Must be because something good has happened and I have some free time! Oh. the name thing again. Welp, I can write a bunch of nothing on my blog!
If you haven’t seen it, it’s on the New York times, which seems appropriate found here:
Or you can read the free version on Yahoo found here:
Anyways, the general gist is that New York has banned native mascots and imagery from schools unless a nearby tribe approves it. Since Salamanca (my hometown) sits on the reservation, they’re more than likely to keep the name, probably a few others will too, but most schools will have to change the name.
I see a lot of whining on this and it sparked an interesting thought that I myself am completely qualified to answer, and that answer is:
I have no idea and probably little justice to do either side correct.
If I dig deeper, I do like the “warrior” name and native imagery, but that’s because I AM one. If I wasn’t would I feel fraudulent and like I was abusing culture? That’s an interesting question as we approach the “woke” era of our lives. How do we justify the usage of other cultures without appropriation or disrespect? How do we appreciate the things that are different in lives without claiming to be victims? I certainly like rap music (or some types at least), but do I feel like that’s a “black” only type of music- and I’m appropriating it by listening to it? Even those that aren’t black do feel a certain type of apprehension by taking that part of a culture that they don’t necessarily represent (see Eminem’s missives and explanations). Or even Elvis stealing a lot of his act and bringing it to the rich, white masses.
I do see from a certain point of view that it’s not fair to be the ones on the other side-consistently belittled or viewed as caricatures. How else do you honor that image without representing it? There can always be someone or something that can be viewed as “offensive” to that representation or at least someone. Sometimes, people are just happy to be represented, while others are offended that the representation isn’t completely accurate. Our ability to have a victim complex today is greater than ever. It might have been before the internet, but it used to contained to backyard bbqs and “those” uncles without a real public facing component. Facebook is just an immediate inner doorway to our racist and victimized selves.
Just like this is me sticking my nose into the issue and not even giving a good side or point of view. I do wonder about that “erasure” if we remove some of these things. I mean, Canandaigua is probably the closest area where my tribe had a “hometown”, which we were removed from and they still use our name and also mascots, so to speak. If you took the mascot and name away, you’d completely change the way that I relate to that area. As a matter of fact, I didn’t really realize it was an important part of my heritage until after doing more research into the fact. That led me to care a little bit more about it, so I guess if we changed the name to something else, it would cease to have that lasting impact or effect for my culture (I’m assuming others would if they had no clue the importance like I did). I don’t mind the white people there that use the name or the mascot. In fact, I know a few from there, and I happen to like them, even if it seems “weird” that they’re appropriating an area that should technically belong to my tribe. At least there are some that are likeable from there? And probably at some point our connection to that will cease, just like the connection to ancient Egypt or Greece. While it’s still there, it’s from so long ago that any descendants might feel like their connection is by name only.
If I think about it hardest, the only thing that matters is the truth. No matter how hard the truth is, it always means more. IF the mascot and logo is racist, and a lot people feel that way, then it makes sense to abandon it. The Chief Wahoo thing seems like a good example of that, while the “Chiefs” or “Warriors” aren’t. One is explicitly mean while the other is a homage. If it hurts people’s feelings, then it seems like it might be a good idea to do away with it. If you do away with it just because it’s a hard situation-then you ARE erasing culture and lessons that people have learned the hard way. You can’t hide the Holocaust just because it was a terrible thing. Downplaying it only brings out ignorance of the facts and makes it easier to repeat those awful mistakes. Unfortunately this just leads to those situations where you have to look at things one at a time and determine whether or not they’re a good fit.
Which seems like what they’re doing. I guess it’s carry on, then.
Edit: After taking a shower and thinking about it some more-I have some thoughts. While we encourage children to emulate things-characters and heroes, halloween, etc, we understand that during their development, they are using their imagination and eventually come to the realization about cultural boundaries and norms. It’s a matter of taste-an adult appropriating culture is typically blatant, while appreciating culture is universal. You can appreciate culture and show it respect, which is understandable and acceptable. Making fun of it without respect is where we draw the line. We can appreciate comedy, but there is a fine line where it ends. There will always be people screaming about victimhood, but when the line is crossed is when the noise becomes the loudest. Unfortunately that requires a lot more nuance that many people have, and it’s a fine line that have burned many people. If you can’t realize that, then you probably shouldn’t do it. Step out of the echo chambers.