Indians in Macy's parade 2013

Three reports on different Natives participating in the 87th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade:

Cherokee National Youth Choir to participate in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Red Lake girl to take part in Macy's parade

Crow dancer to appear in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

And a summary of their experiences:

Native Pride Celebrated at the 87th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

By Cliff MatiasThe 2013 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will be remembered as the year of Native Pride. Three different Native American groups were highlighted in this year’s festivities. Returning for the fifth year in a row, the Oneida Indian Nation float called “The True Spirit of Thanksgiving” shared the parade route with the world renowned Native Pride Dancers from Saint Paul, Minnesota, and the Cherokee Youth Choir from Talequah, Oklahoma.

This was the first time Macy’s hosted more than one Native American group in its parade and for many Native participants, the general feeling was that this is the beginning of something exciting for American Indian people.

“I think this is a great time to share who we are,” said Ray Halbritter, Oneida Indian Nation representative and CEO. “It’s important for America to see who the real Indian people are. We are not mascots; we’re not stereotypes. We want a more accurate image of who we are and what our part in history has been.”

Temperatures were below freezing, but people’s spirits were upbeat. “We are pumped,” said Larry Yazzie, founder of the Native Pride Dance troupe. “We are excited to represent all Native Americans across Turtle Island. We have 10 champion fancy dancers with us today.”Comment:  For more on the subject, see Oneida Float in Macy's Parade 2012 and Oneida Float in Macy's Parade 2011.

Below:  "The True Spirit of Thanksgiving float along the parade route at the 87th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade." (Cliff Matias)

Oneida Indians thank Obama re "Redskins"

Oneida Indians thank Obama for comments on Redskins

By Erik BradyOneida Indian Nation representative Ray Halbritter, the public face of a campaign against the Washington pro football club's team name, thanked President Barack Obama for speaking out on the issue during a meeting at the White House Tuesday.

Halbritter's comments were met with applause from leaders of a dozen tribes who spoke with the president about a range of economic development issues important to Indian Country, from job creation to increased access to capital to jurisdictional challenges.Below:  "Native American leaders on Tuesday presented President Obama with a jersey from Cooperstown (N.Y.) High School, which last year changed its mascot from Redskins to Hawkeyes. The Oneida Indians, who are leading a push to persuade the Washington NFL team to change its name from Redskins, had donated $10,000 to help cover the cost of new uniforms for the Cooperstown Hawkeyes." (Erik Brady/USA TODAY Sports)



Obama skirts 'Redskins' controversy at tribal conference

By Ben WolfgangAfter making waves last month by suggesting the Washington Redskins’ name may be offensive to Native Americans, President Obama avoided the issue entirely during a Wednesday speech to tribal leaders gathered in Washington.

In his brief remarks, the president instead touted his health care reform law, energy development on tribal lands and his administration’s efforts to reduce the above-average poverty rates seen in many tribal communities.

Mr. Obama also spoke in broad terms about the U.S. must continue to strengthen its bonds with Native Americans, stressing that they must have the same opportunities all other Americans enjoy.

“It falls to us to keep America the place where no matter where you come from, what you look like, you can always make it as long as you try as long as you work hard,” Mr. Obama said at the tribal conference, held at the Interior Department’s headquarters in Washington.Hitting 'em where it hurts

Tribes want Congress to ban Redskins’ trademark

By Rob HotakainenWhile the controversy has smoldered for decades, getting rid of the team name has emerged as a top legislative priority for leaders of the nation’s 566 federally recognized tribes, who’ve asked for Obama’s help in getting Congress to intervene.

They want Congress to strip the Redskins of the team’s name trademark, hitting it in the wallet. That would prevent the team from holding exclusive rights to sell any shirts, caps or other merchandise that uses the “Redskins” name.

“The explicit support of President Obama and his administration would assist in this important effort,” the National Congress of American Indians said in a briefing book given to tribal leaders for Obama’s annual White House Tribal Nations Conference on Wednesday.

The tribes are pushing a bill called the Non-Disparagement of Native American Persons or Peoples in Trademark Registration Act of 2013, sponsored by Delegate Eni Faleomavaega, a Democrat from American Samoa, along with 19 co-sponsors. It would amend the Trademark Act of 1946 and wouldn’t permit any future trademarks that use the term. The bill has little chance of passing anytime soon, having been referred to a committee but not even receiving a hearing.

Congress Punts on Redskins Name

By Hannah HessCapitol Hill efforts to force Washington’s National Football League franchise to change its name remain stalled, even as President Barack Obama welcomes tribal leaders to the White House this week to launch the administration’s Council on Native American Affairs.

Democrats representing large swaths of the team’s fan base are split on whether Congress should use its power to force the franchise to change its name, which supporters say is not intended to denigrate anyone. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., has been leading the charge against the moniker, which she deems a “disparaging” ethnic slur, even voicing her opposition on ESPN. She and Maryland Rep. Donna Edwards, whose district is home to the team’s FedEx Field, both support a bill aimed at changing the 81-year-old name.More calls for change

NAACP Calls on Washington Football Team to Change its Name

Association renews it request to replace offensive “Redskins” team nameThe NAACP has renewed its request for NFL owner Daniel Snyder to change the name of his team from the Washington “Redskins”. The NAACP has called for this change since 1992 when its national board of directors passed a resolution demanding all sports teams discontinue the use of teams names and mascots that stereotypes the American Indian people.

