Understanding Discrimination Against Native Americans

In modern day America, a country founded on equality and strongly opposed against racial discriminations, Native Americans are racially discriminated against on a daily basis. Their valued heritage and identities are used as sports team mascots. This inhumane practice of publicly humiliating a certain ethnicity in modern day America needs to be put to and end. Native Americans are obligated to be treated as Americans and as humans. No person or ethnic group should experience the pain of being humiliated in public due to their identity, heritage or culture.

The use of Native American sports team mascots is not America's latest practice. Native American sports team mascots have been used since the early 20^th century without considerate thought of Native Americans. In 1960, the use of Native American images as sports team mascots finally became controversial along with the civil rights movement (Issues and Controversies on File, 2002, p.3). Since then the use of numerous Native American sports team mascots have been eliminated from various schools throughout America. However, today, despite the efforts to eliminate the use of all Native American sports team mascots, Native Americans' cultures and identities are in continued use as sports team mascots throughout several American schools and professional sports teams. This controversial issue has multiple supporters along with various opponents

Supporters of Native American sports team mascots claim that Native American sports team mascots are not racially discriminating. They claim that there is no harm done. That Native American sports team mascots are simply a form of entertainment. Supporters claim that Native American sports team mascots, "have long traditions at schools, and to throw that away is unfair" (Issues and Controversies on File, 2002, p.6). Another reason various people support the use of Native American sports team mascots is simply because, "teams and schools would incur a considerable expense in changing names and mascots" (Issues and Controversies on File, 2002, p.7). The schools and teams make tremendous amounts of money through the selling of Native American images on t-shirts, mugs, jerseys and so forth.

Several supporters also claim that Native American sports team mascots honor Native Americans. They claim that the images of Native Americans as sports team mascots promote positive qualities in athletes such as; "...honor, courage, and determination..." (Issues and Controversies on File, 2002, p.5). Native American sports team mascots were not intended to degrade or disrespect Native Americans. Supporters often ask, "Why would a team or school name itself after something that it did not like or respect?" (Issues and Controversies on File, 2002, p.5). Often, supporters of the use of Native American sports team mascots are ignorant of Native American history, cultures and religions.

There are multiple divergent Native Americans throughout the United States each with their own unique culture and language. Thus, stereotyping Native Americans with the use of Native American sports team mascots are insulting. They do not bring honor to all Native Americans. Native Americans have faced numerous hardships throughout American history. However, despite the hardships multiple Native Americans were able to sustain their identities, cultures and languages, "What sustained them were traditional family and clan relationships, kinships with their homelands, religious ceremonies, ancient stories connecting older and younger generations, and shared traditions that maintained each tribe's uniqueness" (Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia, p.54). Today Native Americans are continuing to entwine their unique culture and language into the next generation. They are continuing to live rich in culture and still have a genuine respect and pride for their heritage. The majority of Native American people take their culture seriously. Native American culture is something that is kept close to Native Americans' hearts and extremely respected throughout Native American society. Thus, publicly mocking Native Americans' religions and cultures disrespects the fight Native Americans have made and are making to restore their cultures and religions.

Countless Native Americans continuously experience the pain of being racially discriminated against. The use of Native American sports team mascots are racially discriminating. Racial discrimination is an act of, "Distinction, exclusion, restriction, preference or omission based on race, colour, decent, nationality or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing, directly or indirectly, the recognition, equal enjoyment or exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms recognized in international law" (The Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights, 1993-2003, p.4). Native Americans are used as sports team mascots such as redskin, Indians, braves, savages and so forth that bring agony to Native American people. These sports team mascots prevent Native Americans from equal enjoyment, exercise of human and American rights, and unequal rights of their fundamental freedoms. The uses of Native American sports team mascots also promote numerous negative psychological effects on society especially on Native Americans

Native Americans are clearly human and are entitled to all human rights. All humans are, "Born free and equal in dignity and rights" (The Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights, 1948, p.1). Native Americans are entitled to be treated equally and have the right to be protected against any acts of racial discriminations. The Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights states, "it shall be an offense to threaten, insult, ridicule, or otherwise abuse a person or group of persons by words or behavior which may cause or may reasonably be interpreted as an attempt to cause racial discrimination or racial hatred, or to incite a person or group of persons to do so" (The Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights, 1993-2003, p.4). Native American sports team mascots are inhumane just as much as they are un-American.

Native Americans are entitled to all American rights. In America, all Americans are considered to be, "created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these rights are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness" (United States, 1774, Amendment XIV). Native Americans are also entitled to equal protection of all laws. In America it is an offense to violate another's civil rights, "Examples of civil rights are freedom of speech, press, assembly, the right to vote, freedom from involuntary servitude, and the right to equality in public places" (WEX, 2005, p.1). Native American sports team mascots cause Native Americans to avoid certain public events due to the fear of being publicly humiliated. Native American sports team mascots need to be discontinued due to the reality that it violates Human and American Rights, and due to the fact that it causes various negative psychological effects on society including Native Americans.

Racial discrimination is harmful. Racial discrimination only causes negative effects on society. Racial discrimination is known to, "Threaten human development because of the obstacles which they pose to the fulfillment to basic human rights to survival, security, development, and social participation" (American Psychological Association, 2001, p.1). Racial discrimination causes negative effects on both the victims and the perpetrators. The execution of racial discrimination is, "shown to be attitudes and behaviors that are learned" (American Psychological Association (APA), 2001, p.1). Thus, society needs to keep future generations from learning the heinous acts of racial discriminations and keep future generations from experiencing the agonizing pain of racial discriminations by eliminating the use of Native American sports team mascots.

Racial discrimination has an additional effect on Native Americans. Native Americans are subjected to racial discriminations frequently. According to Dr. Tom O'Connor, "The (live) birth rates and life spans for Native Americans tend to be the smallest of all ethnic groups. Native Americans rarely live past the age 70, and their suicide rates as well as infant mortality rates are double the national average"(Dr. Tom O'Connor, 2005, p.6). Racial discrimination can cause multiple negative effects on victims of racial discriminations. The effects of "Racism has been shown to increase anxiety, depression, self-defeating thoughts and avoidance behaviors, and is linked to a host of medical complications in ethnic minority individuals" including Native Americans (APA, 2001, p.1). Racial discriminations only have negative effects on society and should be avoided whenever possible. Thus, the APA states, "that the American Physiological Association supports and recommends the immediate retirement of American Indian mascots, symbols, images, and personalities by schools, colleges, universities, athletic teams, and organizations"(APA, 2001, p.2). The use of Native American sports team mascots is indeed tremendously detrimental-detrimental on society and additionally detrimental on Native Americans.

The use of Native American sports team mascots are degrading, disrespectful, inhumane, un-American, and destructive. Thus, this gruesome practice of publicly degrading a certain ethnicity needs to be put to an end. In a country of diverse unique individuals there is no room for racial discriminations. The use of Native American sports team mascots will only cause damaging effects on society. Eliminating the use of Native American mascots will give America one step closer to eliminating all forms of racial discriminations. Native Americans along with all human kind will benefit from being free from all types of racial discriminations. Racial discriminations are "Old habits [that] may die hard, but they do die when the will to change is strong enough. We have crossed the threshold of a new century, and the challenge that faces us now is clear. Can we rise to the occasion? The answer, I know, is yes" (Ellen Sauerbrey, 2001, p.2).
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