First Nations Mascots: The Biggest Reasons to Not Have Them
First Nations. Some of the most difficult people to understand. One day you’re watching the Red Skins with a real First Nations mascot, and the next you meet someone with a status card, who looks just like any other person. Personally, I think First Nations need to figure out how they want everyone else to see them, because they’re making it very confusing; am I right?
No, I’m not right, and if any little part of you thought I was, you may be one of two things: very narrow minded, or very easily persuaded. If you are either, you should probably start re-thinking a few of your life choices. They do not choose to be viewed as a racist stereotype, nor do they want to be seen that way. First Nations people may be “difficult to understand”, simply because very few are genuinely trying to understand them. Spoiler alert, that “white man in red face, leaping through the air at football games” (Pyrillis) is exactly what First Nations are not. Sure, the Red Skins themselves may claim that “the word was created by First Nations and used as an inclusive expression” (Red Skins), but when the creators find the word racist and offensive, maybe you should start seeing it that way too. Just because they created it, does not mean you can use it, it’s the exact same reason you don’t run around saying the “N” word, or hey, naming teams that. Appropriating and appreciating are two very different things, yet we are still viewing them as the same. Now you can hit me with the lame excuse of “it goes back 86 years” (Red Skins), or “you’ll be erasing history”, but real First Nations react to a video and say “First Nations have a much longer history” (Buzzfeed) being disrespected and ignored. Although, maybe some history needs to be erased, times are changing. Slavery only ended 148 years ago, and women received the right to vote only 98 years ago. History is continually changing, and this change needs to be made: “Why do we need to have people as mascots anyway” (Buzzfeed). If you want a “heroic mascot that represents how you want your players to play on the field” (Red Skins), then create your own little super hero, and use it as a mascot. This change will drastically affect how First Nations, and thousands of other non-racist people view a culture, but it won’t affect the most important parts of the game: how you tackle, how well you run, and how well you can catch a ball.
