Tribal leader: End mascot discrimination

[RetroLounge]

Tribal leader: End mascot discrimination

Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council leader Ray DePerry called today for the Wisconsin Legislature to get involved in changing school district mascots and logos so that they do not discriminate against Indians.

In the first State of the Tribes speech to the Legislature and other state officials, DePerry also called for changes in the names of various water bodies and parks that can offend.

He mentioned Squaw Bay in Monona as an example.

"While we applaud the numerous school boards and school districts that have voluntarily taken the corrective steps in eradicating this type of institutional discrimination against our children, our tribes, our families, there still are approximately 40 public schools that contain some reference to American Indians," DePerry said.

http://www.madison.com/tct/news/stories/index.php?ntid=31376

RL

[sybylla]

1. I'm one of those bleeding hearts who supports the tribes in this

Every time I'm at a high school sports event I cringe when I hear the names of the few improper mascots left.

I just think it's wrong and I would like to see more schools volunteer to change. But I think after 20 years, we're at the end of the "volunteer" portion of this movement.

The battles that have developed in some of the communities that did change are heartwrenching and horribly divisive.

[ewagner]

2. Listened to DePerry on WPR

Yesterday morning...........

He made a lot of good points but I got the distinct feeling that outside of WPR and local Dem committees, his words will fall on deaf ears..........

[RevCheesehead]

3. But is everything NA necessarily bigoted?

I grew up in Fort Atkinson. Named for Gen. Henry Atkinson. It should have been named "Fort Koshkonong," since that was the name of the real outpost there.

But the local radio station calls this area "The Land of Blackhawk." And our HS mascot is Chief Blackhawk. I see both of these as an important historical reminder of whose land we occupy.

Quite frankly, the only thing I ever found offensive about our mascot is when one of my "friends" took on the role. Not a lot of dignity there.

I haven't been to a game in years. Hopefully, they've updated the Chief, making him the dignified and magnificent man that he was. But I would hate to see Blackhawk disappear. He is important to our region.

BTW - I'm also one of those who think Marquette made a BIG mistake. What's offensive about Warriors?

[Jimbo S]

4. Nothing offensive about Warriors

All Marquette had to do was change their logo from a NA to say a medieval theme or a Spartan theme or something.

[LiberalFighter]

5. What happens if every reference to NA is eradicated?

What I don't understand is why would a mascot be derogatory or offensive when it is symbol for the school?

I don't consider calling someone a Warrior to be negative. Likewise, Chief Blackhawk or Blackhawk should not be a negative image either.

I can see Squaw Lake or whatever be renamed... if there is some historical event that would be better. Go for it! I would like to know when it was first given that name. By us or NA?

How about all the cities with Indian names? Will Wisconsin have to be renamed?

[mark414]

7. there's a difference between naming a city and naming a mascot

i guess i'm just one of those people that believe that, regardless of the negative or positive connotation, there is a big problem when people choose to turn other people into mascots, into caricatures, especially when the people doing the "tribute" are a bunch of lily white privileged europeans who have no clue what it's like to be discriminated against

[sybylla]

6. I don't think everything NA is necessarily bigotted

I particularly admire Blackhawk and I would think a school could have no better mascot. But I would expect them use his name with the respect he deserves and ditch any NA stereotypes. Based upon what you've said, it sounds like they have.

I've had the pleasure of attending conference, regional, sectional and state highschool competitions over the past four years for several sports and I have to say a few obviously racist mascots still exist. I'd like to see them addressed and redefined or changed.

I see in some of these bigotted mascots some of the same "redneck" thinking that chased Blackhawk and his people across SW Wisconsin until they caught them at the Mississippi and massacred them. Historians estimate that as many as 1500 Sauk and Fox were massacred in 1832 and the evidence suggests it happened in part because of the ignorance and irrational fear of the settlers. We turned NAs into the terrorists of the day and they are still paying for it over 150 years later.

For me, the mascot issue is not whether a NA reference is made but whether someone like Blackhawk is revered for the independent, intelligent, caring leader and brilliant war strategist that he was or do the depictions of him portray a rabid, sneering, animalistic "redskin" out for blood.

If we teach truth in our history classes, why allow it to be trampled on by our mascots merely for the sake of tradition.

[Jimbo S]

8. I was in Fort Friday night

for a ballgame.

They have "This is Blackhawk Country" posted on the front of the scorers table, so the pride is still there.

Also see that they have a "Teenage Liberals" club and a "Teenage Republicans" club. Good to see young people getting involved.

[RevCheesehead]

10. You found LIBERALS in FORT ATKINSON????

I thought they were all gone after my parents moved to Whitewater!

I would have blossomed into a fine young woman if they had a Liberals club when I was there!

[MessiahRp]

9. They banned Indian mascots here.

Both schools I went to here in Oshkosh (my middle school, Webster Stanley, and my high school Oshkosh West) changed their mascots out of respect to Native Americans.

Webster went from the Warriors to the Wolves, and West went from the Indians to the Wildcats.

Now where it's going to be tricky is changing teams like the Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians and Washington Redskins.

Rp