a proper show of respect.Margery Wahler

After reading Bob Graham's journal entry and the last message posting regarding the "dominant culture's" tendency to take Indian names as if they honor the name of the Indian culture, was a point of misinterpretation. I thought Graham's intentions were pretty clear. The last message goes too far in glorifying the Indian culture of North America as if they had never butchered one another or made war against fellow tribes. Graham's comments support the view that when white America takes Indian names for streets, towns, and athletic teams it is a slap-in-the face of most surviving Indian cultures. How can you look at the Cleveland Indian emblem and think otherwise?

Yeah Mrs. Graham! I can just hear you saying this so sternly like your statements are :) Hehe Haha . . .
Mrs. G and her opositional ways - gotta love em! Although I do agree with you so don't get me wrong.

I will have to disagree with all of you. Sports teams use nicknames that sound the best. Like, Chicago Bears sounds better then Chicago Fairies.
And for other teams that use American Indian names, they use them because most people think of American Indians as fierce warriors and they want a fierce nickname and logo. They don't do it to slap the American Indian in the face. And as a American Indian(75% Seminole)it doesn't offend me that Florida State uses us as their symbol. PLEASE WRITE BACK

Margery,

I read your opinions on the American Indians on July 8. While you had some good points, you are not entirely correct. Not all Native Americans greeted the Europeans in peace and hospitality. In Plymouth they did, but not in Jamestown (Jamestown Massacre of I think 1624).

Also, Native Americans did not always respect everyone else. Tribes warred upon tribes and stole land from each other. This does not excuse the treatment they received from Europeans, but much of the story is never told. History books today only give us a glimpse of what happens and like to make the Indians seem as if they were all friendly and respected each other and the earth. Believe it or not, some Indian tribes drove whole herds of Buffalo off of cliffs for sport and left many corpse rotting in the sun. Far from the idea that they used every piece of every animal they killed.

Anyhow, a little reading in Native Americans from both perspectives would help. Dee Brown's "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" would be good, as would "My Life on the Plains" by George Armstrong Custer. "Killing Custer" also is a good one although I cannot remember the author.

I agree with Happy Bird. Not all American Indians (his term)are unhappy with symbols and teams.