“For more than two decades, the NAACP has called for an end to the use of the racially-inflammatory name of the Washington Football Team, as well as other sports’ team names that degrade American Indians,” stated Roslyn M. Brock, Chairman of the NAACP Board of Directors. “This year we have joined with our friends in the American Indian community and are renewing our call for Washington’s football team to replace this offensive name.”

“It is disappointing that this derogatory moniker remains embedded in one of our nation’s premier sporting teams,” stated NAACP Interim President and CEO Lorraine C. Miller. “We stand alongside all American Indians who are calling for Washington owner Daniel Snyder to change his team’s name.”Dakota Man Exposes Vile History of 'Redskins'

By Rachael Johnson“It was only five generations ago that a white man could get money for one of my grandfather’s scalps,” writes Dallas Goldtooth on a Facebook post. “At this time…it was “Redskin” that was used to describe us.”

To the left of Goldtooth’s words, a newspaper clipping from 1863 advertises a reward, “The State reward for dead Indians has been increased to $200 for every red-skin sent to Purgatory. This sum is more than the dead bodies of all the Indians east of the Red River are worth.”

Carbone: Washington Redskins’ Name Insults Every Native American

By Gerald CarboneIndian removal and African slavery are America’s twin holocausts. We prefer to forget these inconvenient truths of our history, to blot their stains from the historical record. We rewrite history in cultural touchstones that portray Indians as foolish savages or stealthy warriors like the one pictured on the Redskins logo. But in our willful ignorance of Indian history we overlook the great contributions the Americas have made to civilization.

Yes, some Indians made and make great warriors; they also were and are great farmers and civil engineers. Indians in the Americas developed 60 percent of crops now in cultivation: corn, potatoes, tomatoes, squashes, and beans. On the Mississippi River they built a city of 20,000 in 1200, 500 years before London reached that threshold.

As Americans we should honor, not obliterate, the history of our land and the shared histories of its people. Reducing people to a stereotype stamped onto a football helmet is not an honor; it is an insulting attempt by a dominant culture to redefine a diverse, accomplished people in order to white-wash an American Holocaust.

Indians and non-Indians, all of us as people, deserve better.

Oneida and NFL discuss "Redskins"

Before the meeting between representatives of the Oneida Indian Nation and the NFL:

Daniel Snyder scheduled to meet with Roger Goodell this week about Redskins name

By Mark MaskeWashington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder is scheduled to meet with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell this week in advance of the league’s planned meeting with representatives of a Native American group that opposes the team’s name, according to a person familiar with the situation.

The person, speaking on the condition of anonymity because neither the league nor the team had publicly confirmed the meeting, said there is no indication that Snyder has modified his stance about changing the name.

The meeting between Snyder and Goodell “is to get more of an understanding from the club as to how it plans to address the issue,” according to the person with knowledge of the situation.Reports: Goodell, Snyder meet

By John KeimWashington Redskins owner Dan Snyder met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Tuesday regarding the franchise's nickname, though the meeting was more about strategy in dealing with protesters, according to The Washington Post.

The newspaper reported that Snyder told Goodell, once again, that he isn't going to change the team's name.

In recent weeks Snyder has spoken about the history of the franchise and the image the team conveys to its supporters. Previously, Snyder had simply said he was not going to change the name.

The league also reportedly wanted to know how the Redskins plan on dealing with the opposition to their nickname. Goodell is scheduled to meet with representatives of the Oneida Indian Nation on Wednesday to discuss the Redskins' name.

After the meeting

Oneida, NFL meet about 'Redskins'

By Don Van Natta Jr.Representatives of the Oneida Indian Nation on Wednesday asked NFL executives to sanction Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder for conduct detrimental to the league for continuing to use a team nickname and mascot that "promote a dictionary-defined racial slur."

In the 90-minute meeting between Oneida Nation representatives and three senior league executives in New York City, the officials also asked for all team owners to meet with Oneida leaders the week of Super Bowl XLVIII. And they asked that Snyder and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who was traveling Wednesday and did not attend the meeting, visit Oneida Nation homelands in upstate New York.

But the Oneida representatives left disappointed, saying after the meeting with senior NFL executives Jeff Pash, Adolpho Birch and Paul Hicks that the league "defended the use of a racist name," Oneida spokesman Joel Barkin said.

"We are very disappointed," Barkin said. "This is the beginning of a process. It's clear that they don't see how this is not a unifying term. They don't have a complete appreciation for the breadth of opposition of Native Americans to this mascot and name."Native American advocates ‘disappointed’ after meeting with NFL over D.C. team

By Arturo GarciaAdvocates for the Oneida Indian Nation vowed to continue their efforts to get Washington D.C.’s NFL team to change its name following a meeting with the National Football League on Wednesday, ESPN reported.

“We are very disappointed,” Oneida spokesperson Joel Barkin told ESPN. “This is the beginning of a process. It’s clear that they don’t see how this is not a unifying term. They don’t have a complete appreciation for the breadth of opposition of Native Americans to this mascot and name.”

Tribal representative Ray Halbritter reportedly gave NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell a 30-page report (PDF) commissioned by Oneida leaders that argues that the team’s continued use of the name “Redskins,” which they have described as a slur, aids prejudice against Native American communities.

“With the help of the National Football League’s $9-billion-a-year marketing machine, this behavior not only exposes Native Americans to a harmful stereotype, but also implicitly condones the use of this term by non-Native Americans, which if performed on an impersonal level would possibly constitute harassment or bullying,” the study states.American Indians call on the NFL to FORCE a Redskins name change as the league and owner stand by the controversial moniker

Manhattan meeting makes no progress in name dispute between team owner and American Indians

By Matthew HallOneida Indian Nation members yesterday called on the National Football League to use its authority to force the Washington Redskins football team to change its controversial name.

