Mascots- Week 2

In class last week we watched a video about Native Americans views on using mascots and team names that they find offensive. One example that was used was the Washington Redskins. Honestly I had never really thought about the racism involved in their team name before now. After watching the video and seeing the reaction of the Native Americans and what shame and disgrace it seemed to bring to them, I agree that it is offensive and their name should be changed. Redskin is a racial term and should not be used by any team,, especially one in the National Football League.
In the video, many people were saying that it was an honor for sports teams to have such names as the "Cleveland Indians," but honestly when you feel as if someone is disrespecting your culture, family and heritage, it is not an honor. It is a disgrace.

Another aspect of the mascots is the face painting and dancing. The video said that often the painting and dancing was not authentic. This is not an honor or respectful to Native Americans at all. I feel like the Native Americans feel like they are being mocked, not honored. To take something that is very sacred to them such as tribal face painting and ceremonial dancing and turn it into something else is disrespectful and degrading.

As a regular fan of any sports team that represents Native American culture, many people see their mascot as a symbol of pride and something that is in no way negative. However, the fact is that some people find these blatantly offensive and it's an injustice to sit back and not do anything about it.

Introduction

For starters, my name is Brandy Rosebrock and I am an event planning/tourism major. I'm from Hicksville, OH which is about an hour west of Bowling Green. I am taking this class as an elective because I'm interested in finding out many things I'm sure I don't know. I am a big fan of the Miami Dolphins who I am very proud of (for the most part) this season and the Ohio State Buckeyes. Of course I support my Falcons as much as possible too. I also like the Cavaliers, but I am more into playing basketball than watching it. I don't know very much about the history of sports so I’m hoping this class will give me a good boost of knowledge.

Personally, I used to play soccer when I was in elementary school, softball from t-ball all the way up to my Senior year in high school, and basketball from jr. high to my Senior year. I have always loved playing sports, being part of a team, and of course winning. Basketball has always been my favorite sport to play. It's exciting and I love every second of it. I even coached 4th, 5th, and 6th graders throughout high school because I love helping them understand the game and I love seeing their excitement when they master a layup or hit their first jump shot.

As for my sports interests, being a Miami Dolphins fan wasn't really a choice in my household. I was dressed in Dolphins gear since I was a baby. My dad is a huge Dolphins fan so it just sort of fell into my lap. That’s ok with me because I love them too. I have only seen them play in Miami once but I definitely plan to make the trip again someday. Football is my favorite sport to watch and is really the only one I do so consistently. I'll catch a good NBA or WNBA game though every now and then.

If I could go back in time, the athlete I would most like to watch would be either Dan Marino or Michael Jackson. These two athletes are two of the greatest at their sports in my opinion and I would consider it an honor to watch them at their best.

In taking this class, I am hoping to gain a broader knowledge into the history of sport and its effect on our culture. Other than that, I am very interested in learning about the different aspects of sports that I don't usually encounter.