You’re a journalism major and this is the crap you submit to the paper? Wow, out of all the topics you could have picked… Indian mascots? I am sure relived that a drop of sweat did not sully your precious forehead during the research of this opinion.

This is why MEDIA HAS LOST ITS CREDIBILITY: instead of examining the past mistakes or identifying future problems, you’re opining about Al Sharpton, Brittany Spears, and SPORTS MASCOTS!

Here are some topics: What does this country look like when 25% of us are unemployed or under-employed? What happens when journalism majors have no newspapers to work for, because they offer opinions about 10-year-old controversies? Why didn’t the New York Times identify the credit crisis 5 years ago, despite warnings?

Good article

and 7:31, don’t forget to take your ritalin.

whoa 7:31 chill.lest we forget this is still a school newspaper. and lest you forget, a little variety in the opinion section is a GOOD thing. i hardly think these writers would like to write about the same topic every week. and quite frankly, i think we are all a little sick of how crappy the conditions in our country are when it comes to economy.

i thought it was a good article with a very good point!

You clearly have a very shallow understanding of the matter of race as it relates to public policy and race-based school practices. You suggest a 10-year statute of limitations because you’re tired of having the issue raised of race-based school nicknames? Do you realize how many decades it took to eliminate the race-based policy of slavery in this nation? As you know, many schools in this nation had a race-based practice that targeted African Americans (i.e., segregated school attendance policies based on race) just as many schools in this nation today still have an archaic race-based practice that targets American Indians (i.e., school nickname policies based on race). It took many decades to convince predominately white school boards to eliminate the race-based policies targeting African Americans just as it’s now taking many decades to convince predominately white school boards to eliminate race-based policies targeting American Indians. In the gender arena, it took decades to convince men to allow women to have the right to vote. Whether it’s (1) white people regarding race-based policies or (2) men regarding gender-based policies, it often takes a long time to change policies based on race or gender because those in power “trivialize” the issue because they don’t bother to understand an issue which doesn’t harm them.

This is not a “local control” issue. “Local control” is appropriate only when dealing with issues whose impact is exclusively within that school district. However, when a school board decision affects other school districts, as is the case with athletics policies which are interscholastic by nature, it is totally inappropriate to argue that such matters are “a local control issue”.

Research has determined that exposure to such race-based athletic references reduces the self-esteem and causes other harmful psychological effects to American Indian students. However, American Indian students who attend other schools that compete against the race-based school are also harmed by exposure to the race-based practices when the schools compete. Hence, American Indian students who attend other schools are harmed by the race-based athletic policies of another school district’s school board.

Thus, the harm caused by a race-based school nickname policy doesn’t stop at the boundaries of the high school property nor does it stop even at the boundaries of the local school district. Instead, one school board’s decision to use race affects every school that competes against that race-based school in non-conference, conference, or tournament competition all the way through the State tournament level (including through television coverage).

While there are 426 Wisconsin school districts, 388 don’t use a race-based nickname. However, American Indian students in every school district state-wide are psychologically harmed by exposure to the racial stereotyping of the 38 schools still using race for school nicknames. Thirty-one Wisconsin school districts in the past eliminated race-based nicknames in order to protect their own students from the stereotyping inherent in such nicknames. However, students in these 31 school districts are still being negatively affected by the racial athletic references of school districts outside their own school district, by the 38 school districts still using race. Research has determined that the severest victims of these athletic stereotypes are those American Indians who indicate they support their race being used for sports nicknames. American Indians who support ’Indian’ nicknames suffer psychological harm that is statistically more significant than the harm suffered by American Indians who oppose the nicknames.

Over 117 organizations (American Indian, educator, psychological, civil rights, religious, etc.) have adopted resolutions opposing ‘Indian’ athletic nicknames. If schools instead had chosen race-based nicknames targeting African Americans and if equivalent research had shown that African Americans were psychologically harmed by such sports nicknames, school districts would have acted long ago to eliminate those nicknames. However, because the number of American Indians is so small and their political clout is low, the 38 school boards have ignored the pleas from and retained the race-based nicknames that harm innocent American Indian students.

