Student 1 Joe Student Instructor Brentareng 1021 October 201

Student 1joe Studentinstructor Brentareng 1021 October 2016argument Pr

Take Wahoo Out of the Ball Game

By the early twenty-first century, despite progress toward civil rights, resistance persists in areas like sports, notably in the use of Native American team names and mascots. While many educational institutions have renamed offensive mascots, professional teams such as the Cleveland Indians continue to use racist imagery, exemplified by Chief Wahoo. This mascot perpetuates harmful stereotypes and disrespects Native Americans, despite longstanding opposition. Supporting this stance, scholarly research indicates the negative psychological effects of such mascots on Native American communities, including diminished self-esteem and reinforcement of racial stereotypes. Conversely, opponents often cite tradition as a key reason to retain Wahoo, but tradition rooted in questionable historical claims or stereotypes lacks moral legitimacy. Therefore, this paper argues that the Cleveland Indians should abandon the Chief Wahoo logo, as it is racially offensive and incompatible with societal democratic principles. The paper will address the history and symbolism of Wahoo, the cultural and psychological impact on Native Americans, and the moral imperative for change, utilizing a mixture of scholarly and journalistic sources to build a compelling case for mascot removal.

Paper For Above instruction

Throughout American history, sports mascots have often served as symbols of team identity and community pride. However, when these symbols perpetuate racial stereotypes and offend marginalized groups, they become a source of cultural harm. The controversy surrounding Native American mascots, particularly the Cleveland Indians' Chief Wahoo, exemplifies this dilemma. Wahoo depicts a stereotypical caricature of Native Americans, a caricature that sustains harmful racial stereotypes and contributes to the erasure of authentic Native identities. This paper advocates for the removal of Chief Wahoo, arguing that it is racially offensive and incompatible with contemporary societal values centered on equality and respect.

The significance of this issue lies in the ongoing psychological and cultural harm inflicted upon Native American communities. Research indicates that mascots like Wahoo reinforce negative stereotypes and activate racial biases that can diminish Native Americans' self-esteem and perpetuate systemic discrimination. Fryberg et al. (2008) demonstrate how stereotypical mascots impact Native students' self-image, leading to adverse psychological effects. Similarly, Freng and Willis-Esqueda (2011) reveal that images such as Chief Wahoo activate negative stereotypes among diverse audiences, thereby maintaining racial biases. These findings underscore the importance of reconsidering such mascots from both an ethical and psychological standpoint.

My rationale for choosing this topic stems from a desire to address ongoing racial insensitivity in sports culture, a matter of societal importance given the pervasive influence of sports in American life. The audience for this paper includes both academic audiences and the general public, especially young adults who may not fully appreciate the racial implications of mascots like Wahoo. The purpose is to persuade readers that symbolically racist mascots are damaging and must be eliminated to uphold societal principles of equality and respect for Native Americans.

The agenda of this paper involves presenting a clear thesis that the Cleveland Indians should cease using Chief Wahoo. My supporting points include evidence from scholarly works demonstrating the harmful psychological effects of Native American mascots, the cultural context that sustains their use despite protests, and moral arguments emphasizing the need to eliminate racially offensive symbols. I will also address counterarguments rooted in tradition by challenging their validity, asserting that historical claims are often flawed or misused to justify racist imagery.

My sources include scholarly articles by Fryberg et al. (2008) and Freng and Willis-Esqueda (2011), which offer empirical evidence of the negative impact mascots have on Native Americans. Journalistic sources like David Briggs (2008), Jonathan Zimmerman (2007), and Scott Dolgan (1999) provide historical context and ethical perspectives criticizing the continuation of Chief Wahoo. Additionally, Erik Brady (2014) and Carol Spindel (2000) discuss broader cultural narratives and societal attachments to stereotypes, reinforcing the need for change. Collectively, these sources will strengthen my ethical, psychological, and cultural arguments for mascot removal.

Annotated Works Consulted

• Black, Jason Edward. “The ‘Mascotting’ of Native America: Construction, Commodity, and Assimilation.” American Indian Quarterly, vol. 26, no. 4, 2002, pp. 605-622. Black analyzes mascots as tools of commodification and cultural appropriation, supporting arguments that mascots like Chief Wahoo perpetuate harmful stereotypes.
• Brady, Erik. “Taking a Stand against ‘Redface’.” USA Today, 22 July 2014. Brady discusses reactions to cultural appropriations, such as fans wearing Native American costumes, highlighting societal resistance to stereotypes.
• Briggs, David. “Chief Wahoo Must Go.” Cleveland.com, 2008. Briggs condemns the mascot, framing it as a moral issue, and advocating for its removal based on cultural respect and racial sensitivity.
• Dolgan, Bob. “Tale of Indians’ Name Off Base: Legend of Louis Sockalexis as Origin of Nickname Strikes Out with Baseball Historians.” Plain Dealer, 1999. Rebutts the claim that the team’s name honors an Indigenous player, highlighting flawed historical narratives.
• Freng, Scott, and Cynthia Willis-Esqueda. “A Question of Honor: Chief Wahoo and American Indian Stereotype Activation among a University-Based Sample.” Journal of Social Psychology, 2011. Examines stereotype activation and negative effects of mascots like Wahoo.
• Fryberg, Stephanie A., et al. “Of Warrior Chiefs and Indian Princesses: The Psychological Consequences of American Indian Mascots.” Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 2008. Demonstrates how mascots impact Native students’ self-esteem, emphasizing psychological harm.
• King, C. Richard, and Charles Fruehling Springwood, editors. Team Spirits: The Native American Mascots Controversy. University of Nebraska Press, 2001. Provides historical context and perspectives supporting mascot removal.
• Spindel, Carol. Dancing at Halftime: Sports and the Controversy over American Indian Mascots. New York University Press, 2000. Analyzes white America’s romanticized view of Native Americans and its implications for sports mascots.
• Staurowsky, Ellen. “You Know, We Are All Indian.” Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 2007. Discusses cultural misappropriation, white privilege, and the social implications of mascot controversies.
• Zimmerman, Jonathan. “The Cleveland Indians’ Mascot Must Go.” Christian Science Monitor, 2007. Advocates for removing Wahoo, framing it as a moral imperative rooted in respect and racial equality.

References:

• Black, J. E. (2002). The ‘mascotting’ of Native America: Construction, commodity, and assimilation. American Indian Quarterly, 26(4), 605-622.
• Brady, E. (2014). Taking a stand against ‘Redface’. USA Today.
• Briggs, D. (2008). Chief Wahoo must go. Cleveland.com.
• Dolgan, B. (1999). Tale of Indians’ name off base: Legend of Louis Sockalexis as origin of nickname strikes out with baseball historians. Plain Dealer.
• Freng, S., & Willis-Esqueda, C. (2011). A question of honor: Chief Wahoo and American Indian stereotype activation among a university-based sample. Journal of Social Psychology.
• Fryberg, S. A., et al. (2008). Of warrior chiefs and Indian princesses: The psychological consequences of American Indian mascots. Basic and Applied Social Psychology.
• King, C. R., & Springwood, C. F. (Eds.). (2001). Team spirits: The Native American mascots controversy. Nebraska Press.
• Spindel, C. (2000). Dancing at halftime: Sports and the controversy over American Indian mascots. NYU Press.
• Staurowsky, E. (2007). You know, We Are All Indian. Journal of Sport and Social Issues.
• Zimmerman, J. (2007). The Cleveland Indians’ mascot must go. Christian Science Monitor.