Adopting Native American Names - Abandoning Redskins Research Paper

Adopting Native American Names - Abandoning Redskins - Research Paper Example Controversial cases of adoptions of Native American symbols and names for the emblems, mascots, and names of sports’ teams are the ‘Chief Wahoo’ mascot, supporters’ ceremony named the ‘Tomahawk Chop’, the professional basketball team Atlanta ‘Braves’, and possibly the most notorious of all, the name of professional football team—Washington ‘Redskins’ (Yiannakis & Melnick 204).Native Americans and other groups have been demanding to eradicate this tradition as they regard it to be disrespectful, insulting, and racially prejudiced. This paper argues that racial stereotyping as such, whether ‘good’ or ‘bad’, is damaging, and condemns the notion that such team names like ‘Redskins’ value Native Americans. Therefore, this paper argues that the Washington, D.C. professional football team should change its name/mascot in response to recent criticism. Colman McCarthy of the Washington Post argues that â€Å"’Redskins’ is a slur name that smells with the stench of racism† (Yiannakis & Melnick 204). Almost all of the new supporters of the team are not aware of the historical framework of the team’s racial prejudice. The ‘Redskins’, not once acclaimed for broad-minded race dealings, were the last team in the National Football League to accept African American athletes and were only forced to do so by the 1957 Stadium Act (Stapleton 15). The way racial minority groups call themselves—for instance, ‘Native American’, ‘black’, or ‘Negro’—is very important for those belonging to these groups. The way other people see them not merely works as a proof of the nature of intergroup relationships or affairs, but can actually be a critical, momentous issue. Racial insults, whether caused by deep-seated hatreds or of thoughtless stereotypes, breed hard feelings or enmity and usually deteriorate into violence or aggression (Stapleton 38). In an effort to show higher cultural respect, several academies, such as Stanford, Miami of Ohio, and Eastern Michigan, have given up their old Native American-based team labels. In numerous cases, opponents have criticized these movements as confirmation that political correctness is going berserk on universities (King 29).

Research on the composer Handel Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

On the composer Handel - Research Paper Example Not only the uniqueness of his music but peoples attitude and his popularity made him an important figure of the Baroque period. In fact, this period left a significant imprint on his life as well as career, and it can be traced both in his biography and works. First of all, it is Handels biography that shows he is a representative of a period in which he was living. During the Baroque period, there were two main factors that influenced composers and their music: location and money, with the latter being, perhaps, the most important one. In order to be able to compose music and be heard, composers needed patrons who could support and put them forward as well as sponsor them. In life and work of Handel, such sponsors performed a very important role. The first person who influenced Handels future was the Duke of Saxe-Weisenfels. Despite the fact that he did not support the future composer materially, it was he who recognized the fact that music was Handels true mission even though Handels father felt like his son becoming a lawyer. The Duke once said to the composers father, â€Å"for his own part, he could not but consider it is a sort of a crime against the public to rob the world of such a Genius!† (Kivy 40). It was after Handels v isit to the court of Saxe-Weisenfels that he started taking lessons in playing the organ at Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow (Kivy 40-41). Handel traveled a lot and during his traveling he met quite a significant number of influential people, many of whom were charmed by the composers talent. He spent about four years in Italy (1706-1710) as he was invited there by Prince Ferdinando de Medici of Florence. In Italy, Handel enjoyed great attention of music-loving prelates, such as Cardinal Pamphili and Cardinal Ottoboni. Not only they but other representatives of both aristocracy and clergy were eager to invite Handel to perform music at their palaces for they recognized his talent. Among such people were the Hanoverian Prince Ernst