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As the state of New York works to eliminate school mascots with Native American names and imagery, they have run into a powerful adversary: the federal government. The U.S. Department of Education launched an investigation into whether the state is violating the civil rights of Long Island’s Massapequa School District by forcing them to change their “Chiefs” mascot. President Donald Trump personally weighed in, expressing his support for keeping the mascot. A lawyer for the school says the issue is “the battleground for the preservation of our history and values nationwide.” We’ll hear about the issues at play in New York and how it affects other efforts by other states and cities to end offensive Native mascots.
We’ll also hear about developments of case addressing inequities for Native students in New Mexico.
GUESTS
Ted Trujillo (Passamaquoddy), enrolled member of the Passamaquoddy tribe
John Kane (Mohawk), Host of Resistance Radio on WBAI in NYC and WPFW in Washington, D.C.
David Glass (enrolled member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe), president of the National Coalition Against Racism in Sports and Media
Melissa Candelaria (San Felipe Pueblo), education director of the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty and member of the plaintiff’s legal team for Yazzie/Martinez v. State of New Mexico
Break 1 Music: I’m Not A Mascot – I’m Not A Stereotype – I’ve Been Watching (song) Michael Bucher (artist)
Break 2 Music: Chicken Dance (song) Blackfoot Confederacy (artist) Confederacy Style (album)
Indigenous themed mascots are nothing but assimilation, misappropriation, and the support of historical genocide. Those who want to keep a headdress on the gymnasium wall, are not willing to take it down because it would require acknowledging that they are part of a white supremacist ideology., keep the dominant culture on top. It is time that the Church – in particularly the Catholic Church to acknowledge their contribution in descrimination. Recently, our USA President shared an AI image as the Bishop of Rome. There were many of comments from Cardinals, priests and Catholic organizations condemning the image. YET, in western Ohio, there are predominantly Catholic Communities who not only misappropriate the indigenous cultures as high school mascots, but take pride in this practice.