Return to CreateDebate.comacebertrand • Join this debate community

Bertrand's ACE Debate


Debate Info

30
52
Yes - have them No - don't have them
Debate Score:82
Arguments:54
Total Votes:94
More Stats

Argument Ratio

side graph
 
 Yes - have them (21)
 
 No - don't have them (33)

Debate Creator

mbertrand(62) pic



15spring cultural mascots

Yes - have them

Side Score: 30
VS.

No - don't have them

Side Score: 52
2 points

I think that cultural mascots should be allowed. They should be honored, its a tradition that should stay and once a mascot it should always stay.

Side: Yes - have them
2 points

You might say that they are bad because of the meaning of the mascot. But I disagree, these mascots have meanings to them what they used to be. I don't think that they should ever change.

Side: Yes - have them
2 points

I think that we should have cultural mascots, because it brings back memories of other people that use to go to that school. I also think that the school board should just pick if they should have a cultural mascot or not. People are getting bullied for voting that other mascots should stay or should not stay. If you read this article it states that people are getting bullied for the mascot that they want.

Supporting Evidence: Cultural Mascots (docs.google.com)
Side: Yes - have them
2 points

The next reason why cultural mascots should not be a problem is that they are showing a sign of respect. Many people believe that the mascots are honoring the native American culture. One man from a tribe that they named their school after said he was honored that they used his name. So the members of the tribe are honored and happy that they used his name, not offend.

Supporting Evidence: mascot not offensive (docs.google.com)
Side: Yes - have them
20jverbockel(7) Disputed
2 points

But they're stereotyping Native Americans and then are using them as their mascot. Stereotyping is wrong. They may think they are showing respect, but really they are doing something that is wrong. They are creating a bad example to students by doing this. As being in a country where racism is wrong I think that kids could get offend and that is not right. They are not showing respect because they are dancing around in them basically making fun of them instead of showing the people that they are important and are good like they should be doing. I don't think they should allow them as a mascot because of the negative things that they use when having them. In school everyday I see racism and stereotyping. Kids get picked on for those things and cultural mascots could make that worse.

Side: No - don't have them
2 points

I disagree with not having cultural mascots. They are a cultural name and it's a tradition that they had for all schools before. People say that their cultural mascot means something bad. But I think that they don't because that was their name in the past. Nothing really was changed.

Side: Yes - have them
2 points

In the past, they always had that one name. Now I don't think that it really makes a difference. They had the same name back then, why can't they still have the name?

Side: Yes - have them
2 points

Another reason why cultural mascots should be accepted is because it is a tribute to the past. They are respecting the past and remembering the people that came before them. So why would that be offensive if they are just respecting the past.

Supporting Evidence: Tribute to the past (docs.google.com)
Side: Yes - have them
1 point

They should be able to keep it because that is the way it always was and it was OK then and all of a sudden its not OK. If they have had a mascot for a while they have the right to call their team that and you cant change that. In the article Arab- Americans cry foul over California high school mascot it is said that they have had their mascot for 50 to 60 years without a change. why force them to change what is history and make everyone look at them differently.

Side: Yes - have them
20asteidl(6) Disputed
2 points

I disagree about saying that once cultural mascots were fine just awhile ago, and now they are not because they have been ok for a while. But I disagree, just because for over time it has been okay to have cultural mascots and now its a conflict doesn't mean it is still right to have cultural mascots. Maybe the people who were ok with it and now aren't just realised that this could be bad and could offend Native-Americans. So my claim to confirm is that cultural mascots are a conflict and should be eliminated.

Side: No - don't have them
1 point

They don't see it as insensitive. They look at the mascot in a positive way. in the article Arab-Americans cry foul over California high school mascot David Hinkle, the head of the board with his wife, was proud to be an arab. He said it was not to be insensitive, its just been that way forever and there is no reason to change if its not in an offensive way.

Side: Yes - have them
1 point

I think that they are good because mascots are the symbol of the team and that means that people will be seeing and thinking of that mascot when someone says that team name. Its not trying to be offensive because they would not try to offend people over their symbol because thats the last thing they want is to be forced to change it. They try to be as correct as they can and people are just taking it the wrong way. Its not meant to be insensitive and a lot of people are proud to be one because they don't take it the wrong way.

Side: Yes - have them
1 point

I think that schools should not have to change their cultural mascots because it shows the respect that that school has. Cultural mascots are also good because it is like going back into the past. Getting to see all of the things that used to be there.

