MASCOTS THAT HONOR: LOUP CITY RED RAIDERS
Posted on January 18, 2008 - Filed Under MASCOTS THAT HONOR |
Honor Indians Institute would like to congratulate the Loup City Public Schools for receiving the Nebraska Governor’s Education Initiative Award for Parental Involvement. Loup City Public Schools were recognized for encouraging their parents to volunteer at school, to spend 20 minutes a day reading with their children, and visiting the school to eat lunch with their children. Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman will visit the Loup City Public Schools on January 25, 2008, to help celebrate the award. Honor Indians Institute supports the efforts of encouraging parental involvement in their children’s education, and the Loup City Public Schools are certainly deserving of the award.
However, if there were a Governor’s Award for MOST RACIST INDIAN MASCOT, your school district would win that award as well. Honor Indians Institute would like to challenge the
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16 Responses to “MASCOTS THAT HONOR: LOUP CITY RED RAIDERS”
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First off I would like to point out to you that your comment of “MOST RACIST INDIAN MASCOT” is a false statement. There are three human races on Earth. Asian, Black, and White. Indians are an ethnic group, along with latinos or eskimos. You can’t be racist about a group of people that are the same “race” as those attending Loup City Schools. The defintion of racism is “hatred or intolerance of another race or other races” and as I already stated, Indians are an ethnic group and not a race. Also, where is the hatred or intolerence being exhibited? Secondly, I would like to point out that the mascot has become a source of pride in the school. How can something that instills pride in students and athletes be something that would cause a problem?
I think the reason why schools with indian mascots take so much pride in them is because the do get a sense of pride (a reason to compete) athletically speaking. Just from that point of view. So for the Loup school I can see why they would choose their mascot and I also see why it is offensive. I am beinging open-minded about by seeing it from both points of view. A mascot is like a motivation or build determination for a team. When UNO played North Dakota in football, after singing the national anthem ND was so prideful of their mascot that in stead of saying land of the brave they said land of the sioux or at least they meshed in the words. Then there is the “GO FIGHTING SIOUX” chants at the game. I think itis all for school spirit. However, I can see how indian mascots can be offensive. Like with the Tecumseh Panthers and Tecumseh hating white people. Schools just randomly pick a mascot to represent their school without understanding the long-lived history of the mascot (indian mascot). A school can show pride for a mascot but not try and learn about the life it had and tie that into the school.
-Cathy Warren’s student
The fact that your institute believes that one simple picture is a stereotype of the whole Indian nation is absurd. Using your own definition, I view your “substitute” mascot as racist against white people (which in today’s society seems to be totally acceptable), indicating that we are all outlaws? I believe that most Indians would take pride in the fierceness and competitiveness of their ancestors. This is the attribute which I believe most schools who use an Indian mascot are trying to depict for their school. After all, the fierceness and competitiveness of the Native Americans is what made their nations flourish. As someone with Native American ancestors, I believe the fact that you are trying to erase any Indian mascots is an attempt to downplay the pride, strength of family, and competitiveness of Indians.
As stated in class, I have family from Loup City and this is much worse in person. It does not make it ok for me to say that these people are old and set in their ways, but I will say, that when you grow up around nothing but farming white people, you don’t know any better. This is not an excuse at all, but I do think that you should go there and try to talk to them. I think that if the younger people there were more informed, they might change. I agree that this mascot needs to be changed.
- Cathi Warren’s student
H.I.I RESPONSE TO JENNIFER:
Jennifer, thank you for response. Just a couple of thoughts on your post.
First, the Loup City Red Raider Indian mascot is not just a “simple picture.” We never said that the mascot is a stereotype of the “whole Indian nation.” We said that we believe the it is the most racist Indian mascot caricature in Nebraska, and “most likely in the United States.” I have seen many, many depictions of Indians used as mascots by Institutions of learning, and this is the most grotesque, (in my opinion) that I have personally seen. I stand by my opinion of the current Red Raider logo.
Second, I instructed the artist (my son) to make a neutral skin color for the new “Red Raider.” I find it interesting that you consider our new Red Raider racist to white people, but apparently the old Red Raider instills pride when he is an Indian.
Third, I believe that most Indians, or tribal members, do take pride in our culture and heritage, including efforts to defend ourselves against non-Indian invasions into our traditional territories. I would disagree with you in your assessment that our “fierceness and competitiveness… made their nations flourish.” If you look at history, our fierceness and competitiveness in fighting usually, if not always, led to further U.S. military force against tribes that fought back. You will find very few historians to back up your claim that we “flourished” after 1776. Even today, the Nebraska Attorney General is “fighting” the Ponca Tribe to keep them from attempting to “flourish” in Iowa. The battle never ends.
Finally, we are not trying to erase Indian mascots. Please read the rest of our web site. We are encouraging people to educate themselves about Indian tribes and tribal members. Then, hopefully, you will come to your own conclusions about whether to keep your Indian mascot. If you note in our Loup City post, we encourage parents, students and school administrators to discuss the matter. We don’t support compulsory elimination of Indian mascots. That doesn’t change hearts and minds. We are not trying to downplay pride, strength, family, and competitiveness of Indians. PLEASE look at the rest of the website where we HONOR INDIANS that are doing great things to bring honor to themselves, families and tribes. We want to provide an alternative to the “noble savage” imagery that Indian mascots perpetuate.
Thanks for viewing the website and commenting. At least we made you think a little, and if you don’t agree with us, that is fine. Please keep viewing and letting us know your thoughts.
H.I.I.
