Sports Mascots and Ward Churchill

Sports! Finally! Somewhere that minorities can look and find themselves outnumbering the generally privileged majority, and being shown in a generally positive light! Right? Well, yeah, sure – unless you’re Native American. If you’re Native American, then when you look at sports you see stereotypes of your race abounding, whether it be the Atlanta Braves, the Cleveland Indians, or the Washington Redskins.


Ward Churchill is a writer who has managed to anger a lot of people over the course of his career (look up the phrase ‘Little Eichmanns’ if you don’t believe that statement), oftentimes by pointing out the hypocrisy and dastardly deeds of those in charge. In his article “Crimes Against Humanity” in Z Magazine, March 1993, Churchill turned his scorn towards the countless sports teams on the national, collegiate, high school, and local level that use and reinforce Native American stereotypes. Churchill argues, in the article which won’t be quoted here (because this is a public blog and the article is copyrighted material), that the disgusting amount of sports teams that take their names and logos from offensive caricatures of Native Americans should be considered as bad as having a team mascot based on any other minority, such as Jewish, African American, Hispanic, or Asian people. Why is it o.k., Churchill wonders, to treat Native Americans in this manner but people are shocked and appalled at the idea of exaggerating the stereotypes of any other minority for use as a sports team?


Churchill’s article is interesting and intriguing, and we here at MaMeMi can’t help but wonder the same things. Why is it that logos such as these


- Washington Redskins


- Atlanta Braves


- Cleveland Indians


are considered completely acceptable in today’s society? Why does the Mass Media allow such disgusting displays of stereotyping and racism?