Once Again

Once again, I feel uptight. Once again, I read an article regarding race stereotypes, and feel outraged. How can it possibly be honorable to Native Americans to have athletic teams be their only representation in American culture? How can derogatory terms such as "Redskins" or "Chief Illiniwek" or "Chief Osecola" positively represent or honor an entire group of people we exterminated at the beginnings of our country? It cannot. If differing tribes felt honored by these terms, that would be one thing, but when Native Americans are asked if they feel respected through the naming of athletic terms Indian slangs, responses like Jim Northrup say, "Why do people continue to insist these nicknames honor American Indians when the people you claim to be honoring tell you its not?" Just because we wish it to honor Native Americans does not mean it actually does. When is intended has no significance, but rather how it is interpreted. I have such issues with any derogatory phrase used by people that do not identify with the group being "represented." I cannot imagine a slang term for 'black' being used to 'honor' the African American community... it would never happen.

When I say this, I feel so uptight and as though I am so sensitive! But, I truly believe it is slang terms like this that perpetuate racism in American today. Racism that is unidentified as such, I believe, is the most dangerous kind, as it has no hope of being diminished.