Representatives from the Oneida Nation met in New York City on Wednesday with the NFL and Washington Redskins officials.

But, seemingly like their counterparts in Washington's Congress, the three parties could not come to any agreement on the issue of the football team's name.

The roadblock is caused by Redskins' owner Daniel Snyder's refusal to change the name, Oneida's refusal to back down from their claim the name is offensive, and the NFL's apparent refusal to take a stand on the issue.

'We requested that the commissioner use his authority to refer Daniel Snyder to the league for possible sanction over the continued use of the term,' said Oneida representative Ray Halbritter, referring to the Redskins owner, according to ABC News. 'If the commissioner lacks the power to act, he should publicly say so.'

'Despite ridiculous assertions to the contrary, the use of the R-word is not a unifying force nor does it convey respect. It is the very word our people heard when they were dragged by gunpoint off their land and dragged onto reservations,' Halbritter said.But it wasn't all about the Redskins at the meeting:

Anti-Redskins activist confronted by tribe advocate at press conference

By Patrick HowleyDisputed American Indian activist Ray Halbritter’s New York City press conference to change the name of the Washington Redskins was interrupted by an advocate for disenfranchised members of Halbritter’s own tribe.

An ugly scene ensued at New York’s Marriott Marquis as New York Assemblywoman Claudia Tenney confronted Halbritter over his mistreatment of genuine members of the Oneida Indian Nation, which Halbritter leads as a profit-driven casino oligarch.

Halbritter’s “Change the Mascot” press conference, following his high-profile meeting with NFL officials, was covered by ESPN, Comcast, YouTube Sports, TIME Magazine, and many other mainstream outlets.

The Daily Caller previously reported that Halbritter, a 1/4 Indian and Obama crony, is not a legitimate member of the Oneida Indian Nation, according to U.S. Census rolls and genealogical documents.Comment:  I think the right-wing Daily Caller's "report" is more of an opinion than a fact. But Halbritter's reign has been controversial at times, especially among Oneida traditionalists.

Tribal leaders unite against "Redskins"

Are there any leaders of federally recognized tribes who support the Redskins name? If so, I haven't seen them or their opinions. What I do see is tribal leaders united against the ethnic slur.

Just as important, they aren't relying solely on emotional appeals to make their case. They're hitting on all cylinders now--challenging the bogus arguments about "honor" and polls and "more important things to worry about."

Would You Call Me a Redsk*n to My Face?

By Brian Cladoosby
President, National Congress of American Indians; Chairman, Swinomish Indian Tribal CommunityLet's be clear: "Redsk*n" is a racial slur, no matter how many weak justifications defenders try and come up with to keep using it.

"Redsk*n" Doesn't Honor Anyone

There is nothing honorable about the word. Native peoples are not honored by the slur, the image, or the mockery of "war dances" on the sidelines.

The word isn't a benign classification of a person's skin tone. Not only is it a term that has been uttered with scorn and hatred, it also refers to the literal "red skin" bounty hunters would collect in order to be paid for the number of Natives they slaughtered. These men would kill Native people then rip the skin from their bodies in order to receive payment. It isn't a term that honors the "strength, courage, pride, and respect" so many argue it does. It is a term born of the violence Native Americans have been experiencing for hundreds of years.

Use of the word is recognized as racist in many scenarios: if one child called another child a "redsk*n," it would be bullying; if one adult referred to another as a "redski*n" at work, it would be harassment; if "redsk*n" was used in the course of a crime or scrawled on someone's home, the perpetrator would be charged with a hate crime. Most readers probably would never consider calling a Native American a "redsk*n to their face. Yet, the name is defended because it is the name of a football team.

Team Spirit Is More Than A Name

Longtime supporters of the DC team often recount memories of cheering for the team with family members, singing the fight song, and being proud of their home team. In his letter to fans, team owner Dan Snyder argued that those traditions and early experiences are part of his identity: "it mattered so much to me as a child, and I know it matters to every other Redsk*ns fan in the D.C. area and across the nation. Our past isn't just where we came from--it's who we are."

But is it team spirit, sportsmanship, enjoyment of the game, and cheering for the home team that matter, or is all that secondary to the name itself? More and more fans are coming to the realization that memories, traditions, and identity are not so fleeting as to be marred by using a different name.

One avid fan wrote of her fond childhood memories of the DC team and of becoming a fan while a young child in El Salvador before coming to the United States. She has loved the team longer than she has been an American. Yet, when she faced the real offense felt by many Native people and the fact that no other racial group would be forced to endure a team name that denigrated their identity, she came to the obvious conclusion--tradition or not, the name has to go.

About Those Polls

Defenders of the name frequently refer to laughably unscientific polls that say Native Americans are not offended by the name. Of the many problems with the methodology of these polls, the most egregious is that at no time were respondents asked any details about their Native heritage. No questions were asked about tribal citizenship/membership, about cultural knowledge, or about connections to tribal lands or families. It is entirely unclear exactly who was polled or whether they are, in fact, tribal citizens.

During NCAI's 70th Annual Convention and Marketplace in mid-October, thousands of elected tribal leaders and Native peoples representing hundreds of Native nations, gathered to work for a better future for our tribal nations and the United States. A resolution was passed unanimously "Commending Efforts to Eliminate Racist Stereotypes in Sports" to publicly declare the support of tribal nations in the work to end this era of racism in sports. This is all the evidence necessary to know that Native peoples, raised in and living with their own traditions, find these types of mascots disparaging.

