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Abstract
So what's really wrong with a white guy masquerading as a Native American and prancing around during Big Ten sporting events? So what if the costume is unauthentic and the spectacle annoys a small group of folks.
When I was growing up on the South Side we played "cowboys and Indians" and, as depicted in the movies of the late '40s and early '50s, the "Indians" always got the short end of the stick. But I enjoyed seeing Indians in the movies; they were larger-than-life characters--savages to be feared but usually taken to task by the fearless cavalry or a tough posse.
As children, similar impressions were formed from seeing blacks caricatured-- Al Jolson in blackface and, most certainly, Amos and Andy. All of these characters were created and enjoyed by whites as a form of harmless entertainment.