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Dr. Treuer Says All Indian Mascots for Sports Teams Should Be Banned


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Dr. Anton Treuer, the executive director of the American Indian Resource Center at Bemidji State University, thinks all Indian references, as sports mascots, should be eliminated.

Treuer visited Ohio University this week and gave the keynote address for part of the university’s celebration of American Indian Month.

Treuer believes that all references to American Indians in sports mascots are racially demeaning and create a non-inclusive and sometimes threatening environment at sporting events.  He cited several examples from across the country.

Treuer discussed his views on insensitive sports mascots with WOUB’s Tom Hodson. 

He discussed wide-ranging problems raised by the use of American Indians and other ethnic groups as mascots.  His viewpoint was much broader than the usual arguments against the Washington Redskins in the NFL and the Chief Wahoo caricature used by the Cleveland Indians.

Listen to this fascinating and powerful perspective.