The numbers are clear: Native peoples want the name to change. Those asking for a change are not a small minority. From all walks of life and across the political spectrum--from the president to NFL hall of famers and fans--there is public acknowledgement that the name needs to go.

"More Important" Things To Worry About

As so many have pointed out, the Native American community does have problems other than the names of sports teams. Poverty is rampant in Indian Country. Sexual assault is a daily problem for men and women--and nearly 70 percent of the aggressors in these attacks are non-Native. The Indian Child Welfare Act is ignored and Native children continue to be separated from their families. Elected tribal leaders consistently strive to make changes for their people as do the elected leaders of other communities across the country.

These issues are usually ignored by the media and policymakers. Threaten a football team's name, though, and these problems are used to deflect and trivialize the use of stereotypes and racism. Mocking Native cultures is not trivial. Ending the casual use of racism is important.

It is also important that this debate over mascots and names continue to open doors to conversations that introduce Washingtonians and the American people to the 5.2 million Native peoples in America today. Our peoples face daily problems and have always made positive contributions to American society: as governments and business leaders, veterans, first responders, elected officials, entertainers and sportspeople--not just as caricatures on a team logo. This debate isn't an opportunity to defend racism by pointing to "bigger problems," it is an opportunity to confront racism by creating awareness and better understanding about this problem.Washington's Football Team Isn't Entitled to Slander Native People

By Ray HalbritterAs this campaign has gained the backing of civil rights groups, religious leaders, editorial boards, public health experts, members of Congress and the president of the United States, some have asked why we believe this issue is so important.

The first answer to that question is simple: If, as critics contend, a professional team's name isn't all that important, then why do they so vehemently resist the call for change? The answer, I fear, is that those who are so committed to using this name believe they are entitled to continue slandering us.

The second answer to the question relates to the significance of professional football. The NFL is arguably the country's single most powerful cultural force. In light of that, it is fair to say that for many Americans, their most explicit contact with the idea of Native American culture is the Washington team's racist name. Indeed, on TV screens every week, millions are told that we are not fellow Americans, but instead subhuman. Pretending that's somehow not important is dishonest, especially when social science research shows that such persecution has destructive public health consequences.

The third answer to the question about why this is such an important issue has to do with the definition of America itself.

Those who defend the use of the word "Redskins" present themselves as the sole arbiters of what is acceptable. They present themselves that way because those engineering the racial assaults–rather than the targets of such assaults–have always claimed supremacy. People like Washington team owner Dan Snyder insist that their supposed right to target, intimidate and persecute people inherently negates the right of others to be free of such persecution.

The fight to change Washington's team name, then, is a larger fight to declare that America will finally put the ideals of mutual respect before those who want to slander others on the basis of their alleged skin color.

Such mutual respect, of course, requires the willingness to see the world through others' eyes. It requires, in other words, a society that values empathy more than hate. In such a country, no group deserves to have as powerful an organization as the NFL treat them as a target of a racial slur. As this country's first people, we deserve simply to be treated as what we are: Americans.The False Binary of the 'Redskins' Controversy

By Gyasi Ross
Author; attorney; member of the Blackfeet Nation[I]f the Redskins name changes tomorrow, those fundamental needs absolutely still must be addressed. Changing the Redskins name won't put food on one Indian kid's plate; it won't give one Native person a job in our economically vulnerable homelands. Those are facts.

But that shouldn't be the test--Native people shouldn't be forced to choose between living or racial discrimination. "Clean air or school lunches." "Be alive or don't be discriminated against in a way that no other racial group is in the United States."

Those are false binaries.

See, as I pretty exhaustively laid out in a recent piece at Deadspin, whether or not a person supports Dan Snyder's absolute free speech right to name his team whichever racial epithet he chooses, the empirical, indisputable fact is that Natives are treated differently than any other racial group in America. That is a matter of public record. It's also easy to prove; simply put in other skin colors for "Redskin" and see if it would be an acceptable name for a professional team. Blackskin. Yellowskin. Whiteskin.

Wouldn't happen. Disparate treatment.

Therefore, whether a Native is like me--I don't subjectively feel offense at the word "Redskins," and I generally think that it's a topic of privilege--or not, is beside the point. The Redskins political debate is not whether one or many Natives feel subjectively offended, but why non-Natives objectively feel comfortable treating Natives differently than everybody else.

Subjective feelings aren't the point. Objective discrimination is.Halbritter Brings ‘Change the Mascot’ Campaign to USET

By Gale Courey Toensing[P]art of the problem, according to Halbritter, is that some people don’t even think it’s a problem. “Some people say, aren’t there more important issues?” Halbritter said. But with dozens of studies showing that racist slurs and demeaning mascot images have a profoundly negative psychological impact on Indian peoples who already suffer the highest rates of depression, low self esteem, suicide and a host of other health and social ills, “It may be the most important issue facing us,” Halbritter said.

There’s an easy solution that would appease those who don’t think the racist slur is an important issue. “All we have to do—all we ever had to do to solve their problem—is to just be quiet, just shut up, just go away, stop being who you are, stop doing your dances and just be good-looking brown people. Wouldn’t that solve all our problems? We wouldn’t have to argue with them anymore, we wouldn’t have to take on the NFL, the wealthiest franchise in the world.” But that’s an impossible solution because of the values that indigenous peoples are taught. “The world has always underestimates a people’s belief in themselves—we call it a fire in yourself, a fire that doesn’t die. That’s what we’re taught. We’re taught to look forward to the seventh generation. Everything we do is really for our children and their future.”

