Whenever a team mascot like “Redskins” comes into question, an owner like Dan Snyder will be quick to jump up and say, “It is not our intent to harm anyone, but to honor them.”
Yesterday’s report from the American Psychological Association should put to rest any questions of “intent.” First, I don’t think Dan Snyder is ever sitting in his office, watching a game and thinking, “You know, this is a terrific way for us all to be honoring native Americans.” I think he’s more likely to be thinking something like, “Lavar Arrington sure is an expensive bench warmer,” “I bet the cheerleader third in from the left would sleep with me for $20,000,” or, “I hate trees.”
But I digress. Even if he was thinking about honoring American Indians, and his intentions actually were noble (if hugely misguided), I don’t think it should matter a whole hell of a lot. His intent, or the intent of anyone else who presides over an institution that uses a Native American name, is not more important than this, snipped from the APA’s report:
APA’s action, approved by the Association’s Council of Representatives, is based on a growing body of social science literature that shows the harmful effects of racial stereotyping and inaccurate racial portrayals, including the particularly harmful effects of American Indian sports mascots on the social identity development and self-esteem of American Indian young people.
“The use of American Indian mascots as symbols in school and university athletic programs is particularly troubling,” says APA President, Ronald F. Levant, EdD. “Schools and universities are places of learning. These mascots are teaching stereotypical, misleading and, too often, insulting images of American Indians. And these negative lessons are not just affecting American Indian students; they are sending the wrong message to all students.”
Psychologist Stephanie Fryberg, PhD, of the University of Arizona, has studied the impact of American Indian sports mascots on American Indian students as well as European American students. Her research shows the negative effect of such mascots on the self-esteem and community efficacy of American Indian students.
“American Indian mascots are harmful not only because they are often negative, but because they remind American Indians of the limited ways in which others see them,” Fryberg states. “This in turn restricts the number of ways American Indians can see themselves.”
The issue of the inappropriateness and potential harm of American Indian mascots is broader than the history and treatment of American Indians in our society say many psychologists who have studied issues of race in America. Such mascots are a contemporary example of prejudice by the dominant culture against racial and ethnic minority groups, according to these scholars.
These are pretty much the world’s foremost experts on such things. It is their job, their chosen life’s work, to study peoples’ mental processes and behavior. Their opinion matters. It matters a whole hell of a lot more than any half-ass opinion formed on the matter by Dan Snyder, Bobby Bowden, or Jeb Bush. They are, of course, entitled to their opinions… but if you’re looking for a right and wrong on the issue, I think you’re better off siding with the people that have studied the issue and gone out and done the research.
And this is also why I don’t care that Florida State can show that they have the approval of Seminole Indians living in Florida… the effect goes farther than that. It’s not like Florida State exists in a vacuum where it can only reach people in their immediate surrounding areas… those images go out to everyone across the world, and, as the study said, it has an effect on how American Indians see themselves, and how other people see them.
Doug
Well, as a part Native American, not an Indian thank you very much, I hate politically correctness. It’s boring, it’s GAY, and it’s for tree huggers. I agree that the name Redskins isn’t the greatest name ever and that the Indians mascot could be a little less sterotypical looking. Secondly, that was one study. It doesn’t mean it’s right. You can manipulate data to look however you want it to. Have you ever watched a presidential debate? They do it all the time. Same data, different arguement. I’m also part Irish so why aren’t we crying about Notre Dame’s nickname. Or maybe blue collar workers should start complaing about the name cornhuskers. We wouldn’t people thinking of our farmers as just a nickname for Nebreska now would we. And while we are at it, let’s get on the Vikings. And I don’t like the name Browns either. People might think it’s talking down on a black people, excuse me African Americans. Why the hell does a nickname have to honor anything anyways? It’s just a god damn nickname. If you want to take up some noble cause with Native Americans, why don’t you figure out how you can help them put down the old bottle of Jack instead of worrying if there feelings are hurt about a nickname? Other then few examples I pointed out, I can’t see why they would care. Yeah, that’s how people viewed Native Americans back in the day. I don’t think anybody still thinks they do rain dances and stuff. If you get offended by the tomahawk chop you should seriously consider suicide. There are so many other things to worry about then something as gay as that.
And this isn’t me attacking you, but anybody who thinks like this. I just don’t get it. Sorry for the long windedness but you just happened to talk about 2 topoics I have pretty strong opinions on the last few days.
The last point I make is this. Ever since I starte reading your blog, your so quick to defend blacks and Native Americans and you always try to be politically correct. At least it seems to me. But there are always little gay jokes here and there. Why is that okay when you do that, but it’s so crazy for Florida State to be called the Seminoles?
October 20, 2005 at 12:29 pm
phenyl_engine_rods
Just “one study”? Did you follow the link? Or read the quoted passage, for that matter?
