I In recent years there has been a growing controversy over the use and abuse of Indian mascots. This practice, which some say is a reflection of competitive spirit and team identity while others claim discrimination, has sparked passionate debates and intense protests. Many schools have voluntarily dropped their India-related names. However, some have not and the dispute remains ever-present. Really, there shouldn't be any compromise. The use of Indians as sports mascots is immoral because it unfairly discriminates against Native Americans. Discussion about whether to use Native American mascots as a team symbol dates back to the 1970s (Price 2). People differ on the basic topic, but there is a more simplistic underlying issue. It involves listening. Determining whether or not someone is harmed by a practice can reveal whether that practice can or should be morally justified. If we hear a majority of Native Americans say that the use of Indian mascots contributes to the destruction of their culture, then we as a society must listen. But let me be clear. This is not a matter to be decided by majority vote. This population, whatever its numbers, is attempting to convey that the use of Native American images as sports mascots dehumanizes them and harms their heritage. In reality, listening to what is said will lead to the conclusion that it is wrong to continue to represent such representations. As a nation, we often seek certainty in accusations, as if where it falls on the indicator will make a difference in how we respond. However, in this case we do not need a study or survey. There is no assessment tool that can include every Native American or non-Indian voice. In doing so we are already at...... half of the paper...... 2002. Problems and Controversies. Facts on file. College Library, Madison, WI.April 2, 2011..Price, SL “The Indian Wars.” Sports Illustrated March 4, 2002: 1-5. SI.com. April 2, 2011..Rose, Christine. “Understanding the American Indian Mascot Problem.” Issues and disputes on file. 2003. Problems and controversies. Facts on file. College Library, Madison, WI. April 1, 2011.<LINK IPERTESTUALE "http://www.2facts.com"http://www.2facts.com> . Wieberg, Steve. “NCAA mulls future of Indians nicknames.” USA Today May 15, 2005. SIRS Researcher. SIRS knowledge source. College Library, Madison, WI. 2 April 2011.< HYPERTEXT LINK "http://www.sirs.com"http://www.sirs.com>.