Because of Oneida’s hugely successful Change the Mascot campaign, the “redskins” issue is has been widely reported in the mainstream media—“finally for the right reason,” Halbritter said. People across the country have had their consciousness raised and are asking questions. Halbritter himself posed a question: “Why in the 21st century is this racist epithet still being used to market professional football team that is supposed to represent the capitol of a diverse, tolerant nation?”

He urged the tribal leaders and attendees to seize the moment to press the issue forward. “This is a moment to say that we will not be treated as a racial slur. We want to be treated as what we are, Americans,” Halbritter said.Changing the Redskins nickname a difficult taskToday, a political and ideological push to get the NFL team’s latest owner, Dan Snyder, to change the nickname is in full force. Many groups, including the Mandan Hidatsa & Arikara Nation in North Dakota, find the nickname offensive, demeaning or racist.

The MHA Nation passed a resolution on Oct. 10 titled “Rename the Washington Redskins,” wrote a letter to the editor about the issue—it appeared in Saturday’s newspaper (Page A6)—and The Press interviewed chairman Tex Hall about the topic for a story that appears on the front page of our Sports section today.

“Our tribe’s position is that ‘Redskins’ is derogatory,” Hall states in the article. “It came from taking scalps and taking bounty.”Oneida Indian Nation on D.C. Team Name: NFL Must Finally Stop Marketing Hate and Bigotry

Comment:   Gyasi Ross reiterates a key point that I've made before. Namely, that polls attempting to measure the subjective feelings of offense are flawed. One can not feel offended personally yet still think the name should change. Because, as Ross says, it's an objective example of racism--of discriminating against Natives and only Natives.

Poll: "Redskins" is offensive to Indians

Poll: Majority see why Redskins name offensive

By Erik BradyThe Oneida Indian Nation commissioned a poll that shows 59% of adults in the Washington region say that American Indians would have a right to feel offended if called "redskin."

The poll, scheduled to be released Wednesday, also showed that if the Washington pro football club changed its name, 55% said it would not affect their support for the team while 25% said it would lessen their support and 18% said it would increase it.And:"You cannot poll morality, and our hope is that Mr. Snyder will demonstrate true leadership and change the offensive name, not because of what any public opinion studies show, but because it's the right thing to do," Oneida Indian Nation representative Ray Halbritter said in a statement. "However, this polling information is valuable because it shows that the team has nothing to fear economically by changing its name."

The poll showed that even among those who identified themselves as fans of the Washington team, as opposed to fans of another team or no team, 46% said a name change would not lessen their support while 30% said it would make them less of a fan and 23% said it would make them more of a fan.The survey data in detail:

Results of SurveyUSA News Poll #20802

Comment:  Finally a poll asks the right questions. You can pretty much ignore the previous polls that didn't ask these questions.

Two of the key questions are:

If the name of the team were changed, would you be ... more of a fan of the team than you are now? Less of a fan of the team than you are now? Or would it make no difference to you either way?

Forgetting for the moment about the football team, and just thinking about the word itself ... if someone referred to a Native American person as a "redskin," do you think that Native American person would have the right to feel offended?

The first question addresses the issue of whether self-pitying Redskins fans actually care about the nickname. Answer: No. Seventy-three percent would have the same or more appreciation of the team with a new name.

The second question addresses the issue of whether the nickname is offensive to Indians. In contrast, the typical poll asks whether the name offends you--who is probably a non-Native fan. Well, who cares what you think if you're not an Indian? Fifty-nine percent agree the name is offensive to Indians; another 18% aren't sure.

As we've seen, the only substantive argument that Dan Snyder and his lawyer Lanny Davis have is the previous polls. Oops. This just ended the substance of their arguments.

All they have left is "the ethnic slur is a longstanding tradition" and "we didn't intend to insult Indians with an ethnic slur." These are weak to the point of nonexistence.

To reiterate, a majority thinks "Redskins" is offensive to Indians. End of story.

Activists: Vikings stadium should ban "Redskins"

New Vikings stadium may give leverage to opponents of 'Redskins' name and logo

By Tim NelsonA long-simmering controversy over the name of the Washington, D.C., NFL franchise is heading toward the Twin Cities.

Native American groups and supporters say the construction of a new Minnesota Vikings stadium offers a chance to put new pressure on the NFL to rethink the Washington Redskins name and logo.

Opponents, however, aren't appealing directly to the NFL, the Vikings or the Redskins. Instead, they want the state board building Minnesota's new stadium to ban the word Redskins on publicly owned signs or address systems at the new facility as well as one last time in the Metrodome when Washington plays here Nov 7.

"There are literally a score of federal, state, county, municipal laws in effect that all prohibit the offensive R word, just like the N word, from being used in an environment where the public assembles," said Alan Yelsey, an activist who helped make the request to the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority.Dispute over Washington Redskins name, logo flares up in Minnesota

By Associated PressMSFA Chair Michele Kelm-Helgen told the Star Tribune the board heard and understood those concerns when they were raised at last week’s meeting but that it’s too early to make a move.

“The NFL has very specific rules about what happens when teams play in our facility, and that’s what we’re looking at with the NFL and our attorneys,” she said. “At this point, I’m not even sure what our options would be.”

