Ward Churchill's Using Indian Names For Sports Team

In Using Indian Names for Sports Teams Harm Native Americans, Ward Churchill discusses why using names like the Washington “Redskins,” Colorado “Savages,” or Kansas City “Chiefs,” are a racist practice and should be put to stop. The team’s mascots also use feathers, beads, spears, and “war paint” in an attempt to look like stereotypical Native Americans. Churchill says many American Indians have been against he uses of native names, gestures, and symbols. Churchill recognizes the rough historical relationship between natives and the non-natives. Certainly, colonization detrimentally effected many Natives, and the American Government historically has moved Natives out of their own land. Native Americans still fight for their land, which is evident

The teams claim they do not want to insult but honor Native Americans, and it is all in “good, clean fun.” They claim sports should be fun and leisurely without complaining because there is enough bad in the world. Churchill counters by saying if it is all in playful fun then why not use certain names and symbols from other ethnic groups. Churchill suggest using the N-word to honor Afro-Americans, and players will wear leopard skins and fake bones in their noses. Churchill includes other groups like Hispanics, which could be the Galveston “Greasers” or Wisconsin “Wetbacks”. Asian Americans could be represented by logos that have slanted eyes, buck teeth, big glasses. Churchill continues by saying there are white teams that are centered on ethnicity but could be renamed. The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame can be called “Drunken Irish”. Churchill even includes gender and sexual preference like the St. Louis “Sluts,” or Detroit “Dykes,” Churchill says, “None of this is demeaning or insulting, at least now when it’s being done to Indians.” He explains why there are demeaning names and symbols used. Compared to other groups Native Americans are seen as a small group of people and are too weak to defend themselves against offensive

The university dropped the name “Indians” and attendance was not affected. Churchill believes other teams should follow Stanford and treat the situation as dehumanization as Germans did Jewish people in Nazi Germany. Julius Streicher, a publisher and editor, was known for publishing many anti-Semitic articles. The articles dehumanized Jewish people and was declared “a crime against humanity.” Churchill says, “[Dehumanization] In turn, made it possible-or at least easier-for average Germans to later indulge in the outright liquidation of Jewish vermin.” He explains Native Americans have faced a serious decline in population as a result of dehumanization. Native Americans have been forced out of their land, forced to assimilate, been subjects of forced sterilization, and given vaccines already banned by the government. Churchill attributes this to a “crime against humanity” and should be treated as