October 20, 2005 at 7:11 pm
the mighty mjd
Just a few things…
As phenyl said above, it wasn’t just one study… It wasn’t someone going out with a questionnaire. It went deeper than that. These are psychologists… if you don’t want to accept the research as valid, that’s up to you… I’m going to take their word for it. They seemed like they did some pretty thorough research… though I’m sure you did, too. Just because it doesn’t bother you, doesn’t mean it’s the same for everyone.
I’ve responded to the silly “Irish” comparison in the past on this website pretty extensively, and I don’t feel like doing it again. If you’re interested in my opinion on it, you can go through the archives and find it.
A nickname doesn’t have to honor anything… but it’d be nice if it didn’t have any negative effects, either. The APA says it does. You say it doesn’t. *shrug*
If you want to take up some noble cause with Native Americans, why don’t you figure out how you can help them put down the old bottle of Jack instead of worrying if there feelings are hurt about a nickname?
That’s not a harmful stereotype or anything…
“Other then few examples I pointed out, I can’t see why they would care. Yeah, that’s how people viewed Native Americans back in the day. I don’t think anybody still thinks they do rain dances and stuff.”
I think you’d be surprised at how some images affect people subconsciously. I think you did a pretty good job of illustrating, just a few lines above, how people still do buy into some Native American stereotypes.
And you don’t have to apologize for the longwindedness… I always appreciate it when people make comments. Even if they don’t agree. Seriously.
“The last point I make is this. Ever since I starte reading your blog, your so quick to defend blacks and Native Americans and you always try to be politically correct. At least it seems to me. But there are always little gay jokes here and there. Why is that okay when you do that, but it’s so crazy for Florida State to be called the Seminoles?
You mean like this?
“If you get offended by the tomahawk chop you should seriously consider suicide. There are so many other things to worry about then something as gay as that.”
But you do have a point there. But let me say, in my defense, I’ve never made fun of anyone for being gay. I call certain things “gay,” but when I do, in my mind, I’m not calling them homosexual. Ralph Wiley wrote about it one time… let me see if I can find the link. Fuck, I can’t. ESPN.com’s Ralph Wiley archive page is empty, for some reason… but he wrote about how the meaning of the word had changed, in certain senses… maybe I’ll look again for it later.
Anyway, even given that, I probably shouldn’t call things gay… and the image of Peyton Manning and Kenny Chesney dating shouldn’t amuse me like it does. So if you’ve got beef with that, it’s legitimate, and I apologize to you. I should try to do better. But I’ve never just outright made fun of someone for being gay, nor do I think it would make any sense to do so… when an athlete eventually does come out of the closet, no one’s going to be happier or more supportive of them than me.
October 20, 2005 at 7:40 pm
the mighty mjd
And one thing I forgot…
“I hate politically correctness.”
So do I.
October 20, 2005 at 7:41 pm
Doug
Well, it’s a fun arguement either way. I just don’t see how a nickname can make you think you need to fit a sterotype. I really don’t. I’m not a doctor though so what do I know.
As far as the Indians and alcohol comment I made. I was told that 3 years ago by a teacher from Penn State who was Native American himself and actually spent time with the Blackfoot tribe. And he’s a Doctor so maybe there is some validity to it.
And just for fun, I think the Ravens should change their name because the name came from one of Edgar Allen Poe’s stories. Well Poe married his cousin and I’m assuming had sex with her. All West Virginians should be offended. I demand this name be changed.
And trust me, I’m not calling you a gay basher or anything like that. I laugh at the jokes all the time. That’s why I like the blog so much. I just don’t agree with you in this instance.
October 20, 2005 at 10:01 pm
Anonymous
Yeah, fuck your PC ass. You are soooo funny in your smorgasboard posts and now strike a righteous tone? Fuck you. Buy a popsicle cuz’ you suck.
October 20, 2005 at 10:18 pm
insomniac
Anonymous- I would hope that we all have some issues that we care enough about that we are willing to get “righteous” in our defense of them. So I don’t see any conflict between joking about the levels of sucking achieved by Tommy Maddox over the weekend in one post and commenting on cultural issues in another. On a side note, if you were thinking that “buy a popsicle, cuz you suck” was the acme of wit, you were wrong on that one too.
In response to the alcoholism claim, the numbers differ, but a recent study showed that the mortality rate from alcoholism among American Indians was six times that of the general US population.
Looking further at the meta-analysis performed by the APA that initiated this thread, quite a few of the studies were sponsored by American Indian tribes, so I’m sure there is a level of bias inherent to the study. Nevertheless, I agree with Stephanie Fryberg- when you consider that universities are supposed to be institutions of higher learning, they should be fostering a culture of acceptance.
For those that want to say if you do away with tribal nicknames, you have to eliminate Vikings, Irish, etc…Well, that holds the same logic as those who claim that if you allow gays to marriage, then you have to let a dude marry his goat.
October 21, 2005 at 12:09 am