Why Are People Racist?

Why are people racist?

 

Because people are taught to make negative associations with certain skin colors or accents or forms of dress.

 

 

Chances are we are all "racist" to some degree. And chances are we do not all understand what racism is. According to Oxford English Dictionary, which you can access through Lupton Library, racism is "the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics, abilities, or qualities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races. Hence: prejudice and antagonism towards people of other races, esp. those felt to be a threat to one's cultural or racial integrity or economic well-being; the expression of such prejudice in words or actions."

 

 

Recent studies have found a correlation between positive and negative images and racist thoughts; check out "Uncovering What Makes People Racist--and How to Cure It." As the article and its links point out, the way to stop racism is to stop our minds from making negative connections based purely on racial or cultural identifiers. Once you recognize the negative connections you have learned to make you can teach yourself to override negative associations with new positive associations.

 

Here's to learning new things that make the world a better place for all!

 

Professor Repentista

 

 

 



 



What the $#*& is a Moc and How Did it Become Our Mascot?

I know. Most people make their college decisions based on the school's mascot. I mean, really, how could you not go with UTC after learning it has the best. mascot. ever. - WE ARE THE MOCS! What? You say you don't know what that even means? You've been keeping yourself awake at night wondering

What the $#*& is a Moc?

 The "Self-Guided Walking Tour of UTC" says this:

Named after legendary football coach A.C. “Scrappy” Moore, Scrappy, the Chattanooga mascot, is a fixture for the Mocs. A re-design in 2008 puts Scrappy in the image of the State Bird of Tennessee, a Mockingbird. The mockingbird is known as a fierce protector of its nest and environment. Once described by “Late Night” host Jimmy Fallon as “a sledge-hammer wielding mock-ingbird with a heart of Blue & Gold,” Scrappy symbolizes that competitive passion.

Clearly, that is not the whole story. The history of the UTC mascot is an interesting one, so sit right down, and Dr. Y will tell you kids all about it. Once upon a time, there was a University in Chattanooga that had a mascot. That mascot was "Chief Moccanooga," and he was a fierce Native American in traditional (ie...Halloweenish, not culturally accurate, irrelevant to history) Indian garb, including, that's right, moccasins. In fact, the team nickname "Moccasins" likely came from the "Moccasin Bend" in the Tennessee river, but it's pretty hard to get a crowd fired up under the leadership of a shoe, so Chief Moccanooga was a better fit.

In the mid-nineties, the Tennessee Council on Indian Affairs and the Chattanooga InterTribal Association began to request the removal of the mascot on the grounds that it was offensive, one-dimensional, and dumb. Well, they made it sound smarter than that, but you get the point. There was A LOT of controversy over the issue, and you can go here to see a collection of the press clippings on it (photo credit goes to the linked site as well - darkfiber.com).

In July of 1996, the University made the difficult decision to honor the request of the CIA and discontinue our relationship with the Chief. In his place arose Scrappy, the fighting Mockingbird you see at games today. And lest you think a Mockingbird is something to be mocked, I offer you this:


That's one mean bird. #gomocs

Cheers,
Dr. Y