Side: Yes - have them
1 point

I think that people should honor their cultural mascot. I shows a sign of respect.

Side: Yes - have them
1 point

Life would be much better if everyone just listened to the golden rule, "don't mess with another man’s mascot, especially if it is homage the the native Americans."

After a meeting that was against the tomahawk-wielding mascot and was lead by a school-board member Margaret Carey, she found a nail that was jabbed into her car’s tire. “I was appalled,” Carey says, “ but I can't say I was totally surprised.”

Supporting Evidence: Mind Your Own Mascot (docs.google.com)
Side: Yes - have them
1 point

You might say that Cultural mascots are a big deal and should be taken away, but I bet that all of these things about mascots and if they are good or bad would not be a big deal and no one would be crazy about all of this, is if everyone just let others have what ever mascot they want ,because like I said before (in another argument) why mess with another mans mascot? it isn't yours so why are you making a big deal about it?

Side: Yes - have them
0 points

I think that cultural mascots should be aloud to represent schools and others should not worry about them because, it isn't there mascot so why do they care about it, and it could help people get to know about that schools history and background.

Side: Yes - have them
0 points

I think that they should be able to keep cultural mascots because it would be hard to change it. According to the article Arab-Americans cry foul over California high school mascot they have their mascot on everything including the walls and their gym shirts. Changing that is hard and very expensive. They would have to paint the walls over and buy more more gym uniforms and it would just cost a lot more money then needed.

Side: Yes - have them
20jverbockel(7) Disputed
0 points

Just because it is expensive, doesn't mean they should use that as an excuse. It is still wrong and is offensive. Mr Cooper has a daughter that was once very offended by the stereotype version of an Arab-American at a football game because her father is a full-blooded American Indian. He said “If one person, if one child is offended, then we need to stop it." Even though it is expensive, cultural mascots shouldn't be allowed in schools.

Side: No - don't have them
1 point

Here is my source. I forgot to put it in before.................

Supporting Evidence: Source (docs.google.com)
Side: No - don't have them
0 points

I think that people should not have to change their cultural mascots because it reflects their community, It is a sign of respect, and It is a tribute to the past.

Side: Yes - have them
1 point

I agree with Grace because, it is almost like a clip of the past. And when people see your mascot they don't immediately come up with bad things about it. But now that this argument is a big deal some people might do just that. but if you just left it alone it wouldn't have been a big deal.

Side: Yes - have them
21bagustin(5) Disputed
1 point

20gstark says "I think that people should not have to change their cultural mascots because it reflects their community, It is a sign of respect, and It is a tribute to the past. But I disagree because they are up there because they think that they are different that normal Americans, they consider them different. I don't see any caucasian people being logos.

TRC commissioner Chinta Puxley,

The Canadian Press says Justice Murray Sinclair, who spearheaded an examination of Canada's residential schools, says "sports teams with offensive names such as Redskins and cartoonish aboriginal-looking mascots have no place in a country trying to come to grips with racism in its past. "It's only indigenous peoples' symbols that are being utilized by sports teams. I don't think there is any cultural group that is subject to that anymore," Sinclair said in an interview. "People need to re-examine their behaviour — all aspects of their behaviour — the way they are doing business."

Side: No - don't have them
2 points

I believe that cultural mascots should be no more because they are very offensive to some people. It's not fair that their culture get mocked by the mascots and it's not fair that they get looked at differently because of them. My source is http://www.google.com/search?sclient=psy-ab&rlz;=1CASMAAenUS622US622&biw;=1280&bih;=665&noj;=1&q;=Cultural+mascots+indians+bad+&oq;=Cultural+mascots+indians+bad+&gs;l=serp.3...97225.102904.1.103818.11.11.0.0.0.0.82.730.11.11.0.msedr...0...1c.1. 64.serp..11.0.0.aTqZ9Bga5tM&safe;=active&ssui;=on

Side: No - don't have them
2 points

I agree because the culture had their mascot before the sports team took that mascot.

Side: No - don't have them
20gstark(5) Disputed
2 points

I disagree because the people that want that mascot to respect and honor the community past, should be able to.

Side: Yes - have them
2 points

Cultural Mascots should not exist in schools because they are very offensive to people, they create a hostile environment, and they are basically showing people that you can stereotype things. They are not a good thing and should not be allowed in schools where people are trying to learn.

