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Native mascots are a huge issue in the city of Cleveland, Ohio. The city's baseball team, the Cleveland Indians have been targeted by protesters who demonstrated against the use of the team's mascot, Chief Wahoo on logos,pennants, and t-shirts. The protesters, mostly Native Americans, protested the use of the name, "Cleveland Indians" and the caricature likeness of the Chief, who surrendered his tribe to white soldiers over a hundred years ago. Native Americans feel strongly that the use of Chief Wahoo's likeness and the name "Indians" is discriminatory and demeaning to their people and culture.

It is interesting to note, that name and mascot used by the University of Notre Dame, the "Fighting Irish" does not offend Irish Americans, but rather are a source of ethnic and cultural pride for all Irish Americans, Catholic or not. Does this mean that Native Americans are wrong to protest? No, it doesn't mean they are wrong because they believe the practice to be offensive or racist in nature.

Morally correct or not, right or wrong, everyone has the right to decide for themselves what does and does not offend them. The problems of the use of Native American names and historical figures as mascots goes much deeper. Native American beliefs and mores deter many of them from believing that the uses of their ancestral names to be bigoted and racist.

The problem of sports teams changing their names and logos to appease Native American protesters is mainly due to money. Logos and names used by professional sports teams are licensed by the teams and provide revenue for the teams themselves. Depending on the caliber, notoriety, and league of particular team, this revenue could range from a few dollars to a few million.

Native Americans certainly have a legal right to protest against what they feel is a demeaning use of their name and their ancestors as a team name, sports logo, or team mascot. If the the Native Americans find it morally reprehensible and offensive to continue the allowance of the use of their name then, perhaps, the owners, players, and fans of the offending teams can somehow reach an agreement to stop it.

Learn more about this author, Danette M. Scott.
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