# Indians and the naming of sports teams. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 3, 2005, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indians-and-the-naming-of-sports-teams/315401 "2005-08-03T07:09:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indians-and-the-naming-of-sports-teams/315401/81 "2005-08-07T11:22:04Z")
Are the Yeshiva University Fighting Kikes going to be affected by this ban? ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indians-and-the-naming-of-sports-teams/315401/82 "2005-08-07T12:28:17Z")
> [@MAGunter](#): > > Haha @ Liberal. > > **John Madden** :“It’s Fighting N-word ball at the 35, 3rd down and 3.” > **Al Michaels** : “Man these N-words sure having a great year! I think they’re a legitimate contender come the playoffs” > **Stuart Scott** : “Oh ya Al, gotta love how the Niggers play ball” > **Al Michaels** : “Ya, that N-word quarterback sure can sling it around” > > God, that would be comedy gold. Hope Dave Chapelle is reading this – he’s one of the few folks in entertainment that could pull a schtick like this off. ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indians-and-the-naming-of-sports-teams/315401/83 "2005-08-07T20:20:10Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > The leftist memos instruct them to pretend they don’t. Leftist memos? Hunh. And all this time I’ve thought it was all that early childhood [brainwashing](http://bible.gospelcom.net/passage/?search=Luke%206:31) from gramma. Thanks for setting me straight, Lib! ---
**Author:** ![bookbabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bookbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bookbabe)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indians-and-the-naming-of-sports-teams/315401/84 "2005-08-07T23:41:57Z")
> [@chriscya](#): > > As a member of the Mexican-American community, I am angered at the obvious and deplorable lack of representation of Mexican Americans in professional sports team names! > > Are we not noble or brave enough to be even be considered? Is White America embarassed to have “Mayans” emblazoned across their chests? Is the average sports fan too tied up in years of racism and prejudice to chant “Go Tejanos Go! Win Tejanos Win!”? Will I ever live to see the day when a proud Vaquero rides into a stadium while 80,000 fans are excited and filled with pride? I want to hear someone say “Oh yes, I have been a lifelong fan of the Zapatistas, I got this team cap for Christmas.” > > I demand equal representation now. > > Oh wait, I am supposed to be insulted if they named a team after something related to my ethnic group? Even if it is nothing like the Wetbacks or the Beaners? …Oh, OK, never mind. I have no idea if there are any “Mayans” or “Zapatistas” out there but there are the San Diego State Aztecs, the San Diego Toreros and the the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indians-and-the-naming-of-sports-teams/315401/85 "2005-08-08T05:45:35Z")
On behalf of all the maligned gastropod species, I hereby demand that the NCAA force the University of California at Santa Cruz to change their mascot immediately. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indians-and-the-naming-of-sports-teams/315401/86 "2005-08-08T15:06:43Z")
> [@DMC](#): > > It’s not as universally accepted as FSU would have you believe. To my knowledge, FSU has never claimed to have the support of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma. I found this [quote] ([http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/news/local/12317031.htm](http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/news/local/12317031.htm)) interesting: > [@Max B. Osceola Jr.](#): > > Osceola [a member of the Tribal Council] said the Seminole Tribe of Florida disagrees with the NCAA’s decision and determination that FSU’s nickname and symbols are “hostile and abusive.” Osceola was also concerned that his tribe was not approached by the NCAA regarding the matter. > > “It’s like history - they left the natives out,” Osceola said. “They have non-natives telling natives what’s good for them or how they should use their name. You have a committee made up of non-natives telling people that they can not use a native name when you have a native tribe - a tribal government, duly elected and constituted - that said they agree with Florida State.” ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indians-and-the-naming-of-sports-teams/315401/87 "2005-08-08T15:24:46Z")
Are individual Indian tribes racially different or would an appropriate analogy be not calling a team the N-bomb but instead referring to them as the Ghanans or such? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indians-and-the-naming-of-sports-teams/315401/88 "2005-08-08T17:05:31Z")
> [@Gangster Octopus](#): > > Are individual Indian tribes racially different or would an appropriate analogy be not calling a team the N-bomb but instead referring to them as the Ghanans or such? IANA genticist, but I believe that your analogy is more or less correct. > [@Zakalwe](#): > > To my knowledge, FSU has never claimed to have the support of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma. Nope, FSU never has made that claim. The agreements they have are with the Seminole Tribe of Florida. