The FBI told us that American Indians are still the most assaulted in hate crimes, and I had thought there that "some or many will not admit that violence against Native Americans is made more probable because of the institutionalized racism that is American Indian sports teams mascots, even if it is true - and it probably is."
Well, it is. Death threats against a 15 year old have spawned, because a coward published a 15 year old American Indian’s name in a newspaper.
A local businessman placed a quarter-page ad in the local newspaper explicitly naming and targeting Eli Cordero, the young student who originally brought the issue to the school board.
Crossposted At Native American Netroots &
Docudharma
The brave young man spoke out, his relatives supported him, and they got the school to do away with the institutionalized racism that is American Indian mascots at their school.
Since that time, the 15 year old has received death threats and his family has been harassed. Death threats were also made against the child of a school board member who voted to remove the imagery. Local police began escorting school board members to and from school board meetings. Some citizens of Carpinteria shouted racial epithets at John Orendorff, a Native American Army Reserve colonel who spoke at a school board meeting in favor of removing the racist imagery.
These ignorant and potentially violent individuals had a poll that asked "SHOULD THE TRUSTEES WHO VOTED IN FAVOR OF REMOVING OUR MASCOT BE REMOVED FROM OFFICE?" One can’t vote no, "it’s closed."
An organization called "Recall CUSD - Warrior Spirit Never Dies" (http://www.recallcusd.org), has waged a largely successful campaign to discredit and oust the school board members who supported the anti-mascot measure. Having successfully installed pro-mascot sympathizers on the school board, there is now a petition to rescind the earlier decision and keep the racist imagery at the public high school. On January 27th, local Native American people organized a protest to voice their objection to the measure, and were met with verbal abuse by drivers and passers-by. One protestor was hit with a rock thrown by an adult man shouting obscenities. This occurred despite the presence of a representative of the federal justice department, who was sent from Los Angeles to ensure proper police conduct and the safety of the demonstrators. Many local Native Americans, while supporting the anti-mascot effort, refused to join the protest, fearing violent reprisals by the townspeople.
I get it, better keep quiet about this if you’re an American Indian, or you support the efforts of American Indians to end the institutionalized racism that is American Indian mascots.
Otherwise, they’ll publish children’s names in papers, scream hate speech, and deal out death threats.
Update:
cacamp shares this with us. He says a "friend wrote this some time ago."
What’s Wrong With Indian Mascots, Anyway?
All across the country, names and images of Native Americans are being removed from sports teams. At first, most people experience the initial reaction of, "Oh no, not another group crying for political correctness."
While we are all tired of being told how to think, it is also important to note the reasons for these changes. Once understood, it becomes very clear that it is only a wonder it took this long to change them. Many State School Boards (see CCR and State Board Resolutions on panel at left) have taken a strong stand against the mascot and team names. We are providing for you here the most obvious reasons why these team names should be changed, and we ask that you maintain an open heart when reading through them. We understand that in many cases, people have strong emotional attachments to these names but it is equally important to understand why historically these names were chosen, and why now, they must be changed.
If we must show respect to all other groups, why should we be permitted to dismiss political correctness when it applies to Native people? Why are Native people the only race of people that are permitted to be used as mascots? Interchange the name of any race with the Indians and it immediately becomes clear that we can not have teams called The Negroes, The Asians or The Jews.
It is interesting to note that most mascot names were chosen, and ceremonies using the feathers, drums, and clothing were developed, from the 1920s to the 1950s. During this period of time and up until 1978 it was illegal for Native people to practice their religion. Native people could be, and often were, imprisoned for using these same items in ceremonies. Ironically, while nonnative people were using sacred objects in mimicking the Indians at sports events, Native people had to stand by and watch their culture mocked while they themselves could not participate in the same activities in a religious way. This was not an honor then, and it is not an honor today. Do we not respect the religious rights of the original people in this land because we don't understand their religions? Our lack of understanding does not minimize its importance to Native people. By using objects considered sacred by Native people for sports events, in this land based on religious freedom we continue to deny Native people respect for their religion.
Because virtually the only image that nonnative children view of Native people are of the mascots, most children assume that Native people are dead or were warlike people. This stereotype diminishes the Native culture and is hurtful to many Native people.
Our myths and legends that the Native people were bloodthirsty killers are perpetuated by the mascot. These myths are what psychologists deem "dehumanization", which is necessary in any war to justify the killing of people. Team names such as Red Raiders, Red Men, and Redskins maintain these disrespectful names. In other wars, we can remember the names used for Germans, "krauts," Japanese were "Nips", etc. But when wars are over we drop those names and show respect once again for people who are not our enemies. We have never dropped those names and perpetuate a war like attitude towards Native people by the continuance of those names.
