Copyright © 1999 NLThomas
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TULSA, OK - During a November race relations forum, held in Tulsa Oklahoma, panelists expressed hope for the new century. The Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma (CNO) Chad Smith, however, expressed concern over the use of Indians as mascots. The Chief of the CNO pointed out the local use of the nickname, "Redskins". The Union High School in Tulsa and the Intermediate High School in Broken Arrow, both use the same Indian logo and also share the nickname. Officials from schools in Green County, Oklahoma insist that they take care in depicting Indians in a respectful manner.

Chief Smith said that using Indians as mascots creates a demeaning stereotype of Indian People and the use of the nickname 'Union "Redskins"' is demeaning and referred to its use as "mascot mentality", which he said, must go away, for race relations in the country to improve. Only after the Indian "mascot mentality" is gone will the country be able to become serious about changing the face of race relations, he said.

Smith also said that depictions of American Indians as mascots give people the wrong impression about who Indians are. and told Tulsa World in a phone interview, "It hurts my children, and it hurts (other) Indian children," "My son sees a T-shirt with a depiction of an Indian as an ugly, foolish person and he says, `Oh, gross!' He doesn't want to be that. What do you think is happening to other Indian children?"

Union officials insist that, in this instance, they do not believe Smith's arguments are warranted, but Chief Smith's question is, why would a school district want to use a name that is defined as offensive. The WWWebster Dictionary Online defines the term "redskin" as follows; American Indian, Pronunciation: 'red-"skin, Function: noun, Date: 1699, usually offensive.

The Spokeswoman for the Union School District, Gretchen Haas-Bethell, said that the school takes care to depict Indians in a respectful manner. Haas-Bethell said, "It is with reverence and a sense of pride that we use it." Haas-Bethell explained that school policy states that the district play a tape-recorded message before athletic events explaining the use of an Indian theme by the school.

In part the recording goes: "The Redskin tepee bearing the Union 'U' represents a rich Native American heritage and our undying passion to excel." The tape, which is described as a disclaimer, is worded to emphasize Union's adoption of Plains Indian culture. It was further explained by Haas-Bethell, as fact, that the school only uses symbols that are reviewed by a committee, adding that the committed is composed of Indian parents from the Union community.

Debbie Raffensperger, a Cherokee who is a member of Union's Indian Education Committee, believes the issue is being blown out of proportion and feels the "Redskin mascot" brings pride to the community, because the logo depicts a clean character of strength. The fireworks displays, in the shape of an Indian, at big games are viewed as an exciting symbol which promotes unity across the school's ethnic barriers. Raffensperger said, "It gives me chills," you see Hispanics and Asians standing up and cheering, all proud to be a Redskin." Supporters also defend their tradition of having players run out of a smoking tepee at the beginning of a football game.

Raffensperger said that the committee tries to be very conscious concerning the symbols that are permitted. "One time, an opposing school had a poster that depicted the Redskins being scalped, with those words," adding, "we didn't want that kind of sign in our stadium."

Chief Smith said, "Let's go up to Union, to their marquee with 'Union "Redskins"'. They do have a dignified Indian up there, but it's stereotypic. Let's do the same thing and put another race up there, and the response would be quizzical," adding that it is the embracing of the whole Indian motif as mascot that angers him.

"The parallel is apparent with black folks. You don't see a Sambo's restaurant anymore," he said. "They understood after black folks stood up and said that it was offensive. "We assert the same kind of claim for racial respect," said Smith.

Neal Weaver, Northeastern State University's director of public relations, says the Tahlequah school is a responsible user of Indians as mascots. Weaver said, that the "Redmen" name resulted from a mascot-naming contest years ago. The college has its roots deeply embedded in the history of the Cherokee Nation, with the Cherokee tribal headquarters located in the same municipality. "The name is respectful to our heritage," he said. "No one from the Cherokee Nation has indicated, in any way, that we've abused the name in any way,"

Chief Smith stands firm, that the negative portrayal of Indians must change and beginning with education. According to media reports, Smith is not alone in his convictions. The media is already reporting that many schools have already changed, or are in the process of changing, their mascots/logos because of pressure from anti-Indian Mascot groups. Members of these groups include people of many different Indian Nations, including the Cherokee Nations, as well as, non-Indian people. The campaign to stop the use of Indian People as mascots for all sporting events is nation wide.

Smith said that if Americans are to speak of racial equality, they must stop the gross distortion and rationalization responsible for Indian mascots, adding, the public needs to be re-educated on what Indians are, what our rights are and the validity of those claims.

The Chief of the CNO, said that it's time to usher in a new mind set. "The mascots are really symptoms of poison in our system. They are evidence of a deeper problem."