December 2, 2009
A move to end Native American mascots
By TOM WILLIAMS
Sports Columnist
Consider this a pat on the back for Frank Pallone.
The Democratic Congressman from New Jersey's sixth district has introduced a bill that
would eliminate Native American nicknames from high schools across the country. His bill
would compensate the schools for the cost of replacing uniforms, mascot costumes and
other displays.
This is an issue that has been discussed for a decade by the NCAA. Currently, member
schools of the NCAA with Native American nicknames, mascots or imagery are banned from
hosting NCAA championships. And they may not wear uniforms or other paraphernalia that
depict Native American nicknames or images while playing in an NCAA tournament.
The names being discussed basically consist of Redskins, Redmen, Warriors, Chiefs, Braves,
Indians, etc. Despite the fact that no change was required by the NCAA, many schools have
changed mascots on their own - schools like Stanford, Marquette, Colgate, St. John's, Syracuse,
St. Bonaventure, Oklahoma City and Seattle.
In the Cape-Atlantic League there are only two obvious Native American nicknames the Absegami
Braves and the Buena Chiefs. The Wildwood Warriors, now part of the Tri-County Conference, is
another. And Red Raiders, Ocean City's nickname, is borderline. Ocean City has positioned its
mascot as a red hawk the last few decades but it would not be a surprise to discover that the
original nickname 70 or 80 years ago was meant to refer to Native Americans. Faced with the
same situation, Colgate University dropped Red from its nickname and became simply the
Raiders . Ocean City High School should consider making the same change.
There has not been a gigantic expression of outrage in New Jersey about these nicknames, though
there has been strong opposition in parts of the country where there are larger numbers of Native
Americans. In Wildwood, for example, Native Americans made up just four-tenths of one percent of
the population in the last census, Buena Vista Township and Galloway Township each just over
two-tenths of one percent.
Not all nicknames are, by definition, offensive. For example, it is good to be a warrior, or a
chief or a brave. Redskin is another story. That is beyond offensive. But in many cases it is
the way the mascot is portrayed. A dancing mascot dressed in full Indian headdress along the
sidelines is wrong, because in most tribes the man with the headdress is the chief and his
dancing is based in religion. The same with the tomahawk chop.
How would other groups feel when faced with similar nicknames? Would the Bayonne Dagos be accepted?
There was a high school in Illinois that used the nickname "Chinks" until it changed in 1981. When
the Stanford band came out to perform at halftime of a game with Notre Dame dressed as nuns, there
was outrage. Most of you can probably think of some other nicknames or mascots that would be equally
offensive.
Now, nobody is accusing anyone at Absegami, Buena, Wildwood or Ocean City of being racist. These
considerations were just not seen as that important when the decision of their mascot was made decades
ago. Some schools tell you that the nicknames are actually a tribute to the Native Americans. If
that is so, why don't those schools offer a class that studies the Lenni-Lenapes, or other tribes
that were located in South Jersey, and their importance to history.
The Lenape Regional School District seems to have gotten the message. The first high school in its
district was the Lenape Indians. The second was the Shawnee Renegades (talk about offensive nicknames!).
The third was the Cherokee Chiefs. But the fourth school, opened five years ago, is the Seneca Golden
Eagles.
Changing a nickname requires adjustment. Alumni will take the longest to adjust. But they will, just
like Rowan University is rarely called Glassboro State College anymore. As for the students, in four
years or less they will be just as into the new nickname as they would have been with the old one. And
giving them the chance to pick the new nickname would increase their enthusiasm.
How about the Absegami Cougars? Or the Buena Bison? Or the Wildwood Hurricanes? It could actually be a
lot of fun.
Let's hope the four area high schools make these changes quickly. But, if they don't, here is hoping
that Congressman Pallone's bill becomes law very soon.
Native Americans were here before any of us and no clear-thinking person would debate that they have
been treated very badly through the years. Casino income has helped some of them but, for the most part,
they live in poverty. Still, like every other group of people in this country, they have the right to
not be insulted by sports mascots.
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Tom Williams' columns