Book-Geek

 This is my paper from my Intro to History class that I am taking.   My city’s high school mascot is the Red Raider.  It is the profile of a Native American man.  The school colors are red and white.  When we go to football games, the marching band plays the war dance song while the cheerleaders make a motion with their arms to resemble chopping with a tomahawk.  It makes my stomach churn and I want to cry every time.  I look around and I see over a hundred kids and at least that many adults cheering and chanting along. Call me a snowflake if you will but, every time, I am filled with disbelief and guilt.   I remember talking with an old roommate of mine one day, who is Native American.   I am embarrassed to admit that I needed him to explain why using such terms as tribe and spirit animal were not ok.  They are Native American terms and should not be used lightly because they are serious parts of Native American heritage.  Because I had this experience with my friend, it opened my eye