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indians-and-the-naming-of-sports-teams/315401/89 "2005-08-08T17:40:49Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > To my knowledge, FSU has never claimed to have the support of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma. Nor did I make any such claim. I stated that they would like for you to believe that they have the support of “The Seminoles” as a whole, not that the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma is against their use of the name, while the smaller Seminole Tribe of Florida (who also gets a ton of benefits for agreeing to its use) is okay with it. The title of their press release is “Florida State University Thanks **Seminoles** For Historic Vote Of Support”, not some Seminoles, not Florida Seminoles, but Seminoles as a whole. Even their alumni are led down that path, as evidenced above when Snowboarder Bo stated: “As was pointed out by kidchameleon, Florida State University not only has the permission of the Seminole Indians to use their name, but their express approval.” I’m not taking a side one way or another on their use of the name, I’m just stating that they do not have universal support of Seminoles as a whole to use it, and in fact, the largest organization of Seminoles is against it. [QUOTE] I found this > [@](#): > > ([http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/news/local/12317031.htm](http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/news/local/12317031.htm)) interesting: I found this quote from [this article](http://www.fsunews.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/12/02/41ae56f6b39ae) in the **independent** FSU student newspaper interesting, too: > [@David Narcomey](#): > > The majority of native people view mascots of Indian people as demeaning, as racist, as dehumanizing – which leads to the harm of children. I don’t care whether one finds fault with FSU’s usage of the term Seminole or not. I’m simply pointing out that they do not have the permission of even the majority of Seminoles to use it, no matter how they might make it sound. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indians-and-the-naming-of-sports-teams/315401/90 "2005-08-08T19:35:28Z")
> [@David Narcomey](#): > > The majority of native people view mascots of Indian people as demeaning, as racist, as dehumanizing – which leads to the harm of children. I wonder if Mr. Narcomey has a cite for that. It certianly seems to conflict the information posted by zamboniracer in post #19 of this thread. > [@zamboniracer](#): > > As I wrote in the recent “Worst Sports Team Name/Logo” thread, which I would link to if I knew how, please refer to the March 4, 2002 edition of Sports Illustrated magazine, “The Indian Wars” by S.L. Price with a sidebar by Andrea Woo, pp 66-72. Those articles reported that according to a poll by the Peter Harris Research Group, that with a margin of error of plus or minus 4%, 83% of the Indians polled said that professional teams should not stop using Indian nicknames, mascots or symbols. When pollsters asked Native Americans about the Washington Redskins, the Cleveland Indians and Atlanta Braves they found no great resentment toward the names. Putting it charitably, the authors said that there’s a near total disconnect between Indian activists and the rank and file Native American population on this issue. > > I say if the great majority of Indians aka Native Americans aka Cherokee, Sioux, etc, aren’t offended by the sports teams’ names then there’s no reason for this white male to be offended by them either. > [@](#): > > I don’t care whether one finds fault with FSU’s usage of the term Seminole or not. I’m simply pointing out that they do not have the permission of even the majority of Seminoles to use it, no matter how they might make it sound. Okay, fair enough. However, they do have the permission of the Seminoles that also have Florida in their name. ---
**Author:** ![MamaHen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@MamaHen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MamaHen)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indians-and-the-naming-of-sports-teams/315401/91 "2005-08-08T23:19:00Z")
> [@CateAyo](#): > > Again, not presuming to speak for all involved, I would suggest that it is the composite of the typical racial characteristics in parody. Now that offends me. My biological father actually looks exactly like Chief Wahoo. I’m a Cherokee/Creek and I have no problem with Chief Wahoo or anyone else. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indians-and-the-naming-of-sports-teams/315401/92 "2005-08-09T00:08:17Z")
> [@DMC](#): > > Nor did I make any such claim. I stated that they would like for you to believe that they have the support of “The Seminoles” as a whole, not that the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma is against their use of the name, while the smaller Seminole Tribe of Florida (who also gets a ton of benefits for agreeing to its use) is okay with it. The title of their press release is “Florida State University Thanks **Seminoles** For Historic Vote Of Support”, not some Seminoles, not Florida Seminoles, but Seminoles as a whole. Even their alumni are led down that path, as evidenced above when Snowboarder Bo stated: “As was pointed out by kidchameleon, Florida State University not only has the permission of the Seminole Indians to use their name, but their express approval.” I’m not taking a side one way or another on their use of the name, I’m just stating that they do not have universal support of Seminoles as a whole to use it, and in fact, the largest organization of Seminoles is against it. Sorry, dude, but I wasn’t trying to be misleading. The state of Florida has only one tribe of indians that use the name Seminole. It’s a state university. Please note that I did not say “all Seminoles”. At FSU, and in the state of Florida, we rarely if ever discuss the Seminole Nation, since they are a thousand miles away and we have no affiliation with them, legally, financially, culturally, regionally, or geographically. Again, my apologies if anyone felt I was being misleading. It was never my intent. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indians-and-the-naming-of-sports-teams/315401/93 "2005-08-09T01:45:47Z")
