Boston Globe
Thursday, February 15, 2007

Behind symbols, admirable traits

Your article of the discussion by Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association officials regarding schools' Indian-themed mascots was interesting. The idea of a mascot, it seems to me, is to provoke the image of the team and the school, specifically personal characteristics.

Coaches stress teamwork, honor, bravery, and other positive personal qualities. The mascot is the projection of these characteristics. To claim, as some do, that the mascots demean American Indians misses the central point of athletics in school. Do they think the teams are taught to be unschooled savages or any of the other bleak negative characteristics that bigots assign to American Indians?

The point of school athletics is teamwork, industry, bravery, and the development of physical grace. In other words, the very characteristics best shown in our American Indians and the school mascots who convey their best characteristics. At least that's what I always thought during 40 years as teacher, coach, and sports official.

Mike Kelly
Needham