Side: No - don't have them
20gstark(5) Disputed
2 points

You might say that they should not be aloud because it is stereotypical, but I disagree I think that we should be able to have them because a mascot has it's own background and traditions. So that would make their mascot very special and sentimental to their school. We are a native american community said 1,200 people of Market.

Supporting Evidence: mascot (docs.google.com)
Side: Yes - have them
1 point

I agree because when they try to keep school a safe place you shouldn't have to worry about a mascot being the problem of not feeling safe.

Side: No - don't have them
20smccarthy1(5) Disputed
1 point

I disagree with Jennifer because why should a mascot from another school or team be offensive to you? and if you go to a school that has an offensive mascot then don't go there. and you may say, well i'm not going to move schools just because of a mascot. then you should be complaining about it.

Side: Yes - have them
2 points

I think that they should not have cultural mascots because they can be offensive to people, can create stereotypes, and people should just learn and move on from making cultural mascots because some people take them in a negative way.

Side: No - don't have them
2 points

Some people think that cultural mascots are a good thing but I disagree. I think cultural mascots are a bad thing because they are extremely offensive and disrespectful.

Supporting Evidence: Native American Mascots Devalues Culture (docs.google.com)
Side: No - don't have them
2 points

I think that cultural mascots should not be aloud because most sports teams make a mockery of the Native Americans. For example Abel Cooper a pure native-american took his daughter to a football game and a cheerleader was bouncing around on the field in a "Native American" clothes and a headdress. Able Coopers daughter was appalled and they left the game. Proving that cultural mascots are making a mockery of the Native Americans.

Source: https://docs.google.com/a/kimberly.k12.wi.us/file/d/0Bz48-KNlSGh4YzF6Q19DNHEyeHM/edit

Side: No - don't have them
2 points

Cultural Mascots are bad because they are offensive to the people who the mascots are representing. One time, Mr. Cooper who is a full-blooded American Indian, and his daughter went to a high school football game. At the game there was a girl student who flipped around to entertain people wearing clothing like a Native American headdress and buckskin. The daughter felt so offended, she cried and asked to leave the game. Cultural mascots offend people like Mr. Cooper and his daughter. They shouldn't be allowed in any schools.

Supporting Evidence: Source (docs.google.com)
Side: No - don't have them
2 points

I think mascots should not be aloud to be cultural because people often disrespect cultures by using their symbols without knowing the meaning. “That girl doesn't understand that every feather in that headdress would have been earned in battle. She wouldn't know that each one represents a life that was taken. ( The cheerleader) was making a mockery of us.” Abel Cooper, a full blooded American Indian explains after seeing a cheerleader in a Indian headdress. If the Indians who were originally represented by that mascot are offended we should stop using them.

Supporting Evidence: Native American Mascots Devalues Culture (docs.google.com)
Side: No - don't have them
2 points

“When we use imagery that makes an entire community feel excluded and diminished, exactly what tradition are we celebrating” do you really want to be a bully by discluding." This piece of evidence really has a lot of meaning in it. We are using mascots (imagery) and they are offending different cultures. Just think about it for a while, you may be throughing a party and celebrating, while other peoples feelings are being put down and hurt. And yet all you have to do is change your mascot or simply GET RID OF THEM. Are you really the type of person who would want to hurt someones feelings when their is a simple solution? This is why I stand against cultural mascots.

Supporting Evidence: mascots (www.huffingtonpost.com)
Side: No - don't have them
2 points

Another reason I believe that we should not have cultural mascots is because normal sports teams abuse the idea of native-american clothing. My evidence behind my that the teams abuse the idea native-american clothes is because when most people living in a modern life when they thing of Native-Americans they say they ware a feather and the chief wares a giant feather head dress. Well the Native-americans that do ware that feather consider it very sacred. That feather is very sacred and is hard to get just because its and eagle feather. But when people ware a feather on their head, it highly offends the pure native Americans causing conflict when the extreme fans dress like that. Therefore saying that that people can offend the Native Americans just by clothing and making it bad when fans do ware the clothing for games of whatever sport it is offensive.

http://www.debate.org/opinions/should-native-american-mascots-be-banned

Side: No - don't have them
1 point

I very much agree, because of one little piece of clothing could really hurt someone or offend them.

