Not All Mascots Reinforce Positive Cultural Stereotypes

To the editors:



“No Sense in Anti-Mascot Crusade” by Jonathan J. Lehman ’08 is symptomatic of a narrow mind. What this column fails to recognize is that many mascot names are generally acceptable because they reinforce positive cultural stereotypes (e.g., Minutemen, Colonials) or challenge non-negative cultural stereotypes (e.g., Fighting Quakers). On the other hand, most mascot names that refer to Native Americans reinforce negative cultural stereotypes: the Redskins (harking back to the notion that all Native Americans have red skin), the Fighting Sioux (reminding us that even until the 1950s, American children watched TV shows that depicted “the Injuns” as warrior peoples).

If cultural progressivism is about creating inclusive communities where everyone has adequate opportunities to mold his image for himself—and especially historically marginalized peoples, like Native Americans and African Americans—then acknowledging and respecting the wishes of Native American leaders and communities to change sports mascots they do not view as positive symbols of their communities seems like the least we can do to create a more progressive society where more people have a seat at the table of democracy.



ELIZABETH P. KURTZ ’08

Dec. 6, 2006