Wisconsin Republicans support racist mascots

Wisconsin bill would guard race-based school nicknames

By Associated PressRepublican legislators in Wisconsin introduced a bill Thursday that would make it harder to strip public schools of race-based nicknames and would allow schools ordered to abandon such nicknames to keep them.And:Barbara Munson, an Oneida Indian who chairs the Wisconsin Indian Education Association’s Indian Mascot and Logo Task Force, called the bill racist.

“That’s terrible. That’s anti-educational. It’s racist,” she said. “For 21 years I’ve avoided that term. But it’s almost impossible to … describe this particular action in any other way.”Native American Community Reacts Strongly To Proposed Mascot Law Revision

By Glen MobergThe proposal would make it more difficult to challenge Native American school mascots. Barbara Munson, who chairs the Wisconsin Indian Education Association's Indian Mascot and Logo Task Force, says she rarely uses the word 'racist' but that it applies to this legislation.

“When you put up barriers that are harmful to the education of an entire race of people, it's really hard to think of any other term,” she says. “We're teaching our students, all of our students that it's okay to tolerate race based stereotyping.”

Mike Hoffman, a Menominee tribal researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, also uses the word racist when talking about Indian mascots. “I equate some of them to the 'N' word when it comes to blacks.”

Carol and Harvey Gunderson cofounded Religious Americans Against Indian Nicknames and Logos in their hometown of Osseo.

“The bill is a racist bill,” says Carol Gunderson. “It teaches that it's okay to discriminate.”

“It's another example of the reason why Republicans have what's called a race problem,” says Harvey Gunderson.Comment:  Let's review: Republicans love racist mascots so much that they're willing to pass a state law upholding them. Democrats oppose this change and were responsible for the current law, which impels school distracts to change offensive mascots.

In short, Republicans are pro-racism and Democrats are anti-racism. Any questions?

Below:  "Barbara Munson, who chairs the Wisconsin Indian Education Association's Indian Mascot and Logo Task Force, says Rep. Steve Nass's new legislation is racist."