excelent article CinD.

I did not know for example, about Indians being forbidden to practice their religion.

I think one of the issues here is how people who support the mascots are branded as "racist" when they are really just uninformed. This can then make them defensive because they know that they aren't racists.

There are traditions of using strong warrior names for school teams such as "Vikings", "Trojans" (stop giggling 2k and Gini), and "Spartans". I think that many people, myself included, thought of the word "Braves" in this same fashion, as a compliment, and not a put-down. Which is why we cringe when someone calls us racists.

Education is the best way to tackle this issue.