Sports Profession Sector: Native Americans - Essay Example

Introduction

There has been a pertinent and ongoing debate on the use of Native American names in the sports profession sector. Accordingly, from the analysis of diverse pundits, the question is based on whether the sports team professional colleges, high schools, and other sectors should or should not use such names for their teams coupled with mascots. A common example is the Cleveland Indians that utilizes the mascot, “Chief Wahoo.” The evident debate has been as a result of the increase in criticism from both the Native Americans and diverse media personnel. Many of the pundits emphasize that the use of such names is ridicule and even a promotion of racism among the American public. Nonetheless, from an individualistic perspective, the use of the Native American names in the sports sector is plausible. Through the use of Native American names, promoting their cultural diversity and even generating public curiosity towards understanding the Native Americans. Therefore, this argumentative essay will examine the main reasons why I support the use of Native American names in the sports industry coupled with an analysis of the evident counterarguments available.

First and foremost the use of Native American names, in reference to Connolly (518) is an honorific approach towards promoting the Indians. Accordingly, Connolly (518) argues that majority of the names given to sports teams and mascots generate a respectful approach to the use of Native American names. As such names such as Redskins are a plausible approach towards immortalizing some of the names of the Native Americans. In the current environment, the use of imagery and names of the Native Americans has become synonymous with positive events in the society. In reference to Connolly (518), any mention of a Native American name results into a positive thought among the public due to the sports teams.

Secondly, individuals such as Toglia, Jessica, and Othello, (293) argue that the use of the Native American names in sports is important towards promoting cultural awareness of the Native Americans. In the popular media, the notion of Native Americans in the previous instances was associated with horrific tales of their brutality and animosity to the early settlers. However, through promoting the use of the Native American names, pundits such as Toglia, Jessica, and Othello, (293) remark that it has been important towards generating curiosity among the public to understand the Native Americans. Research conducted by Toglia, Jessica, and Othello, (293) has led to the arguments that the use of Native American names has a positive impact on the societal perspectives of the individuals. Most importantly, arguments by Whiteside, (93) reveal that the public becomes more curious to understand the names of their sports team hence resulting in an appreciation of the Native American culture. Furthermore, the use of the Native American names is bound to eliminate the stereotype perspectives on the individuals since they form an important part of the society. The focus on the use of the Native American names is a plausible initiative as evident from the arguments by Toglia, Jessica and Othello, (293) towards generating information access on the individuals. Most importantly, Connolly, (522) argues that the significant impact of sports on the society is a profound approach towards changing the perspectives of the public on the Native Americans. Furthermore, the use of Native American names has resulted in cultural exposure to their traditional ways of lives. Accordingly, Whiteside, (92) argues that in most of the games, there is the evident performance by the mascots and even Native Americans of their diverse traditional dances. Through the traditional dances, clothes and tools that are displayed by the mascots, the cultural awareness is further catapulted. As a nation whereby as per the arguments of Toglia, Jessica and Othello, (293) majority of its population have lost their culture, the use of Native American names is a plausible approach towards promotion and even preservation of Native American culture. Arguably, in most learning institutions, there is a wealth of information on the Native American names and the mascots towards ensuring that the students comprehend the origins of the names and maintain a positive outlook of the Native Americans.

As the third argument in the support for the use of Native American names, pundits such as Connolly, (518) assert that the public is too sensitive to the language that may be used in naming the sports teams and mascots. Arguably, the public is fast becoming information-centric, and the use of certain names may be deemed as offensive to some. Case in point, Toglia, Jessica and Othello, (293) argues that the use of Cougar in naming sports teams and even mascots has been deemed as extensively offensive to some due to what cougar symbolizes to most individuals in America. The sensitivity to the use of names coupled with the dynamisms in the meaning of certain names is a facet of concern and argument, especially in the sports sector. Most importantly, in high schools Toglia, Jessica and Othello, (293) argues that it is important to promote feasible naming of the sports teams and mascots to ensure a plausible learning environment.

