I do not think it is right to name a sports team or mascot after a race of people. Recently, there have been several articles about Indian names for teams, either local schools or professional teams. Now if we check our history books, when the early explorers and then the settlers came here to live, the Native Americans or Indians welcomed them.

That is when we had our first Thanksgiving. All was well for a time. But look what happened after that. The settlers built more towns and cities, and pushed the Indians farther back across the country. The Indians had to fight for their land.

I think that the Indians should have the right to do whatever they want within the law, such as running a casino and using money from it to help their reservations. There are Indians living in poverty, and this country should help them.

There are plenty of names to call our sports teams. They do not have to be called names that disgrace a race of people. The Indians should have rights that are due to them, and I hope some day they do get them, so they and their children will live a better life.

John Brown

Waterville