Oppression often happens in places that have mascots:In Massachusetts, a team burns an Indian in effigy the night before a game. In Minnesota, after a pep rally where the teachers and students dress up as cowboys and Indians, the cowboys yell ,"Get back to the reservation." After the rally, students beat up Indians. In Kansas, a man who sought to remove the mascot was sent emails from students that threatened his home and the rape of his wife. In Hutchinson, KS, a newspaper headline stated Orioles Gun Down Indians. Any place that runs headlines like this subliminally teaches our children that the massacre of Indians was a permissible event.
Having Native names also encourages opposing teams to yell Kill the Indian, Scalp the Sioux, etc. ...This hurts Native children terribly.
At UND, students opposed to the mascots have sought to change schools because their private property as well as school projects have been destroyed. T-shirts sport Indians having sex with buffalos saying, "Sioux buck the Bison". Read more about UND and see the t-shirt at: http://www.und.edu/...
In Wisconsin and Michigan, the oppression was so bad, parents had to remove their children from schools for being called Redskin and Red Boy, the names of the mascots. This is not unusual.
Because of the disrespectful ways in which Native people are portrayed at school ceremonies, many Native children are embarrassed to attend games. The woo-woo sounds, the face paint, the misuse of sacred feathers all cause embarrassment to Native people and are a direct violation of civil rights laws which state that all children must be able to comfortably participate in all activities in their schools.
The word Redskin derived from the practice of skinning Indians for easy transport when collecting bounty. The skin was removed from the top of the back and ran all the way down the legs. These skins were used for products such as reins, boots, belts, pouches, etc. Andrew Jackson, who was one of the worst enemies of the Native people, and by far the most brutal president towards Native people, collected the noses of every Indian he killed and encouraged the practice of skinning. Native people are not red. Mostly they range from tan to brown. Redskin comes from bloody skin.
The most common mascot names are: Eagles, Tigers, Cougars, Bulldogs, Warriors, Lions, Panthers, Indians, Wildcats, and Bears. While Bulldogs are not seen as prey, they are seen as determined and feisty animals. All the rest of the names on that list, 9 out of 10, have been hunted. Native people were hunted and bounty was paid for them. No other race appears as a mascot name, because no other race was hunted. People hang animal heads in their dens and Indian heads in their gymnasiums.
The majority assumes that it should be able to retain a symbol they have "owned" for decades, but as with all civil rights issues, the majority must defend the rights of minorities. If we lived by majority rule in civil rights issues, might we still have slavery today? And shouldn’t we all take a stand against oppressive actions, even if they are not occurring in our areas?
Over 81% of respondents to a poll in Indian Country Today, 500 Native organizations, hundreds of tribes and petitions with signatures in the tens of thousands have called for the retirement of these mascots. If you really want to honor Native people, listen to the voices around the country that are asking to be heard. No matter what the name, if someone says they don't like it, then only a bully would continue to use it.
Second Update:
cacamp has, shall we say, a little more information regarding "Resolutions Against the American Indian Mascot."
Resolutions Against the American Indian Mascot
The following list contains some of the resolutions that have been passed by various groups around the country that support removal of the mascots. Many more can be seen on the web site:
American Indian Sports Teams and Mascots
http://members.tripod.com/...
The United States Commission on Civil Rights - Commission Statement on the
Use of Native American Images and Nicknames as Sports Symbols
The National Education Association - NEA 2000-2001 Resolutions
The State Education Department / The University of New York, Albany, NY 12234
Maryland State Department of Education
Resolution - Washington State Board of Education
The State of Minnesota Urging the Elimination of the Use of Racially
Derogatory Mascots, Symbols, or Emblems in Schools
Resolution of the South Dakota Board of Education
The Society of Native American Psychologists Statement Against The Mascots
The Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes
Native American Caucus of the California State Democratic Party in Support
of Elimination of Native American Mascots in Public Schools
Kansas Commission of Civil Rights
Michigan Civil Rights Commission Report on Use of Nicknames, Logos and Mascots
Iowa Civil Rights Commission, resolution passed
Overtures to the 211th General Assembly (1999) - Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Pending: House of Representatives - Legislation Clerk's Office
1999 NAACP Resolution in Opposition to Native American Mascots
American Jewish Committee - Statement on Team Names
Commission on Catholic Community Action
Wisconsin Indian Education Association "Indian" Mascot & Logo Taskforce - State of Wisconsin 1999-2000 Legislature 1999 Senate Bill 217
http://members.tripod.com/...