As the fourth argument, it is imperative to comprehend that the use of Native American names in sports is a promotion of the true America. Accordingly, different nations have diversity in culture, languages and focus on ensuring that their diversity is promoted across the globe. However, Whiteside, (53) argues that America is a cosmopolitan society. As a cosmopolitan society, it is a convergence of individuals from diverse societies across the globe. Therefore, as per the arguments of Toglia, Jessica and Othello, (293) the use of such names in sports teams and mascots generate a sense of belonging and promotion of the cultural diversity of America. As the original inhabitants of America, the use of their name is a promotion of originality and promotion of America. As such, Toglia, Jessica, and Othello, (293) argue that the world should associate Native Americans as the original inhabitants of the nation and even constitute of what America entails.

On the other hand, there are counterarguments to the colleges, high schools and other sectors using the Native American names for their teams and mascots. Admittedly, the majority of the pundit’s arguments are based on three main arguments. Firstly, the use of the Native American names is bound to further catapult racial discrimination. Native Americans emanate from a history in which the national policy was focused on seizing their land coupled with resources and even hunt down the Native Americans (Connolly 521). Hence, the association of the Native Americans to their history has further been perpetuated by the media through the western movies. In the diverse movies, the Native Americans are subjected to derogatory adjectives such as dirty Redskin and “Pesky Redskin”. Therefore, the evident implausible depiction of the Native Americans by the media coupled with the use of their names in sports teams is further bound to catapult the racial discrimination evident. As such, majority of the public share a stereotyped approach to their view and perception of the Native Americans. Furthermore, through the use of Native American names, the prospect of fostering racially based harassment is bound to prevail. The notion of the students being exposed to diverse media on the Native Americans especially on their negative history is bound to result in racial harassment. The prospect of bullying of the Native Americans is an evident and bound aspect of prevailing as a result of the use of such names in sports.

Secondly, the use of Native American names in sports team in the various learning institutions is bound to prevent the Native Americans from enjoying equal and full rights. In the public domain, the Native Americans as per the arguments of Stegman and Victoria, (28) are still seen as backward, savage and uncivilized. As such, the popular myth among the public members is the notion that the Native Americans still maintain their practices. Through the view of the Native Americans as backward, they are seen as partial Americans. Stegman and Victoria, (29) further argues that the perspectives of the public on the native Americans and even the national policy towards setting up reservation or regions for them has led to the implausible view of the individuals as not part of the American society. Therefore, the use of the Native American names of sports teams in the learning institutions will further catapult the perspectives of the society as partial citizens. Admittedly, the struggle by the Native Americans towards enjoying full and equal treatment in the society has been evident to date hence the false and stereotypical portrayal of their culture is bound to catapult the public perception. William (443) further argues that the notion of undermining the equal treatment that the Native Americans deserve is bound to heighten as a result of the evident use of Native American names in sports.

Thirdly, pundits such as William, (444) emphasize that in the learning institutions, the notion of generating “racial micro aggression" through the transformation of the learning institutions into the extensively hostile environment through the use of Native American names in teams and mascots. Accordingly, it has become evident that hostilities between individuals from diverse cultures prevail. Most importantly, in the learning environment, the interaction between the Native Americans and other students is fostered by a discriminatory environment. Hence, with the evident interaction William, (438) argues that the use of Native American names for teams and mascots will generate animosity especially among individuals who exude high levels of racial prejudice.

Nonetheless, from the above analysis of the counterarguments, it is evident that the prospect of public appreciation of the Native Americans has been extensively positive. Toglia, Jessica and Othello, (293) argue that the American society, through the media has become more appreciative of the Native Americans. The media portrayal of the individuals has been changing fast due to the names of the sports teams. Toglia, Jessica and Othello, (293) argue that the use of the Native American names has fostered the need for the media to associate the Native Americans to positive aspects to generate societal acceptance and opinion change especially among the evident supporters of the diverse sports teams.

Conclusion

All in all, sports are important towards fostering unity and even harmony in the society. Therefore, the use of such names for teams and mascots is a plausible way towards further fostering unity and appreciation of the Native Americans. As part of the society, the misinformation that was associated with the Native Americans is bound to change as a result of the use of their names for teams and mascots. Accordingly, through the use of the Native American names, widespread appreciation of the individuals, especially in the learning institutions, is bound to prevail.