American Indian Mascots

would like to think that the beginning of having making Indian's a mascot was to honor them, however, I feel that was never the case. I would also like to believe that some still try to make it that it is honorable, but there is much of how we treat and act as mascots that is not very honorable. I feel like by making Indian's a mascot we have, as a society, taken the entire Native American culture down to the level that we view animals (that are typically mascots). We have taken away the pride and culture that the word Indian stands for, for those of Native backgrounds and turned it into a game. Literally. "Native American's call themselves many things, the one they do not..." - as said in the commercial. This is so powerful. In this commercial he names the many things that himself and his fellow Native American's call themselves, some of which are tribe names. This is important because if you are from the Seminole tribe you would not wish to be called a Chippewa, why? Because that is not what or who you are. They are not mascots, so why would they wish to be called something that they aren't? I could see it being honorable if the cultural values and beliefs were also honored within these mascots, but in Colores, it was evident that those were not apparent. The so called Indian dances were not true to their people, therefore they became upset. It creates this false image of the already misunderstood Native American culture.