Baseline Argument Essay

       According to, "Insult or Honor?" Indian mascots are being portrayed as racist to fans, Native American groups, and law makers. It's causing controversy because the NFL teams are being stubborn and won't change the team's name or realize that it's causing trouble. The article discusses how many people have a problem with the Washington Redskins team name and other situations that have occurred with other teams that were also offensive. I think that the Indian mascots can be racist and offensive. The controversy being caused would easily go away if the team just changed their name.
   
    Some may not find the Indian mascots racist or offensive because a tribe let a university use their tribe name. "...The Seminole Tribe granted permission to Florida State University to keep using its Seminoles name- and its popular Chief Osceola mascot, who rides triumphantly onto the field on the spotted Appaloosa horse before every home football game in Tallahasse." The Seminoles tribe chairmen says, "We Seminoles embrace the mascot. They honor us." These could be prime examples as to why people would think the mascots are okay, but not all tribes and everyone think that the mascots are honorable or respectful. "In June, the U.S Patent and Trademark Office agreed: It stripped the Redskins of its trademark registration, saying that "this racial designation based on skin color is disparaging to the Native Americans." While one team and some tribes may be okay with the teams using their name but others are severely bothered by it and just want change.
    
   The Indian mascots are racist and offensive, "Many Native American groups, law makers, and fans are pressuring the NFL team to change it;s name and mascot. They say it's offensive, even racist, and have targeted the team with lawsuits, letters, a prime-time TV commercial, and a Twitter campaign." The problems people are having with the teams makes you see that they're taking action, and will do anything to make the team change their name. They're taking a stand for something they believe is wrong, and that really shows how much of an issue this is.
   
   There is controversy being caused because the NFL team's are too stubborn to change the name and realize that it's wrong and troubling. "...After decades of lobbying by Native American groups, the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) identified 19 universities whose team names it deemed hostile or abusive to American Indians. The NCAA ordered teams to change their names or get permission from tribes to continue using them." Permission is something that would have made everything go easier from the start.
    
     In conclusion, the Indian mascots are racist towards some and cause controversy. Permission is definitely something that the NFL teams should have asked for because you never know who's going to take it into serious offense and get upset about it.