Side: No - don't have them
2 points

We should not have cultural mascots because it can be offensive to the people of the culture or just other people in general. People can take this as a way of being disrespectful or making fun of their cultural. Example: A teen at school with a cultural mascot that has to do with some part of there background. They could end up not wanting to go to school events because they take the mascot in a bad way and it offends them. Wisconsin is one of the first states that actually passed a law that there can not be any cultural mascots for teams or whatever the activity is. They have this again because it can be offensive and want everyone feel like they are being treated fairly.

Supporting Evidence: Cultural mascots (docs.google.com)
Side: No - don't have them
2 points

Mascots that look like something or represent what people think of them is insulting and offensive. Coachella Valley High School has Arab-Americans as their mascots. “The mascot is basically an angry ‘Arab’ head - hooknose, long bear, headscarf and all.” Abed Ayoub a legal and policy director for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee said. He’s saying that they are taking what something looks like and then using it to represent them. It is offensive and wrong to use that as their mascot.

The original source for the quote by Abed Ayoub is from ABC

Supporting Evidence: Article/Source (docs.google.com)
Side: No - don't have them
2 points

I disapprove of cultural mascots not just because it is offensive because it also gets in the way of our normal lives that we want to live freely.

" (CNN) - “Suzan Shown Harjo remembers when she walked into a store with her grandfather in El Reno, Oklahoma. She wanted to get something cool to drink on a summer day. It was the early 1950s and the storekeepers told the 6-year-old she had to leave.

“No black redskins in here,” they said.

At that moment, Harjo felt small, unsafe, afraid. Because she was a dark-skinned Native American - Cheyenne and Hodulgee Muscogee - she was being identified by just her coloring. She wasn't even a whole human being. Not even her grandpa, whom she saw as all-powerful, could do anything to protect her.

Later in her life, that incident made her angry. Angry enough for Harjo to launch a lifelong mission to protect her people.” and that's not it this just makes them madder when you tease them with these mascots

“The most offensive example of a mascot, says Harjo, is the one used by Washington’s football team. She has been fighting for years to get the Redskins to change their name.” This shows that not only can it hurt your feelings but it can hurt your ways of living your normal life. For example talking to people, walking into certain stores, you being looked at differently because of your culture. These are things that should stop. And it's all just about a mascot. Is this really how life is going to be on earth? Have somebody WHOLE LIFE CHANGE, just because of a mascot? It's not the people being offended choice because trust me they tried to change it. It's truly yours.

Supporting Evidence: mascots (inamerica.blogs.cnn.com)
Side: No - don't have them
2 points

Another reason why there should not be cultural mascots is because it can and does create stereotypes. For schools who have or did have a cultural mascot they would have had what it was and then could have changed it up a bit to make it look more "exciting" . But the way that can be taken as making fun of that culture and making people think that is what all people of the culture are like. So then that can make those people feel insulted in a way because you are making fun of what they do and believe in.

Supporting Evidence: Cultural mascots (docs.google.com)
Side: No - don't have them
2 points

Another reason cultural mascots should not be allowed is because they can often be stereotypical. There were complaints at Coachella Valley High School in California because of their Arab mascot. The mascot was an angry Arab head, which can stereotype what arabs look like. There were also murals on the walls that were described as "infatuation with the Middle East, or fantastical notions of it, in which men are barbarous, women are harem girls and magic lamps exist." Abed Ayoub, legal and policy director for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), "Said that in nearly 10 years of working in civil rights he has never encountered a more egregious case of stereotyping."

Supporting Evidence: Arab American Cry Foul Over Californa High Mascots (docs.google.com)
Side: No - don't have them
2 points

Another reason why there should not be cultural mascots it because I think that people should just learn to be respectful and learn to respect what other people believe even if you don't yourself. To make everyone happy they should just get rid of them so that we just don't offend anyone or make them feel uncomfortable about themselves or their culture. There is really no reason for a need for cultural mascots, so lets just get rid of them.

Side: No - don't have them
1 point

Source I used:

-https://docs.google.com/a/kimberly.k12.wi.us/file/d/0Bz48-KNlSGh4YzF6Q19DNHEyeHM/edit

-https://docs.google.com/a/kimberly.k12.wi.us/file/d/0Bz48-KNlSGh4bTFEYVdmS1lPMmM/edit

Side: No - don't have them
1 point

I think that cultural mascots should not be allowed because, they're demeaning to their culture, making a mockery of Native Americans. Another reason why they shouldn't be allowed is because according to the Oxford dictionary the term "redskin" is defined as offensive, disparaging, insulting, and taboo. Obviously offending the Native American community.