Moreover, the 38 school districts where local school boards continue to use race constitute only 9.1% of the 432 Wisconsin school districts and enroll only 2.2% of the students in Wisconsin (because these districts are largely smaller school districts, mostly overwhelmingly white rural districts with little interracial exposure and sensitivity). Accordingly, 100% of Wisconsin students in 100% of Wisconsin school districts are being harmed by the racial decisions of 9.1% of Wisconsin’s local school boards enrolling only 2.2% of Wisconsin students.

The issue of replacing a school’s race-based nickname is too emotional to be dealt with objectively or safely at the district level, as demonstrated by the fact that many American Indian families have been subjected to threats and/or violence when they’ve asked their local School Board to eliminate the school’s racial nickname policy. Instead of the emotion that typically entangles local school districts and school boards over replacing a racial nickname, it’s better to have an objective evaluation conducted at the State level by DPI free from the emotion that typically tears communities apart. Moreover, many school board members in the race-based school districts have expressed a desperate desire that the State resolve this issue so that local school boards don’t have to go through the trauma that’s usually present in local disputes over a nickname change. In fact, the Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB) in 2003 passed a resolution sometimes called “the Osseo-Fairchild resolution” because three Osseo-Fairchild board members were recalled over their votes to change the logo policy. This WASB resolution asked the State Legislature to pass a law that would preclude Wisconsin school board members from being recalled because of their vote related to policy issues such as a local school district’s nickname and logo.

Moreover, research has determined that European Americans experienced a “boost” in their level of self-esteem from exposure to these race-based school references which helps to explain why so many European Americans have difficulty understanding how American Indians could have a different view of such nicknames based on a very different experience. Regarding research mentioned herein, please read the research of Dr. Stephanie Fryberg, the 42 references for the American Psychological Association resolution, or the 52 references for the APA Justification Statement.

At first glance, the matter of race-based athletic policies targeting American Indians seems so simple to many uninformed non-native people but it’s actually very complex as is true for most matters that involve race.

Harvey Gunderson, Ph.D., UW-Madison Alum President, Religious Americans Against ‘Indian’ Nicknames & Logos (RAAINL)

We have to fight because the issue remains as gut wretching as ever. Many Native people have come to understand how complicated and hurtful this issue is. So, if you are among the many who are now looking at this issue with fresh eyes, I was once like you. I had to look at this not through the institutional lens of the dominant culture but through my eyes unfiltered by inappropriate images and their consequences. There is nothing but shame in the continued use of Indian mascots. And that is the inescapeable truth I now live with everyday. What is disconcerning is the view that the native view has to be managed and defined by well meaning non Indians. That opinon is conceited and presumptuous. But, the state of Wisconsin is to be congradulated for elivating this debate in the legislature and giving it the weight it deserves in public discourse. I admire the courage and wisdom of many in your fine state in examining this potential law to bring about dignity and equality for all your citizens.

Louis Gray President of the Tulsa Indian Coalition Against Racism 918-766-4530

Right on Harvey!! Thank you for being an advocate for Native people!!

Mr. Kittridge, you may want to check out http://www.bluecorncomics.com/newsrock.htm. This is a great site on all things Native that could help deepen your cursory understanding of the mascot controversy. Then perhaps you could write a column that explores the importance of changing racist policies, instead of dismissing it as unimportant.

“Instead of spending money to investigate high school names, lawmakers should look to spend money on scholarships to put more Native Americans through college or money to improve reservation lands.”

How could you, as a student, as a citizen of the world, as a contributor to humanity, do something to help Native people? Have you ever attended any of the many campus events sponsored by Wunk Sheek? If you really believe the sentiment above, do something about it. Make a positive difference by giving your time and service, instead of trying to silence discussion on issues that still have significance. I look forward to the day when I see a column from you that addresses the importance of race.

Change the name of “Milwaukee” to something that won’t give European-Americans such a big self-esteem boost.

Harvey, you gave a lot of meaningless statistics but none of your statistics actually related to any proof. Everything else is unfounded. You gave a bunch of percentages about the number of schools that used Native American nicknames, but everything else appears to be an opinion passed off as research.