I really like the new mascot the “LC” is awesome and the new logo picture fits better with Loup City rather than an Indian Cartoon Picture. I think Loup City should really consider changing their mascot to the LC Red Raiders. Its classy and creative! I really feel everyone should consider Honoring Indians…..Go LC Red Raiders!
Coming from a high school with a Native American mascot (the chieftain) I feel that I can contribute to both sides of this argument. Our mascot didn’t depict a specific tribe or person but rather just a “chieftain”. I can honestly say that I never thought twice about this mascot being hurtful towards people of Native American decent but thats the key word I never thought* about it. I am also not very well informed when it comes to Native American Studies (which is why I am enrolled in a course) but I do know that there were/are many different tribes and each had there own individual rituals, beliefs, ways of dressing etc. and our mascot with its tomahawk and headress does not represent present or historically known Native Americans well at all. It all comes down to respect for all people*. There are always going to be conflict and people not seeing eye to eye but personally I feel when it comes to school districts allowing such mascots as the Red Raider and Chieftain to represents there schools I think there needs to be an alternative.
I agree that when you go to a certain school students are very partial to there mascot because it represents your pride for your school, achievements, athletics etc., this is very common. When it comes to such mascots as the Red Raider though you need to look at it from the perspective of someone who is Native American and knows that this “Red Raider” is just a joke and doesnt depict historical or honorable Native Americans at all.
As a latino that grew up in Central Nebraska, this mascot screams discrimination. Who in their right mind would use this as a rally to win athletic contests. I can just see how someone could dress up as this mascot and parade around acting like a fool. This is not for the 20th century, The State of NE needs to step in as big brother set this one straight. What exactly are we teaching our children with this type of mascot? School Districts across the country take down these mascots and create new ones! Get out of the stone ages and live in present society. Native Americans have been persecuted long enough!!
Amen brother. That Loup city mascot is stupid. A buffalo or canine would look better than that monstrosity.
First to Dan. I don’t believe our mascot is studid. I take pride everytime I represent my school and the Red Raider is something that I have come to take pride in. Secondly to Robert. I am in my right mind and representing the Red Raiders for Loup City is a rally to win athletic events and for me. Also, you said how you “can just see how someone could dress up as this mascot and parade around acting like a fool” but never once have I witnessed a single instance where any person(student, parent, fan, anyone) ever dressed up and paraded around like an fool. On the idea that some like the alternative mascot I ask this, is it changed to look like that because our mascot is offensive? or is it changed to look that way because it is an indian? If the reason is the first then why can’t we have the Red Raider(indian) and just change what is being viewed as offensive? and if the reason is the latter then where is the law that states the illegality of indian mascots, especially when nobody is using it to offend anyone. It isn’t as tho when those who first decided on our mascot sat down and said “ok boys, now today let’s come up with an indian mascot and try to be very offensive.” No disrespect was ever intended. I agree with the idea of it looking offensive, so I suggest letting it stay an indian, but let’s change it to not be offensive looking, as that seems to be what many people on here are complaining about.
I believe that change can be hard for anyone but ignorance shouldn’t be used as excuse for the continuation of using an offensive symbol. I agree that this community should take a moment to reflect about the world around them and branch out to new and exciting things. Something should not just continue to take place just because its familiar and it gives a false sense of pride. Make this a project for your community to grow together and work towards creating a less offensive community for future generations.
This seems to be a point of contention that never gets solved. I think both sides need to sit back and try to be objective. From the Loup City point of view, I understand that you were not trying to create a “racist” mascot (why be philosophical about this point, call it what it is, when one group of people feel grossly misrepresented by an image that contains several known stereotypes, well, what else would you call it). I can also understand feeling pride etc. in your mascot. As for the Native Americans, I can understand why you are offended. It seems to be an offensive image with the big nose, mohawk, spear, and tomahawk etc. being displayed. It amuses me that Loup City would actually try to maintain this absurd image and would actually fight to keep it as a representation of their school. If it was an image of an African American on the logo, with big lips, short curly hair, with white palms, this wouldn’t even be considered. It would be a no brainer. Figure it out Loup City, this isn’t 1750. If you inadvertently created an offensive image, be the bigger party and change it pro-actively, instead of using empty reasoning to back up your mistake.
One other thing I would like to note, the Native American culture is completely different than that of the “white man”, so to speak. Their sense of humor, community structure, and general point of view are specific to them. How can you justify something to another “race” when you can’t even understand them? I’m sure that Loup City is primarily a white community being in a rural Nebraska farming community. How can the community try to justify using a symbol that they don’t even understand? You might as well be using an alien with a cool looking spaceship with guns on it instead of this symbol. That is about as representative of your school as this blatantly ignorant image of a Native American “warrior”.
I agree that some of the Indian mascots could be viewed as offensive. However, I do not see how a warrior mascot is so much more offensive than a Michigan State Spartan or a Dallas Cowboy. I do realize that this is obviously a big issue for many Native Americans, and since this is the case, Loup City might as well just change their mascot. Their is no reason to fight over a mascot. If it is offensive, I think it should be changed.
My home is in Loup City,Nebraska and I love the school Mascot . I’m Indian,Black,Greek and I’m all American . I am proud and think it’s hot that they made the Loup City High School Indian Mascot after my Nationality . When I was 12 years old I became a 3 AAA swimmer and Nebraska honored me by sending me to North Dakota to compete. I represent my state of Nebraska as all American . I LOVE LOUP CITY INDAIN MASCOT ! LEAVE US ALONE !!!