Bonding Over A Mascot

            Before beginning his essay, Lapointe may have started with a question about the impact of the NCAA’s policy and how Native American felt about it. From this question Lapointe was able to gather research from Native Americans in college, tribal leaders, and the populations of people at the affected schools. Through his research Lapointe was able to discover that the idea of having a school sports team named after a particular tribe was not the problem that many Native Americans had. In fact, a tribal leader representing the Florida Seminole nation described it as an honor. Rather, the problem is rooted in the depiction of many mascots. Disproportionate facial features and ridiculous outfits were only a few troubling aspects of mascot imagery. Interestingly enough, Florida remedied this problem through consultation with the Florida Seminole tribal leaders in order to develop a more realistic and representative depiction of the Seminole people. Native Americans possess an extensive and proud knowledge of their ancestors; Lapointe recognizes this and writes his paper in order to clarify why the Native American people are upset with their portrayal in college sports. Lapointe’s research not only clarified what was wrong with the system but it also established his credibility as a writer and the credibility of his paper. Including the statements made by Seminole peoples solidifies the idea that the ideas expressed are not just Lapointe’s.