Hannah Collin needs header

Karen Kumpulainen
English 111
22 Apr. 2014
Racism in Sports Teams
America has a problem ith naming its sports teamsa!ter races" hich promotes illogical
stereot#pes in America. The racism that stems !rom sports teams li$e the %ra&es" the 'ighting Siou(" and
the Reds$ins is blinding andperpetuates incorrect &ies !or children to belie&e. Sha$le# argues against the
use o! racial stereot#ping to support sport team promotion. )sing ethnic mascots to represent sports teams
is immoral. *ood thesis" but #ou could ha&e a more attention+getting opening. Combine ideas more as in
the to e(amples abo&e.
,an# images o! team mascots are portra#ed in a a# that can be &ieed as racist. 'or instance"
Sha$le# describes The Cle&eland -ndians. mascot" /0ith this leering" big dash nosed" buc$+tooth s$inned
caricature" 122034 as an image his ,uscgoee5Cree$ mother !ound intolerable. This as Sha$el#.s !irst
reali6ation about the negati&e associations that stereot#pes could pro&ide !or his race. The loo$ o! this
mascot denotes that 7ati&e Americans are goo!#.
,ost o! these ethnic mascots come !rom an age in America here bigotr# and racism ere
accepted. 7el# named teams do not !ight this battle. Sha$el# states that sometimes the image o! a
mascot being remo&ed" such as the )ni&ersit# o! -llinois. 'ighting -llini" remo&es the negati&e connotations
in&ol&ed ith racism. ,ost people don.t e&en associate the -llini ith the 7ati&e American nation since the
Chie! -llinie$ mascot as abandoned 12213.
Some 7ati&e American names seem to ha&e more positi&e meanings than others. There is little
ob8ection to the Atlanta %ra&es. name because the ord bra&e is connected ith courage. -n 19:;" the
%ra&es retired Chie! 7oc+A+Homa and his girl!riend" <rincess 0in+A+=ot. These mascots acted /li$e a
&illage idiot. 122234 So" although the name Braves" as positi&e" the image o! the mascot as clearl#
racist.
Sha$el# brings to light /-n 21st centur# America" to name a sports team a!ter an A!rican American"
Asian" or an# other ethnic group is unthin$able. 122234 The <e$in Chin$s and the Atlanta %lac$ Crac$ers
are not names e thin$ o! in histor# 12223. %oth ere named a!ter races and ha&e perpetuated the
stereot#pes that !ollo each one respecti&el#. The di!!erence ith these teams is that both ere gone
be!ore 19>0" hen the ci&il rights mo&ement as !laring up.
The people ho oppose changing the names o! sports. teams ala#s bring to light the e(penses and
di!!icult# o! changing a name. Sha$el# sa#s that Stan!ord )ni&ersit# lost millions o! alumni dollars hen
the# changed !rom the -ndians to the Cardinals in 19>2. The president o! Stan!ord at the time stated it as
8ust the right thing to do.
-t is interesting that eight#+!our percent o! 7ati&e Americans polled in a Sports Illustrated sur&e#
stated the# had no problems ith -ndian names or mascots. ?ne" hoe&er" should agree ith Sha$el#
hen he states" /-! si(teen percent o! a population !inds something o!!ensi&e" that should be enough to
signal deep concern. 122134 -t is similar to !l#ing the Rebel 'lag. ,an# A!rican Americans see the Rebel
'lag as a s#mbol o! oppression" and i! so man# people !ind it disrespect!ul" then it should not be !lon ith
pride.
This accepted use o! racism through sports. names and mascots is especiall# detrimental to our
nation.s children. 0hen the# see a mascot that portra#s 7ati&e Americans as sill#" bumbling" and
brainless" it ma# cement in a child.s mind these negati&e stereot#pes. Children !ollo a /mon$e# see"
mon$e# do4 !orm" and hen the# see their parents cheering !or the Reds$ins" the# learn to call others
Reds$ins.
Stereot#ping 7ati&e Americans as %ra&es" 'ighting Siou( or an# other ethnic name is unacceptable.
-t perpetuates other negati&e stereot#pes that predate the ci&il rights mo&ement in America. -t is not
acceptable to categori6e a race o! people ith images that are harm!ul. The children o! our nation should
not ma$e connections based on the racist sports. teams.
Hannah, You have done a good job. Note comments especially where you
omitted a citation. 97
0or$s Cited
Sha$le#" @ac$. A-ndian ,ascots++ BouCre ?ut.A Everything's an Argument With Readings. 7.p.D %ed!ord5st ,artins" 2012. 220+22. <rint. need
editors