Native American artist gives white people a taste of their own mascots by Jorge Rivas

[a kennedy]

The owner of Washington D.C.’s football team has been fighting to keep the trademark to his team’s name and mascot for decades now. Even President Obama has said he would consider changing the team’s name, which some Native Americans say is offensive.

Now an artist from Oklahoma has come up with his own way to get people to consider how Native Americans feel when they see depictions of themselves as baseball or football team mascots.

In an ongoing series he calls “Sacred Mascot,” artist Matthew Bearden says he’s trying to open people’s eyes by hand-painting respected figures, like former Pope Benedict, on football helmets.

“The intention isn’t to offend Catholics or the Catholic Church. But if the Catholics are offended, maybe they can see the Native perspective and where we’re coming from,” said Bearden, a Citizen Potawatomi Nation member, in a telephone interview Tuesday.

“The clothing the Pope wears is holy, same as chiefs who have to earn the right to wear a feather,” said Bearden, speaking from his home in Tulsa. “I wanted to talk about it in a way where I didn’t get it in people’s face,” he said.

Full article here: http://fusion.net/story/188747/native-american-mascot-helmet-art/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=fusion8&utm_content=7&utm_term=fusion-newsletter-189702

[hughee99]

1. Here's the problem...

what if white people AREN'T offended? The argument has been that it's offensive, and when white people disagree, the response has been that white people don't understand because it's not directed toward them.

This is directed toward them. What if they're STILL not offended?