Stadium authority spokeswoman Jenn Hathaway said the board may have a formal response next week.AIM Minneapolis Will Protest When Redskins Play Vikings November 7On October 14, two affiliated AIM (American Indian Movement) groups, the AIM of Twin Cities and AIM Patrol of Minneapolis, released a statement condemning the use of the name "Redskins" by the Washington NFL team, and soon thereafter announced plans for a public protest when the team comes to town for a matchup with the Minnesota Vikings.

For information on the protest, which will occur on Thursday, November 7, visit the event's Facebook page. You can also follow related developments from the Facebook page for AIM of Twin Cities & AIM Patrol of Minneapolis.Meanwhile the Oneida campaign continues:

Group pushing for Redskins name change will air radio ads in Dallas ahead of Sunday’s game

Here's why Indians and other activists oppose mascots:  "Washington Redskins fan Dave Lysinger poses for photographers in the parking lot of FedEx Field before an NFL wild card playoff football game against the Seattle Seahawks in Landover, Md., Sunday, Jan. 6, 2013." (Matt Slocum/AP)

Oneida symposium challenges "Redskins"

Redskins Name-Change Symposium: Where Were Snyder and Goodell?

By Rob CapricciosoAn emotion-laden symposium sponsored October 7 by the Oneida Indian Nation in Washington, D.C. highlighted the voices of many people aggrieved by the Washington NFL team’s racist Redskins name and mascot.

“No matter what the history of something is, if it is offending people, then it’s time to change it,” said Ray Halbritter, Oneida Indian Nation representative and CEO of Nation Enterprises, parent company of Indian Country Today Media Network, in his introductory remarks. “It’s a dictionary-defined offensive term.”

Held at the Ritz Carlton in Georgetown, the event featured many more American Indian leaders and citizens explaining that the term is a racial slur that does not honor anyone. There was also a psychologist detailing the harmful emotional social and psychological effects of such mascots on both Indian and non-Indian children (backed up by recent scientific studies); there was a Smithsonian director discussing the negative historical and contemporary roots of the word; there were high school youth who had taken on similarly offensive school names in their school districts and gotten them removed; and there were congressional legislators, Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-Washington, D.C.) and Betty McCollum (D-Minnesota), working their political pathways to drive change.

But there was no Daniel Snyder, owner of the Redskins since 1999 who made news in May when he said he would “never” change the team’s name, despite the growing criticism of it. And there was no Roger Goodell, commissioner of the National Football League, who spotlighted Snyder’s position when he said on a radio program in September, “[I]f we are offending one person, we need to be listening and making sure that we’re doing the right things to try to address that.”

Halbritter said at the event that he was disappointed that no NFL representatives chose to attend. He said they had been invited, and the symposium was held in D.C. to coincide with the NFL’s fall meeting in the city specifically to make it easier for NFL representatives to be there. He also noted that his tribe has been a sponsor of the Buffalo Bills, and it supports the football league financially as a business partner.

“We made it as convenient as possible for them to attend, but no one is attending,” said Halbritter, whose tribal nation is currently carrying out a large publicity campaign, called "Change the Mascot,” which is featuring radio ads in D.C. and other NFL cities that explain why the name offends so many Native Americans.Oneida Nation takes battle against 'racial epithet' to Washington Redskins' turf

By Mark WeinerOn Monday, more than 150 reporters and others crowded into a conference room to hear the panel discussion. More than a dozen TV cameras lined a riser, and news trucks with satellites crowded the streets in front of the hotel.

One man in the audience wore a T-shirt with a message printed on the back, "I'm a Cherokee, not a Redskin." A backdrop behind the panelists displayed images of the Washington Redskins logo with the international "no" signed stamped across the front.

U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., co-chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus, was among those at the symposium who said that the use of the Washington Redskins nickname should no longer be debatable.

"Native Americans are not mascots or caricatures to be exploited for profit," McCollum said. "There is no dignity or respect for exploitation."

McCollum and others who spoke at the symposium refuted polls cited by the Redskins that show the public and Native Americans are not offended by the nickname.

"The hired PR folks who are now defending Mr. Snyder's football team are citing outdated polls and data," she said.Indian tribe pushes for Washington Redskins name change as NFL owners gather

By Theresa Vargas and Mark MaskeIts conference, held at the Ritz-Carlton in Georgetown, featured a panel of speakers that included the head of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian , a psychologist who spoke about the public health consequences of the word, student activists and politicians—Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.).

“I can think of no argument for retaining a name that directly insults Americans and especially our first Americans,” said Holmes Norton, speaking as a third-generation Washingtonian.

She said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell showed leadership last month when he stepped back from his earlier defense of the team’s name and said, “If one person’s offended, we have to listen.”

Nevertheless, no formal discussion of the Washington Redskins’ name is expected among NFL owners who are gathering at another Ritz-Carlton in Washington for a one-day meeting Tuesday, according to two people familiar with the situation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the topic.

They said they sense little or no sentiment within the league to urge Redskins owner Daniel Snyder to make a change.

NFL officials were invited to the Native American symposium, but none attended the event, Halbritter said. But he said he was encouraged that Goodell had instructed Adolpho Birch, the NFL’s senior vice president for labor policy and government affairs, to schedule a meeting. The sit-down is scheduled for Nov. 22 at the league’s offices, but two sources said it could be held sooner.Meeting face to face

The November-or-sooner meeting between NFL officials and the Oneida is the real news coming out of the symposium. Is it a real sign of the NFL's shifting position, or a gimmick to placate protesters by pretending to take them seriously?