> [@Snowboarder Bo](#): > > The state of Florida has only one tribe of indians that use the name Seminole. It’s a state university. Please note that I did not say “all Seminoles”. You didn’t say “some Seminoles” either. You called them “the Seminoles”, which to me implies Seminoles as a whole. It’s not that big of a deal to me, but it is to FSU. Do you honestly think they’re not aware of the Oklahoma Seminoles and their stance on FSU’s usage of the name? > [@](#): > > At FSU, and in the state of Florida, we rarely if ever discuss the Seminole Nation, since they are a thousand miles away and we have no affiliation with them, legally, financially, culturally, regionally, or geographically. Nor do you discuss the “Florida Seminoles”, as you and I both know how bad that sounds to an FSU fan. You speak of Seminoles, in general. Besides, the issue is whether FSU has the full and tacit approval to use the Seminole name. Their press releases labor on about the fact that they have permission from the Seminoles, and can’t understand why the NCAA can’t appreciate that. The thing is, the NCAA is fully aware of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, and their stance on the issue (as is FSU, even if they pretend not to). > [@](#): > > Again, my apologies if anyone felt I was being misleading. It was never my intent. It’s the school that is attempting to be misleading. You’re only guilty of repeating what kidchameleon stated, who is only guilty of not being aware that there was indeed contention surrounding the use of the name. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indians-and-the-naming-of-sports-teams/315401/94 "2005-08-09T01:47:47Z")
Almost 100 posts and no mention of this? Maybe I’m overly sensitive and a kerazy PC liberal, but if I went to get a drink of water and saw this (with no accompanying plaque explaining its origins) I might be a bit uncomfortable. > [@MAGunter](#): > > Here in Dallas there was a big hubbub a few years ago over a ‘Whites Only’ plaque that was kept over a water fountain, obviously not to mean such but as a sign of times gone by. A sign of our history. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indians-and-the-naming-of-sports-teams/315401/95 "2005-08-09T01:53:01Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > I wonder if Mr. Narcomey has a cite for that. It certianly seems to conflict the information posted by zamboniracer in post #19 of this thread. He’s a representative of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, and while he might not speak for each individual Seminole, without exception, I’m going to assume he’s at least echoing the sentiments of a large portion of the people he represents, until shown otherwise. To be honest, I can fully understand why a large number of randomly selected Indians would be okay with it, yet others not so much. In many parts of the country, there is little racism against the Indian people, as they are often in small enough numbers that they aren’t the target. In some states, such as Oklahoma, South Dakota, etc., this is not the case, and anti-Indian bigotry is far more common than other types. In fact, OU was one of the first schools with an Indian mascot to voluntary stop using it, as a show of understanding. > [@](#): > > Okay, fair enough. However, they do have the permission of the Seminoles that also have Florida in their name. If they called themselves the Floridan Seminoles, this might fly with the NCAA. They’d rather be caught dead than call themselves such. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indians-and-the-naming-of-sports-teams/315401/96 "2005-08-09T02:10:19Z")
> [@DMC](#): > > You didn’t say “some Seminoles” either. You called them “the Seminoles”, which to me implies Seminoles as a whole. It’s not that big of a deal to me, but it is to FSU. Do you honestly think they’re not aware of the Oklahoma Seminoles and their stance on FSU’s usage of the name? > > Nor do you discuss the “Florida Seminoles”, as you and I both know how bad that sounds to an FSU fan. You speak of Seminoles, in general. Besides, the issue is whether FSU has the full and tacit approval to use the Seminole name. Their press releases labor on about the fact that they have permission from the Seminoles, and can’t understand why the NCAA can’t appreciate that. The thing is, the NCAA is fully aware of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, and their stance on the issue (as is FSU, even if they pretend not to). > > It’s the school that is attempting to be misleading. You’re only guilty of repeating what kidchameleon stated, who is only guilty of not being aware that there was indeed contention surrounding the use of the name. Actually, I just went back and looked at the news story I cited again, and the original press release, and I’m sorry to have to tell you that you’re wrong, DMC. from [the same article I cited in post #61](http://seminoles.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/061705aab.html) > [@](#): > > Florida State University President T.K. Wetherell today received a resolution supporting FSU’s use of the “Seminole” name when he became the first FSU president to be invited to a meeting of the **Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Tribal Council** , the tribe’s chief governing body. > > “We are deeply grateful to the **Seminole Tribe of Florida** ,” Wetherell said after receiving the resolution in the meeting at the tribe’s Big Cypress Reservation. > > “The message I received was clear,” Wetherell said. “As the tribe’s storied history shows, the **Florida Seminoles** are an unconquered, sovereign and independent people. Florida State is exercising its own independent spirit in suggesting that the NCAA accept an early recommendation of its own committee and leave these decisions to each university.” from [the original press