Stereotypes: The Native Americans

Stereotypes are generalizations or assumptions that people make about the characteristics of members of a group who are not like them. It can be positive or negative such as when certain nationals are stereotyped as friendly or unfriendly.
Furthermore, it can go around in circles – men stereotype women and women stereotype men. It is easier to stereotype where there is a clear visible and consistent attribute like people of color, police and women. Unfortunately, people stereotyped feel disturbed as they feel treated unfairly. The Native Americans are immensely stereotyped in images, movies, videogames, and songs etcetera. They are portrayed as brave warriors and used extensively as images and mascots in sports and advertising. In sports, they often appear in school sports teams' names like the Kansas City Chiefs, the Atlanta Braves, the Chicago Blackhawks hockey team, the Cleveland Indians baseball team and the Washington Redskins football team. Furthermore, fans use various attributes of Native Americans in cheering their teams during competition. For example, the Atlanta Braves fans use the "tomahawk chop" and a chant, while the Cleveland Indians fans use the mascot Chief Wahoo, and the University of Illinois uses the mascot of Chief Illiniwek. All these are used to intimidate their competitors. In advertising, Chief Crazy Horse appears on cans of liquor, a "red man” lends his heritage to packs of tobacco, as a Native American princess sells cartons of butter. Similarly, in the department of Agriculture, they use the image of a Native American on its posters. All these demonstrate racial stereotyping, intimidation and discrimination which leave the minority feeling out of place and mistreated. On a detailed discussion on stereotyping from here.