Bell: Snyder can't keep dodging Native American meeting

By Jarrett BellDetails of the meeting are pending. It could occur at the league's headquarters in Manhattan or in central New York, where the Oneida Indian Nation is based. The list of participants, at least from the NFL side, is still in the works. Even Goodell's presence hasn't been promised.

But when Adolpho Birch, the NFL's vice president of labor policy and government affairs, wrote to Oneida Nation Homelands chief operating officer Peter Carmen on Friday, he wanted to meet sooner than a previously scheduled Nov. 22 date at NFL headquarters.

That seems like a recognition by the NFL that the issue is more than an annoyance as pressure and momentum mount. Over the weekend, President Obama advocated more dialogue, which added fuel to the "Change the Mascot" campaign.

Now, if somebody can just make sure Snyder is part of the dialogue.Owners won’t take up issue of Redskins name at D.C. meetings

By Mike FlorioIt’s highly unlikely that the topic will be raised in any formal league meetings. Instead, if the NFL decides that Redskins owner Daniel Snyder needs a nudge, he’ll get it in the form of a visit from Commissioner Roger Goodell and a handful of owners regarded as influential upon Snyder.

“If” remains the key word. There are no plans for such an effort, and some owners will be reluctant to do anything that would set a potential precedent regarding the twisting of arms to get teams to do what the league wants them to do.

Meanwhile, Peter King of TheMMQB.com reported during Football Night in America that Snyder remains steadfast in his position that the name will never change.

He may never change the team’s name, but he won’t own the team indefinitely. At some point, the team will be owned by someone who hasn’t painted himself (or herself) into a corner on the issue.

And it could be that the next owner will be approved only with a wink-nod understanding that the first order of business will be to change the name.Comment:  A Facebook buddy thinks the NFL's upcoming meeting with the Oneida is a PR stunt. Maybe, but I don't see it. There'll be a ton of media coverage...activists in person and online demanding justice...and the potential for more league insensitivity and arrogance. Why risk that in a vain attempt to placate the Indians, when it almost certainly won't work and may well backfire?

As I said to my pal, the NFL's best bet would be to say nothing and hope the controversy fades. There's no way this debate ends if Snyder, Goodell, the NFL, and their apologists keep trying to spin it away.

"Redskins" on Meet the Press

Oneida Nation’s Ray Halbritter on 'Meet the Press' for Redskins Controversy

By Rob CapricciosoMeet the Press, NBC’s longtime Sunday morning political news show, is the latest large media outlet to cover the controversy over the name of the Washington, D.C. NFL franchise.

This morning, the program featured an interview with Ray Halbritter, Oneida Indian Nation representative and CEO of Nation Enterprises, parent company of Indian Country Today Media Network, shot on the tribe’s homelands in central New York at the Shako:wi Cultural Center.

“Any other group or ethnic group would not tolerate this kind of language being used about them that’s so denigrating and dehumanizing,” Halbritter said on the program.

During a brief round-table after Halbritter’s comments, U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) argued that the name should be changed. Fudge is part of a growing group of U.S. Congress members who are urging team owner Daniel Snyder to change the name.Another political talk show, ABC's This Week, also discussed the controversy:

Stephanopoulos: Bigger problem might be 'Washington,' not 'Redskins'

By Jennifer EpsteinVeteran TV newswoman Cokie Roberts says she has some issues with the Washington Redskins, but the biggest one isn't with the team's name.

"My big objection is they lose," Roberts, a Redskins season ticketholder, said during a discussion of the team's name Sunday on ABC's "This Week."

More seriously, though, she added: "We wouldn't call a team the Yellowskins or the Brownskins. It would be absolutely unacceptable. And if people who are Native American are offended by it, we should pay attention to that.”

The debate over the team's name--controversial because of its reference to Native Americans in a way that seems insensitive to some--heated up this week after President Barack Obama said he'd "think about" changing the NFL team's name if he were its owner, given the widespread objections to it.

Soledad O'Brien, the former TV anchor, said that someone walking into a bar "would find that people have strong opinions about it” and that "the people who are offended are offended." Even if that's not a majority of Americans or Native Americans, "I think that matters," she said.Meanwhile, the NFL repeated what commissioner Roger Goddell said:

NFL reiterates “respect” for opposition to Redskins name

By Mike FlorioIn the wake of President Barack Obama’s suggestion that the name of the Washington NFL team should change and the team’s response via statement from an outside lawyer, the NFL has reiterated the position Commissioner Roger Goodell raised recently.

“We respect that people have differing views,” the league tells PFT via statement in response to Saturday’s events. “It is important that we listen to all perspectives.”A statement usually means an official position approved by the organization in writing. It sounds like the NFL is keeping its options open in case a change becomes unavoidable.

Oneida "Change the Mascot" campaign

'Change the Name' Campaign Takes Anti-Redskins Message to Oakland FansOne, two and now three powerful groups have denounced the Washington football team’s use of a disparaging slur: Redskins.

And today, a new radio advertisement released by the Oneida Indian Nation of New York cites those three reasons for why the slur should not be used. Members of Congress, The Washington Post’s editorial board, and the Washington City Council have joined Former Oakland Raider CEO, Amy Trask, and the Nation calling on the team to change its name.

As part of the Change the Mascot campaign, the Oneida Nation launched a third radio ad entitled “Inspire” which documents how leading voices in Washington, D.C., are calling on the team to abandon its use of the offensive slur.

