A Modern Day Witch Hunt

During the Crucible reading I could not help but relate this part of history to an account that is occurring now that seems to echo the witch hunt and overall mood of the public. Weeks after 9/11 the Patriot Act was passed and put into effect. The fear of terrorists after the attacks was vast and spreading within the people of our nation. Even though the overall sentiment of panic is not as strongly felt as the days after the 9/11 attacks, the fear in people is still lingering. The Patriot Act gives the government the authority to access your tax records, the books you check out, wire tapping your phone, the right to break into your home, followed by many other new laws that are not in line with the constitution. All of these searches are now done in the hope of finding terrorists before they plan attacks.
The Patriot Act seems to soothe many minds of fear that terrorists will no longer harm, securing that everything is being done to combat them. The dread built in people that still resides after 9/11 mirrors the fright that people had in the witch hunts of 1692. The panic led to rash decisions to do absolutely everything to contest this, which ultimately led to the unwarranted deaths of nineteen people. In times of panic it seems that minds become fragile and more susceptible to going along with in justices in times of terror because the immediate effect is comforting. Many citizens of Salem were not seen questioning the unproven claims that led to the deaths of community members can easily parallel citizens now sitting alongside the Patriot act unquestionably, but comforted.

Racism in Hockey?

Spotting my brother sporting a Black Hawks jersey stirred up my thoughts on the propriety of the Native American mascot the hockey team portrays. The mascot that is always seen hand in hand with the team is seen with face paint and feathers. The Black Hawks logo portrays a common typecast that seems to define the Native American people in the public eye, a traditional man at a Pow-wow ceremony. This evidently does a meager job of defining the contemporary Native American or culture of the people. After reading Reservation Blues, I feel that I have become alert of narrow-minded portrayals of ethnic groups. I have been to a few Black Hawk games and I now find myself baffled as to why I never questioned the mascot before. The recognition of the mascot being offensive made me ask myself ‘how is this mascot possible in a world of politically correct statements?’ and ‘Why have I not heard the stories of Native American groups protesting the mascot?’ My Google news search only yielded two stories on Native American groups protesting the mascot. It was clear and disappointing to find out that the media has no drive to cover these stories or make much fuss over this issue. I can not imagine other ethnic mascots parading around defining a people without being deemed racist by the media. A nationally recognized sports team having an African American Mascot would not seem to fly without a hostile response from the public. It makes me wonder why the Native American version is any different and is not getting any response from the media or in least being discussed. A whole culture of a spirited people reduced to a stereo type parading around on the level of an animal mascot is distressing, but even more so paired with a silence from the public.