tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post912897576105786028..comments2024-02-10T18:19:36.406-08:00Comments on Newspaper Rock: Students learn from Chief Illiniwek?!Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01478763837213733775noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post-8858560752528743722010-10-17T11:06:12.413-07:002010-10-17T11:06:12.413-07:00The reasoning behind keeping “Indian” mascots is s...The reasoning behind keeping “Indian” mascots is simple. It declares several methods towards self identity and the continued myth(s) rather than a defined accurate representation of a living people from both Anglo and native people alike. <br /><br />Anglo culture falsely represents dominance and the conquering of other humans, through the use of entertainment and sports. For a nation that prides itself on freedoms and equality, nothing could be more damaging to that myth and national psyche than the facts of destroying and the continuing destruction of an aboriginal people, so why not laugh it off, or discount the mascot issue as “irrelevant”. <br /><br />Because America’s native nations remain and since colonial times have been “categorized” as the underclass of society in popular culture, social standing and political clout, there has always been the need for targeting this group as “inferior”.<br /><br />Mascots do not honor any identifiable group or race of people. The purpose for mascots simply creates and keeps said targets as inhuman and inanimate objects for entertainment.<br /><br />African Americans had to deal with blackface performances in American cinema, but since the negative portrayal of another race may draw attention away from white on black racism, why not Indians? Or, it is very possible that our African American brethren are much the same in areas of racial ignorance toward the Native American.<br />My personal take on this country and what it deems as popular culture is that until America learns the realities and facts of its continued genocide through acts of legislation and leveling living beings to inanimate objects for populist entertainment, there can be no real proclamation set on American soil, in spirit or physical ownership, on lands Americans so proudly attempt to call “my land” because they know absolutely nothing about this continent and even less of its first people. <br /><br />The facts about America will never happen with history books that teach and encourage myths and falsehoods only for its people to live in a lie at the cost of another race. This kingdom of heaven was built on the bloodshed of men by sword, and supposedly this comes from their own scriptures placing Christianity and Islam on the same level.Burtnoreply@blogger.com