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Discussion Questions

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Course Details/Number

Professor

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Discussion Questions

1. Semiloli’s Solution

From a personal opinion, insulting the traditional and spiritual beliefs of sporting events

and activities such as the wearing of feather headed-dresses, the beating of tom-toms, and the

ghastly efforts to sing Native American songs goes against the rituals and rules of sports.

Unfortunately, Semiloli in the article argues that Native American groups continually fail to

uphold the rules and rituals of sports (Semioli, 2011). In my understanding, this is significantly

influenced by behaviors that contravene the American sporting fabric, attributed widely to

ignorant and harmful actions. Semiloli’s solution on the most important trait that sporting

activities instill such as the respect of opponents, coaches, teammates, and for the rituals and

rules of these activities makes significant sense (Semioli, 2011). I therefore agree with Semiloli’s

solution over the need for sports fans of high consciousness to follow through the commendable

modus operandi typified in the Portland Oregonian newspaper that refutes impermissible

behaviors that contravene the rituals and rules of sports.

2. Racism as Deemed in Colonel Reb

Colonel Reb as depicted in the excerpt was not a racist but a victim of political

correctness. Schools that primarily used the Confederate’s views or definition in addressing the

controversies that surrounded this interpretation symbolized Colonel Reb as a rebel (Leonard,

2011). This as typified in the reading is evident in the fact that the University of Mississippi on

different occasions is alleged to have banned the use of the confederate flag and songs associated

with the acts of Confederacy. Colonel Reb was in this case used for political correctness, a move

that was intended to distance the political elites from Confederacy (Leonard, 2011). Reb’s
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defenders coined a theory of political competitiveness as a politically correct approach that was

used by the liberals who focused on trampling Ole Miss great’s traditions.

3. Taking Actions Similar to that of NCAA

The article, authored by Fisher (2005) establishes that while activists are on the rise suing

teams based on their naming, the Indian populations find no offence in such actions. The use of

names such as the “Redskins” was not offensive to the Indian populations. However, the use of

such names trumped the sensitiveness of different people who could be addressing other societal

issues such as poverty (Fisher, 2005). To this effect, naming of teams through the use of

seclusive and dividing factors may serve a critical role in creating divisions and conflicts of

interest among athletics associations and professional sporting leagues. In this light, high school

athletics associations and professional sports leagues should consider actions similar to that of

the NCAA (Fisher, 2005). However, on the contrary, he adoption of such names would equally

reprieve the Indian populations as this may act as a means of endorsing and branding the Indian

sporting populations.

4. Fisher’s Comments and Response

From a personal point of view, Fisher’s comments on " ... the sins of the past that cannot

be erased by turning words into taboos indicates the past traditions that were used in the naming

of sporting teams in order to switch their mascots. Over the past, the naming processes serves as

a branding approach and a hearty endorsement of the Seminole tribe, a phenomenon that

continues to win reprieve (Fisher, 2005). Before banning the naming process and approach,

Fisher establishes the need to consider the past influence that may not necessarily be erased by

the recent taboos as taught by George Orwell.

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5. Results of the Poll in Sangiacomo's article

The results of the poll provided in the article from a personal view serves an important

role in ending the demeaning actions of teams to indigenous population groups. High schools

and colleges globally should therefore consider the right approach in dropping the naming

process of sporting teams through the use of demeaning words and terms to these population

groups (Sangiacomo, 2012). The consideration of the moral wrongness of such actions should

inform decisions to name sporting teams.

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References

Fisher, M. (2005, November 17). Marc Fisher - Block That Mascot? Bite Your

Tongue. Www.washingtonpost.com.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/16/AR2005111602394

.html

Leonard, A. (2011, September 30). Mississippi’s Colonel Reb: Gone but not forgotten. Salon.

https://www.salon.com/2011/09/30/colonel_reb_and_lee_habeeb/

Michael Sangiacomo, T. P. D. (2012, April 2). Native Americans to mark Cleveland Indians 1st

games with annual protest of Chief Wahoo logo (poll). Cleveland.

https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2012/04/native_americans_to_mark_cleve.html

Semioli, T. (2011, September 30). The Mascots Who Shall Not be Named. CounterPunch.org.

https://www.counterpunch.org/2011/09/30/the-mascots-who-shall-not-be-named/