Political correctness ineffective in society

Published: Thursday, January 29, 1998

Thursday, January 29, 1998

MASCOTS: Alteration of team names still doesn't erase racial stereotypes

By J.P. Carnegie

The editorial article, "Indian mascots perpetuate stereotypes," (Jan. 26, 1998) in the Daily Bruin focuses on one of the most unoriginal and overplayed racial issues in our politically correct recent history, and I am sorry that The Bruin found it necessary to donate space to such a sad rehash of this cry.

The author of this article states that team arguments claiming to pay homage to indigenous people are invalid. I then ask whether the editorial staff is aware of Louis Sockalexis, who was a Penobscot Indian and the first Native American to play major-league baseball. In 1914, a Cleveland newspaper held a contest to rename the city's franchise, and as we're aware, the winning entry was "Indians." The winner explained that this name was intended as testament to baseball's first American-Indian player.

However, this historical fact seems to contradict what the author would lead us to believe about Indian related mascots. Was the author motivated solely by emotion while ignoring simple facts? It seems quite plausible.

In his book, "The Alphabet of Modern Annoyances," Neil Steinberg brings up the challenge presented by a Native-American activist: how would Jews feel were there to be a team called the "Brooklyn Fighting Jews?" Although not speaking for other Jews, his response is no less than "fantastic," seeing as how Jews are "a secure, established and respected subgroup." If Jews might "indulge in a little undignified humor," would it be so bad for Native Americans to follow suit?

And fair is fair; if Native-American mascots are removed from sports franchises then I will begin my campaign in which I will demand that Notre Dame change their mascot to something other than that little Irish guy. You see, as an American of direct Irish ancestry, I could be quite offended by the stereotypical representation of Irishmen as goofy bearded boxers. I don't wear green clothes and shamrocks and the like, but due to the stereotypes perpetuated by Notre Dame's athletic squads, one might assume me to. In fact, the same folks that expect me to eat nothing but potatoes and live in a cottage are most likely the same insensitive dogs that expect Native Americans to rain dance across campus in loincloths and headdresses.

Really, folks, renaming race-related or nationality-related teams after animals or scary people isn't going to drastically change public perception. There will always be dimwits who will think of Indians as drum-beating pipe-smokers and the Irish as whisky-swilling potato farmers. If you want to change that, start with the history books. Educate people so that they know what Seminoles and Celtics and even Fighting Jews are really all about.