Eskimo Joe’s, a Stillwater institution that grew into a brand with global reach, has found itself part of the debate about names, mascots and racial sensitivity.

It’s not the first time the name has been questioned. But with a new civil rights movement underway and with offensive stereotypes being removed from how everything from NFL teams to food products are marketed, the issue has come up again.

At press time, 1,433 people had signed a change.org petition to “Demand Eskimo Joe’s & Mexico Joe’s rebrand to remove racist imagery and the slur ‘Eskimo.’” The petition, was created a week ago with a goal of 1,500 signatures. Change.org is a website where people create petitions and gather support for a variety of topics.

The petition, which is directed at Stillwater businessman and Eskimo Joe’s founder Stan Clark, describes Eskimo Joe’s as a “beloved but racially insensitive Oklahoma brand.”

The petition takes issue, in particular, with the use of the term “Eskimo” which it describes as a slur. The name Eskimo is often said to mean “eaters of raw meat” in another tribe’s language and be considered a derogatory term.

But, according to the Alaska Native Language Center, linguists believe the name is derived from an Ojibwa word meaning “to net snowshoes.” However, the term is still considered unacceptable “by many or even most Alaska Natives because it is a colonial name imposed by non-Indigenous people” according to the ANLC.

The center says Alaska Natives prefer to be called by the names they use in their own languages, like Inupiaq or Yupik. Inuit is the currently preferred term in Alaska and across the Arctic and Eskimo is fading from use, although some organizations still use it.

The petition also takes issue with the stereotypical presentation of “Mexico Joe” described as “Joe with a sombrero, a poncho, and a donkey companion. A popular image shows him bull riding a jalapeño pepper with a taco in his hand.”

The petition say it’s not trying to make either restaurant go away but asserts that “People of color shouldn’t be seen as caricatures or used as mascots. It’s damaging for children to see themselves depicted as ugly or dehumanized.”

The petition says the insensitivity the mascots represent contradicts the positive impact the businesses have on the community. It calls for Stan Clark to rebrand both restaurants and remove the imagery.

“We’re not trying to make these restaurants go away,” it says.

As word about the petition spread among fans of the restaurant, it inspired the creation of multiple petitions on the same platform that oppose the call to rebrand.

A search of change.org revealed a petition called “Leave Eskimo Joe’s alone!” with 55 signatures, “Keep Eskimo Joe’s Logo” with 8,775 signatures, “Save Eskimo Joe’s” with 31 signatures, “Online Petition calls for FREEDOM of SPEECH — Leave Eskimo Joe’s alone” with 1,007 signatures and “Keep the name, mascot and brand of Eskimo Joe’s in Stillwater, OK” with 411 signatures.

Eskimo Joe’s released a Facebook post Tuesday addressing the controversy.