SHOULD APACHE STAY OR SHOULD IT GO? It's Time for a Change
| SHOULD WE CHANGE THE APACHE? Faculty Response Student Response |
WHAT THE NEWSPAPER STAFF THINKS EDITORIAL:
Time for the board to take action |
By Dave Msseemmaa
Associate Editor
Let’s put aside the fact that several tribal councils have spoken out against the use of Indian mascots. Let’s forget about the intense stereotyping, the proud warrior that dances around bonfires, that Indian mascots maintain. We’ll even let go of the statement calling for an end to Indian mascots by the U. S. Commission on Civil Rights, a respected government committee that has overseen huge improvements for minorities since the Civil Rights Era.
With that aside, why is it so important to students to keep the Apache mascot? I don’t think students here have their identity tied to the "Apache" as many University of Illinois alumni still consider themselves Fighting Illini. Even IVCC students with Indian blood say they don’t see what the big deal is.
Did I mention that I am part Blackfoot Indian? Well, I am. SO WHAT! This issue has nothing to do with heritage or kinship. It’s about culture and religion, and unless you were brought up in a Native American culture and religion, Indian blood means absolutely nothing.
It doesn’t matter whether you or I see it as racist. It just matters if Indian leaders say it’s offensive. And they have.
A common theme among the students’ surveys was that the nickname should be kept because it’s an honor for Indians.
"By having a tribal mascot we portray them as strong, courageous, and brave warriors," they say.
By posing this stereotype, we cast many Indian groups into a false light. Today’s Indians aren’t warriors. Most of those whose ancestors were sentenced to live on reservations live in poverty, with unemployment on many reservations ranging from 60 to 80 percent. Further, schools with Indian mascots are internalizing racism by basically saying, "It’s okay to stereotype like we do."
As few in number as they are, the collective voice of the American Indian is quieter than the African American or the Latino American. "Traditionally" nicknames that stereotyped blacks as cotton-pickers or slaves were acceptable by the common culture. The mainstream didn’t deem those offensive until the civil rights commotion in the 50s and 60s.
The Apache culture owns the Apache name. No matter how many movies made by the mainstream culture show their distorted view of Indians, the name is still not ours to use. If the Apaches of Arizona and New Mexico want to perpetuate this Indian stereotype, they have the right to do that, but we do not. It’s kind of like how a guy can talk bad about his own family, but wouldn’t let an outsider say the same nasty things about mama.
We are creative enough to find symbols within our culture to use as mascots.
I’m guessing the feathers and dances had religious context and weren’t just done because the Indians had nothing better to do. If we’re going to be so insensitive that we portray a group’s religion with a caricature and associate it with a game, couldn’t we pick one from the common religion?
Maybe we could be the Crucifiers – mess with us and we’ll hang you on a cross! Or we could have the Pope as our mascot and he can drive around the court in a bulletproof golf cart and wave at the crowd.
"If it offends people get rid of it," said student trustee Jacob Frost. "I’m not offended by it but I couldn’t care less what our mascot is."
To continue making progress towards a better society, we need to abandon the racism within ourselves, even if we don’t recognize it’s there. Abandoning nicknames that offend a minority group, encourage stereotyping, and degrade a religion is a place to start. And though it may not be a big deal to you, it’s a big deal to someone.