If what the above commenters say is true with regards to need to end the use of Native American mascots, then they are simply advocating a band aid solution. The real problem is how Americans view race and Native Americans. The true victory will come not when all Native American mascots are eliminated, but when Americans views on race and Native Americans have evolved sufficiently.

Using your own segregation analogy, ending segregation did not end racism, rather it was a decline in racism that led to the ending of segregation. The same thing applies for Native American mascots.

To “Anonymous at 10:16 a.m.”, you’re not very nonspecific about which statistic was “meaningless”. If you would indicate which statistic you were unable to understand, I would be happy to describe its relevance. However, making a blanket nonspecific statement as you did provides little clarification and is rather pointless in terms of moving the discussion forward. I would be very happy to explain any given statistic that you had difficulty comprehending.
You also said that “everything else appears to be an opinion passed off as research”. If you reread my post, you’ll note that I referred you to a number of references that back up most assertions. Apparently you chose to make your uninformed claim due to intellectual laziness because of your unwillingness to read the research of Dr. Fryberg and the dozens of references in the APA resolution and APA Justification Statement. Other assertions are based on information readily available from DPI. Lastly, my comments about the threats and/or violence directed toward American Indian families and their supporters by white supporters of race-based nicknames is based on experience of my wife (who is Oneida) and myself and the experience of many others who’ve been victimized by residents of communities with race-based nicknames during efforts to eliminate race-based nicknames.
Again, be specific and I’ll explain it to you. You hid behind the cover of anonymity in your post, so if you’re afraid or embarrassed to reveal your identity, call me at 715-797-9198 and I’ll be happy to explain this issue for you! Harvey Gunderson

To “Anonymous at 2:01 p.m.”, I agree that eliminating race-based sports nicknames is only part of the solution. In an ideal world, Americans would view race and Native Americans in the manner that you suggest and they would eliminate the stereotypes willingly because they understood the need for removal. However, part of the reason for a slowness in America obtaining this different view of race and American Indians is because of the ever-present racial stereotypes in so many parts of society including the race-based sports nicknames that appear on a daily basis on television sports broadcasts and the sports pages of newspapers. The constant presence of such stereotypes perpetuate a one-dimensional view of American Indians that’s rooted in the past. That’s why so many American Indian organizations are working toward elimination of these stereotypes of American Indians because it’s an important part of the process to get to the final situation that you describe. As long as Americans view American Indians in the stereotypical lens reflected in sports references, Americans won’t see American Indians in the modern world living in the variety of ways they live today.
You wrote “ending segregation did not end racism, rather it was a decline in racism that led to the ending of segregation.” I think it’s a stretch to attribute the end to segregation solely to a decline in racism. I don’t think it was that simple. Many would argue that segregation was moreso due to court decisions, court orders, sending the army into southern cities to enforce court orders to integrate schools, civil disobedience, protests, economic boycotts, etc. Many would argue that racist attitudes decreased after integration was forced as whites interacted more with blacks and preconceived attitudes slowly changed thereafter. There’s an old saying that “You can’t legislate attitudes, but you can legislate behavior.” At http://www.raggededgemagazine.com/blogs/edgecentric//000838.html, it is expressed this way: “A long-accepted mantra from the civil rights movement tells us that while change in attitude can’t be legislated, you can force behavior change through legislation — if it’s enforced. Civil rights activists back in the day knew that you couldn’t change a white bigot’s attitude — racism, it was called, not “attitudinal barriers” — but you could force the white bigot to let you sit at his lunch counter. Or ride at the front of his bus. Or go to his school alongside his lily-white kids. You could change behavior. The belief was that once behavior changed, attitude change might possibly follow.” Well said. Harvey Gunderson

I am Indian. I was the only minority in a district with Indian logos and team names. I was bullied because I was Indian and I had to watch how ‘proud’ a bunch of non-Indians were about being ‘Indians.’ The solace of my ethnic identity was taken away by white kids with purple ‘war paint’ dancing around for sports teams. Public schools are no place for this kind of stereotyping. It does real measurable harm to Indian, and non-Indian students. This has been found, and replicated in empirical research, and it rings true with what I and many others already knew. If it’s harmless, then why do I know Indian families and non-Indian supporters who’ve had death threats about legislation like this?