Controversy has been swirling for a quite a while now over schools and professional teams with nicknames and mascots related to Native Americans. All over the country schools have team names likeRedskins,?Indians,?Apaches,? andChiefs.? However, schools with nicknames like these are now facing criticism and pressure to change their names, since these mascot nicknames are often offensive to Native American Indians. It is this argument that has sparked the consideration that the local baseball team should voluntary change their name fromThe Indians.?
             Although many schools have voluntarily abandoned Indian-related nicknames in the last few years, the debates about this issue have played out intensely elsewhere. The board of the University of North Dakota, which was considering changing the school's nickname from 'the Fighting Sioux,? suddenly voted 8-0 to keep the name, after an alumnus threatened to pull the $35 million gift he was giving to build a new hockey stadium. The basic argument is not too hard to figure out; many Native Americans and other people consider these mascots demeaning, insulting, and dehumanizing. These people say that these nicknames, likeSavages? orWarriors,? are based on stereotypes of Indians that deem them fierce. Many critics say these nicknames should be removed and replaced with less demeaning titles.
             Not only are school mascots targeted here, four of the most recognized sports teams and logos in America belong to the Atlanta Braves, the Cleveland Indians, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Washington Redskins. The Indians? logo, a grinning cartoon Indian calledChief Wahoo,? leers from hats and shirts everywhere. Braves fans who do the 'tomahawk chop? at their games are using the same crowd gesture popularized by fans of the Florida State Seminoles. Moreover, the Braves use an ax for their logo, hardly dispelling thefearsome warrior? stereotype.Native people are saying that they don't feel honored...