Side: No - don't have them
2 points

I agree that cultural mascots are demeaning to culture and, according to the Websters dictionary, "The word redskin is extremely offensive and should be avoided."

Supporting Evidence: Native American Mascots: Pride or Prejudice? (inamerica.blogs.cnn.com)
Side: No - don't have them
1 point

Mr. Cooper, a full-blooded American Indian, said his daughter became so offended, her eyes filled with tears and she asked if they could leave.

“I taught my children to respect warriors because they are veterans of battle,” Mr. Cooper said. “That girl doesn't understand that every feather in that headdress would have been earned in battle. She wouldn't know that each one represents a life that was taken. (The cheerleader) was making a mockery of us.”

Obviously by this story you can tell that Native Americans are offended and think it's very inappropriate to have a racial slur represent them as a whole community. The people who think it's okay aren't able to see that it's is enraging a huge portion of the Native American community. Whether the roots of the word have to do with the color of Native Americans’ skin or the macabre peddling of human scalps is irrelevant. Either way it’s racist.

"Non-Natives may never quite understand how deep the term "redskins" cuts into ancient wounds that have never quite healed, and maybe it's not reasonable to expect them to. But every time Dan Snyder refuses to change his NFL team's name, even with tribes paying for powerful ads in opposition like the one that recently aired during the NBA Finals, it plunges a twisted blade into Native American's heart's everywhere."

"A 'Redskin' Is the Scalped Head of a Native American, Sold, Like a Pelt, for Cash." Esquire. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.

"Washington Redskins Name Needs to Be Changed - The Boston Globe." BostonGlobe.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.

Side: No - don't have them
1 point

I believe that Cultural mascots are very offensive and that their is no point in having them, this is why I disapprove of Cultural mascots.

Side: No - don't have them
1 point

Cultural mascots should not be allowed in schools because they create a hostile environment for kids. Research from the American Progress Association shows that teams and mascots can create and unwelcoming environment for the students. It shows that they have lower self-esteem and mental health within the students. If a mascot is causing these affects on students then why keep it? Although it may be expensive, and impact a school hugely, it would be worth it if it helps out the students.

Supporting Evidence: Source (cdn.americanprogress.org)
Side: No - don't have them
1 point

Cultural mascots are an obvious conflict in the sport games. There are many reasons that they should be banned like... 1: The native Americans have state football teams named after them and those states might not have any culture to do with Native Americans. 2: The name redskins is racist towards the Native Americans and can be very offensive if you walked up and called a modern Native American a redskin. Those are some reasons why that cultural mascots should be taken away and offensive the Native Americans.

Source: http://www.debate.org/opinions/should-native-american-mascots-be-banned

Side: No - don't have them
1 point

I don't think people should disrespect Native Americans by using them as a sports team logo. Cornel D. Pewewardy is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Teaching and Leadership, School of Education, University of Kansas, Lawrence. His research interests include multicultural education and indigenous populations.

Cornel D. Pewewardy stated, "Many schools around the country exhibit Indigenous mascots and logos, using nicknames and doing the tomahawk chop in sports stadiums with inauthentic representations of Indigenous cultures. Many school officials claim they are honoring Indigenous Peoples and insist their schools' sponsored activities are not offensive. I would argue otherwise. There is nothing in Indigenous cultures that aspires to be a mascot, logo, or nickname for athletic teams." What he is trying to say is, because of someone's race they should not be seen as a logo. They are Americans just like us, and I think that they should be seen as an American, because that is what they are. Then people take them and put them as a logo.

Side: No - don't have them
1 point

Native Americans should be considered as Americans, which they are. Ray Halbritter had something to say. “In a radio ad, tribe representative Ray Halbritter said, "We do not deserve to be called redskins. We deserve to be treated as what we are – Americans."

Side: No - don't have them
1 point

People need to stop treating logo's disrespectfully. There is a school in California, and there are people saying that it is a false logo, and I summarized what they were saying, along with a spectator at the school. 'You might think that people with cultural logos are at least treating the logo not completely racistly but, what might catch you off guard, though, are its towering murals that depict scenes more likely to be found on the pages of “One Thousand and One Nights” than the walls of a high school building. Among them, a man and woman dressed in tiny vests and harem pants sitting atop a textbook-turned-magic carpet."

Side: No - don't have them