Mascots are people, animals, or objects adopted by high school, college, and professional sports teams that are believed to bring good luck. While some communities refuse to change team logos, mascots and/or nicknames, a change needs to be made with respect to Native Americans. According to "Native American Mascots" by Phyllis Raybin Emert, more than 3,000 mascots are considered racist or offensive to Native Americans. Additionally, the act of mocking Native Americans in sports is covered in great detail. It has been noted that various Native American organizations are against their use, "deeming them offensive and a racist slur against their people" (Emert 365). On the other hand, many believe that such mascots are a tradition and are intended for entertainment purposes only, with no intention of being disrespectful. As some will loathe, if sports teams of all types no longer allowed the use of Native American logos, mascots, and nicknames, millions of dollars would be lost on various team products (Emert 366). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayA young boy of Native American descent sits in front of the television with his family. They are about to watch a football game between the Washington Redskins and the Kansas City Chiefs when suddenly the camera focuses on the home team's mascot who appears to be an Indian. The boy feels mocked and embarrassed. It is emphasized that “the self-image and self-esteem of American Indian children” is affected (Emert 366). With cartoon-style characterizations of various team mascots broadcast on television across America, many of which portray Native Americans as "savage" and "untamable," children grow up with the wrong impression of how they actually behave the Native Americans. most prestigious schools in the United States, they have been known as "Indians" since 1930. Due to Native American conflicts, Stanford abandoned the Indian name in 1972 and it was not until 1981 that they were known as "Cardinal". After much protest in the 1970s, hundreds of school teams began abandoning their Native American mascots. Native Americans are making changes on college campuses and public schools, even as professional sports teams refuse to change. For major league sports teams, such as the Braves, Chiefs, Indians, Redskins and Warriors, forever changing their Native American name is a never-ending battle. Why don't professional sports teams change their title and thus put an end to the controversy? Because they raise millions of dollars from merchandise sales, of course! Every item, from t-shirts to mugs, would have to be redesigned, and previous merchandise would then be obsolete if a change were ever made. If the Cleveland Indians changed their widely known logo and mascot that have been around for decades, millions would be lost and popularity could decline. I think major league sports teams and Native Americans can reach some sort of agreement in the near future. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a custom essay the debate over whether or not native american logos, mascots and nicknames should be used on professional sports teams across the country remains unresolved. Native Americans are mocked and made fun of in the media and are outraged by it. Their children are exposed to the negativity that is thrown at them and this is why.