Well, by the time this article is printed, the hoopla about the Washington D.C. football team will have come and gone. But for this American Indian Activist, this issue remains alive and in my face. While I believe it’s a great thing to have the President of the United States make a statement about the Washington D.C. football team’s mascot logo, I am deeply disappointed that some of the media are still using an old “Sports Illustrated” poll that was completed in the March 4, 2002 issue. This poll has been largely discredited by Native academics and researchers. During the same time frame an American Indian publication, “Indian Country Today” conducted a similar poll on the same issue, with the results being the opposite of the “S.I.” poll.
During the late 1990’s, I facilitated a meeting of community leaders in the city of Jacksonville, Florida, concerning racial issues for the city. A prominent leader in the largest Baptist Church of Jacksonville, whom was an elder, was a participant. She was a very dignified woman in her 80’s, and a strong fan of the FSU Seminoles. She knew that I was going to address this issue of the American Indian Sports Team Mascots. She looked at me with a determined look of defiance. Before I could even introduce myself, she told me, “Mr. Narcomey, I know what you’re going to talk about. Let me tell you this, no matter what you say, or what you do, you will not change my mind.” I simply said, “Yes, Ma’am.” After a two-hour session on the issue, she came up to me and personally apologized. She simply said, “I am so sorry, I didn’t know.”
Not that it matters, but while living in Florida, I personally was involved in demonstrating at nearly every home game on the campus of FSU for nearly 10 years. After a while, I began to know the security guards by their first name. This issue has been on the forefront for many Native activists for decades. Because we are small in number, it has taken us some time to accomplish positive name changes for many schools across the country. FSU, the Atlanta Braves, the Cleveland Indians and many more will eventually change, I believe that. Once the truth be known, there is no turning back. These Sports team Indian Mascots are one of the last bastions of racism in our great American Society.
While I know that some American Indian Nations have schools and football teams - if anyone should have an Indian Sports team mascot, it should be the Native peoples. Having said that, it doesn’t matter who has an “Indian Sports team mascot.” They are all harmful, create hostility, denigrate Native religion, spirituality, traditional imagery, and promote stereotypes of Native Peoples. This is only a portion of the issues and concerns.
There are numerous organizations that support the elimination of the Sports team Indian Mascots. Both Native and Non-Native organizations such as the National Indian Education Association, The United States Commission on Civil Rights, the American Psychological Association, The American Counseling Association, The Five Civilized Tribes, and many, many more that support the elimination of Indian sports team mascots.
Here in Tulsa, the Union High school football mascot has been addressed by a local organization, “Tulsa Indian Coalition Against Racism.” They attempted to have a dialogue with the Union High School Board members. Members of TICAR were shunned and the school board refused to discuss the issue. Things became “hostile” for them.
Yes, again, some will say this is political correctness gone wrong. But I cannot live in this state of Oklahoma and not keep my mouth shut on this issue. It is time for positive changes. If we, as Native peoples, ever hope to achieve parity in this society and to be taken seriously, then it is time to eliminate ALL American Indian Sports Team Mascots. For further information on the issue, please go to www.aistm.org.
David W. Narcomey, Seminole
Bristow, Oklahoma