Essay On Social Inequalities Of Native Americans

Ever since the British inhabited the Americas, the Native Americans have face social and economic inequality. We originally started by forcing them out of their homes and into reservations, and in the more recent years we have lacked sensitivity towards their culture and heritage. Although they have gained more rights over the years, the fact of whether it is enough is questionable. The Native Americans were not only invaded, but they were suppressed; now they are treated as aliens. Name calling had always been something to stray away from, so why do people feel its is okay to have teams called the Redskins or Warriors, and call them Indians? We always stress the fact that stereotyping is negative and incorrect judgement, but why is it okay to still use it for the Native Americans? They were inhabiting this land first, so …show more content…
People do not see the negativity in having sports team names like the Seminole, Cherokee, Redskins, etc., but the native peoples see something else. Picking out one name to call an intensely diverse group of people is nearly impossible. Your identity is who you are, and it is extremely offensive to be called otherwise. The term “Indian” to a Native people can be seen as derogatory because, “it can lead to confusion about whether a person is a tribal member or an émigré from the Indian subcontinent”(Koerner). In fact, most, “individuals often prefer to be identified according to their tribal affiliation”(Koerner). Although some may argue, the social inequality has decreased beaches of, “the elimination of offensive use of mascots by schools and professional sports teams that reflect outdated stereotypes and perpetuate racism against Native Americans,”(The Leadership) the Native Americans are still being targeted because not enough has been done. Why were the Native Americans entitled to the same rights that every single other person