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"Arab-Americans cry foul over California high school mascot"

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Article: http://america.aljazeera.com/articl...oversoutherncaliforniahighschoolasmascot.html

Perhaps in light of recent news about the Washington Redskins being urged to change their name, Al-Jazeera America has reported that the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) has called on the Coachella Valley High School in California to stop using their school mascot because they claim that it's "harmful" and "demeaning". Quite a difficult move considering the logo is already on numerous school clothing and merchandise but interestingly the school's superintendent has organised a telephone call with the ADC to discuss the matter.

Superintendent Darryl Adams said:
"I look forward to discussing the matter," he said. "I definitely understand the sensitivity of it. We need to make adjustments and work together."

As an African-American from the deep South, Adams said he is sensitive to racial stereotypes. He admitted that when he first saw the school's "Arab" mascot, "it raised an eyebrow for me."

[...]

"The fact that this is not malicious leads me to believe that we can reach some sort of understanding and agreement with the school board and city as to a name change and change of mascot," he said.
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However, the article points out that one alumni student does not feel that the mascot is - in any way - offensive.

Alumni student David Hinkle said:
"I don’t think it can be viewed as offensive," he said. "I don’t think the images they have now are offensive."

He pointed out that the mascot has evolved over the years from a turbaned Arab on horseback carrying a lance, in the 1920s, to a young man in a fez holding a scimitar and an old man with a growling face and gold tooth, in the 1950s. The mascot changed again in the 1980s, after a group of Saudi Arabian visitors suggested the fez be changed to a hijab.

"Their reasoning was that Saudi Arabia was no longer under French rule; therefore, Saudi Arabians no longer wore the fez as their headdress," reads an explanation on the alumni association’s website.

Of course, the story may not be entirely accurate — as the hijab is the headscarf of Muslim women, the French never occupied Saudi Arabia and the fez, which originated in Morocco, owes its popularity in the Middle East to the Ottomans.

Nevertheless, Hinkle insisted that the high school’s mascot is not demeaning.

"I don’t think it's meant to be insensitive," Hinkle said. "It's been that way for 50 or 60 years."
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Al Jazeera America (photo source) said:
image4.adapt.960.high.jpg
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Al Jazeera America (photo source) said:
image2.adapt.960.high.jpg
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The mascot logo in question (image source: Wikipedia)
KVIDP7U.gif


The logo was chosen back in the 1980s according to this video that shows the different logos used since the school began adopting an Arab mascot in the 1920s.


Seems that we've been down this road before. Personally, from the facial characteristics of that logo I can see why it can deemed offensive but a simple logo update can solve this issue. I do not believe the school should completely abandon all it's Arab image considering the non-malicious history behind it..

So, political correctness gone overboard or does Coachella Valley High School need to get a new logo? Discuss.

inb4aladdinreferences
 
Change it to the Coachella Genies, you can still have the 1,001 nights theme (which is kind of cool actually).
 
How is that even in 2013? I thought their mascot was going to just be a genie or something, not literally "Arabs".
 
"Their reasoning was that Saudi Arabia was no longer under French rule; therefore, Saudi Arabians no longer wore the fez as their headdress," reads an explanation on the alumni association’s website.
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?
 
We've been doing it for a long time, so it's not ignorant and offensive.
 
My feeling is the problem comes in when your mascot is an ethnicity, not a profession or whatnot. Like, how my high school was the "Vikings", not the "Caucasians".

I don't think their hearts were in a bad place, but when you're not the group of people that's at the center of the issue, you can't really say if it's offensive or not. Hopefully the two sides can come together and find a solution that would still honor Arabian culture without offending it.
 
Yeah

in 2013

having your mascot literally just be a stereotype of an entire ethnicity or culture probably isn't going to go over well
 
"Magic carpet? Hm, I don't find genies particularly offensive."

*scrolls down to "Home of the Arabs" mat*

Yeah... change it.
 
Arab-American here. Mascot is kinda weird, but I can't say I find it offensive. Still, I can understand why someone might be be bothered by it.
 
Megalosaro said:
Al Jazeera is awesome. They are one of the best news sources in the world and are globally respected. They only got crap in the last decade because they were reporting stuff our government didn't want us to hear.
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I used to be a big fan but they sell slants as much as anyone else fanboy


also the mascot design is badass and i'd wear it
 
Megalosaro said:
Al Jazeera is awesome. They are one of the best news sources in the world and are globally respected. They only got crap in the last decade because they were reporting stuff our government didn't want us to hear.
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This is no joke. So much respect for their journalists.
 
Change name to the "Arabians" Keep old mascot stuff around, but also have him riding Arabian horses. People can still call it the Arabs. Fin.
 
Megalosaro said:
Al Jazeera is awesome. They are one of the best news sources in the world and are globally respected. They only got crap in the last decade because they were reporting stuff our government didn't want us to hear.
Click to expand...

freenudemacusers is just trolling, check their post history
 
Arab here..

Don't have a problem with the name or the mural, but the logo is pretty offensive. The hooked nose, scowl and gold tooth is a classic villain depiction.
 
They could probably keep the murals/floormats and just change their name to the 'Genies' or some such. That logo should probably be changed as well.

Also, that logo from the 20s is pretty awesome.
 
shorty_symd said:
Seems that we've been down this road before. Personally, from the facial characteristics of that logo I can see why it can deemed offensive but a simple logo update can solve this issue. I do not believe the school should completely abandon all it's Arab image considering the non-malicious history behind it.
Click to expand...

I'd agree with this. Redesign the logo to depict the character in a less obviously offensive way and you're golden. Maybe run the new look by a few Arab-Americans to be sure.
 
"I don’t think it's meant to be insensitive," Hinkle said. "It's been that way for 50 or 60 years."
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Caught using a mascot cobbled together from a bunch of racial stereotypes? Time to hide behind 'harmless tradition' and 'intent.' There are probably hundreds of high schools like this across the country. Time to join the 21st century.
 
You see, when we say "Arabs" we don't mean real Arab people, but a mythical characterization of them from our ignorant conception of their culture from a long distance through the goggles of ethnocentricity and exoticism. Why should we change it now just because we're actually personally interacting with them every day?
 
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