release](http://www.fsu.edu/news/2005/08/05/tk.response/) > [@](#): > > FSU President T.K. Wetherell has issued the following statement in response to action August 5 by the National Collegiate Athletic Association banning the use of American Indian mascots during NCAA championship games. In taking the action, the NCAA deemed FSU’s use of the Seminole name and symbols as “hostile or abusive,” despite the recent formal endorsement by the **Seminole Tribe of Florida** for their use. > > Florida State University is stunned at the complete lack of appreciation for cultural diversity shown by the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s executive committee, which announced today a policy banning schools using Native American names and symbols from hosting NCAA championship events. That the NCAA would now label our close bond with the **Seminole Tribe of Florida** as culturally “hostile and abusive” is both outrageous and insulting." All bold added by me. The school makes it perfectly clear that we have the approval of, and an arrangement with, the Seminole Tribe of Florida. As I said, in Florida, when people use the term Seminole(s) they mean the Seminole Tribe. When they mean the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, that full title is used. I think your misperception comes from just glancing at the headline and not reading the full news story. Headlines are brief, unfortunately, but everyone in Florida thinks “Seminole Tribe of Florida” when people say Seminole. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indians-and-the-naming-of-sports-teams/315401/97 "2005-08-09T02:11:34Z")
> [@Cat Fight](#): > > Almost 100 posts and no mention of this? Maybe I’m overly sensitive and a kerazy PC liberal, but if I went to get a drink of water and saw this (with no accompanying plaque explaining its origins) I might be a bit uncomfortable. They had just recently been discovered, as they’d been covered up for a long time with metal plates. There are signs explaining the history of them, and the black community was split over the issue. Some wanted the signs to stay (with appropriate explanatory signage), while some wanted them removed. More info can be found [here](http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20030311-103620-4582r). ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indians-and-the-naming-of-sports-teams/315401/98 "2005-08-09T02:20:12Z")
> [@DMC](#): > > If they called themselves the Floridan Seminoles, this might fly with the NCAA. They’d rather be caught dead than call themselves such. I have no idea why you think FSU would rather be caught dead than call themselves whatever you mentioned. Do you have a cite for that? btw, state universities are known as “Blah-blah State”, while "University of"s are known as “Blah-blah” Team Name. Thus the University of Florida Gators are known as the Florida Gators. For FSU to be the PC that you are stretching for, it would have to be the **Florida State Florida Seminoles** or the **Florida State Seminole Tribe** , both of which are cumbersome and unnecessarily repetitive. Unnecessarily because we are in Florida. Now if a school in Georgia, which has no Seminole Indian population, wanted to use Seminole, then I think they would need to specify which faction they were aligned with, i.e. the **Georgia Tech Seminole Tribe** or the **Georgia Seminole Nation of Oklahoma** or somesuch. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indians-and-the-naming-of-sports-teams/315401/99 "2005-08-09T02:24:50Z")
> [@Snowboarder Bo](#): > > Actually, I just went back and looked at the news story I cited again, and the original press release, and I’m sorry to have to tell you that you’re wrong, DMC. Do you also believe that the executive branch never implied a relationship between 9/11, terrorism, and Iraq? I understand you’re an alumni, and I understand you want the school to be correct, but they are quite clearly, and quite carefully, misleading the public. Yes, they never state explicitly “we have the approval of all Seminole organizations”, but the implication is quite clear. They use “Seminoles” and “Seminole Tribe of Florida” interchangeably, which they’re quite definitely not. When FSU starts calling themselves the Florida State University **Florida** Seminoles, then their argument will stand. You don’t call them the Florida Seminoles, I don’t call them the Florida Seminoles. No one, other than some press release, would ever think to call them the Florida Seminoles. They are simply “the Seminoles”. Currently, the majority of Seminoles in this country, through their representatives, find FSU’s usage of the name offensive. That certainly doesn’t mean that FSU must, should, or even will change their mascot. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indians-and-the-naming-of-sports-teams/315401/100 "2005-08-09T02:29:07Z")
> [@Snowboarder Bo](#): > > Now if a school in Georgia, which has no Seminole Indian population, wanted to use Seminole, then I think they would need to specify which faction they were aligned with, i.e. the **Georgia Tech Seminole Tribe** or the **Georgia Seminole Nation of Oklahoma** or somesuch. If the two blacks that live in North Dakota were both okay with the North Dakota State having a mascot named “the Niggers”, would that be okay? Many Seminoles find FSU’s usage of the name offensive. FSU would like to pretend otherwise. Note to ND residents: There was no slight intended, as I don’t find your state to be racist, and other than being ungodly cold in the winter, is quite a nice place. It just has an extremely low population of blacks, so was useful for this exercise. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indians-and-the-naming-of-sports-teams/315401.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indians-and-the-naming-of-sports-teams/315401.md?page=6)