The ad begins with a question. “What do the Washington City Council, some Members of Congress, The Washington Post and Native American groups have in common? All have asked to change the name of Washington's football team.”Oneidas keep pressure on Washington Redskins in latest ad

"Redskins" protest at Packers game

Some football fans not so sure about losing Redskins name

Protesters near Lambeau say it's time for a change

By Patti ZarlingA handful of protestors tucked behind Lambeau Field on Sunday said it’s time for the Washington Redskins to lose what they say is a racist name. The Green Bay Packers hosted the Redskins in their home opener.

Carrying signs saying “Redskins is institutionalized racism,” and “Redskins refer to the scalps of my ancestors,” protesters urged football fans to consider the message behind the name.

“We’d like to see it changed,” protestor Hugh Danforth said. “It’s a racist name. Several TV commentators have said they won’t use the name. Colleges and high schools have changed their team names from Native American names to something else. We need a policy change from the NFL.”And:Barb Munson of Mosinee, a member of the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin and of the Wisconsin Indian Education Association's Mascot and Logo Task Force, said earlier that the task force supports removing all race-based stereotypes.

The Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin has taken a formal position objecting to the “Redskins” name and logo and will continue to raise that objection, but it had no plans to be part of Sunday’s protest, tribal Business Committee member Brandon Stevens said earlier.

The Oneida tribe is one of the Packers’ major sponsors, with the entry gate on Lambeau Field’s east side named for the Oneida Nation.Group protests ‘Redskins’ name at Lambeau Field

Oneida to campaign against "Redskins"

Redskins nickname offensive to N.Y. tribe

Oneida Indian Nation to launch radio campaign denouncing nickname

By the Associated PressA tribe in upstate New York said Thursday it will launch a radio ad campaign pressing for the Washington Redskins to get rid of a nickname that is often criticized as offensive.

The Oneida Indian Nation said the first ad will run on radio stations in Washington before the team hosts the Philadelphia Eagles in its season opener Monday night. In the ad, Oneida Nation representative Ray Halbritter says NFL commissioner Roger Goodell should "stand up to bigotry" by denouncing "the racial slur" in the team's name.

"We do not deserve to be called redskins," the Oneida leader says in the ad. "We deserve to be treated as what we are—Americans."

The radio ad said Goodell had rightly been critical this summer after an Eagles wide receiver was caught on video making a racial slur against African-Americans.Comment:  For more on the Washington Redskins, see Chief Zee = Racist Uncle and Peter King Website Bans "Redskins."

Oneida Nation to fund mascot changes

Get that Indian off your uniform

We will help teams leave behind their racist mascots

By Ray HalbritterAs Oneidas, we understand mutual respect. From the time we fought side-by-side with George Washington and the colonists in the Revolutionary War to the present day, as we continue to be one of the largest investors in our local economy, our nation remains bonded with the larger community in many ways.

And we understand that courageous decisions to honor different heritages can come with both a financial consequence and a potential backlash. That is why we are offering a donation to Cooperstown Central to salute their courage and to help offset the necessary costs of changing mascots.

We are prepared to make similar donations to other schools that consider following in their footsteps.

In fact, to address this pervasive problem, the Oneida Nation is now working with Native American media outlets and other Indian nations to establish a fund that will help schools that follow in Cooperstown’s footsteps to offset the cost of making similar transitions.

According to the Morning Star Institute, there remain some 900 ethnically insensitive nicknames and mascots across the country.Comment:  For more on Indian mascots, see Cooperstown Changes "Redskins" with Oneida Help and NMAI Symposium on Racist Mascots.

Cooperstown changes "Redskins" with Oneida help

Cooperstown Redskins prepare to change nickname; grateful Indian tribe to pay for new uniformsThe Oneida Indians say they would help buy replacement school sports jerseys if the Cooperstown Redskins change their nickname.

Students of the combined middle and high school in this picturesque village 150 miles north of New York City voted this month on names to replace the Redskins nickname that goes back to the 1920s. The vote was prompted by students who found the nickname offensive to American Indians.

"You have announced a standard that recognizes that mascots which are known to dehumanize and disrespect any race of mankind have no place in our schools, or our great country," Oneida Nation Representative Ray Halbritter wrote to Cooperstown Central School students this week. "We understand that your courageous decision also comes with a financial consequence and, unfortunately, potential backlash from those who somehow claim that ethnic stereotyping is a victimless crime."

Cooperstown is best known as the home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, but it was also the hometown of James Fenimore Cooper, who wrote "The Last of the Mohicans." The top vote-getters among students for a new nickname include Deerslayers, Hawkeyes and Pathfinders—each name a nod to Cooper's works.Oneida Nation Offers to Pay for New Uniforms of High School That Changed 'Redskins' Name

Comment:  For more on the Redskins, see Redskins "Respond" to NMAI Symposium and NMAI Symposium on Racist Mascots.

Oneida float in Macy's parade 2012

Oneida Indian Nation float to appear in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

By Alaina PotrikusThe Oneida Indian Nation will take part in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for the fifth straight year.

This year’s float will include a choir led by Grammy-winning Native American artist Thirza Defoe, who will perform “The Tree of Life.”

Representatives from more than one dozen Indian nations from across the country will accompany the nation’s “True Spirit of Thanksgiving” float, which features a 30-foot-tall White Pine "Tree of Peace," which sprouts from the back of "Turtle Island," which symbolizes Mother Earth.

The nation was the first native tribe to have a float in the annual parade, which draws more than three million spectators along the parade route and attracts more than 50 million television viewers nationwide.

Natives From Across the Americas Will Participate in Today’s 86th Macy’s Thanksgiving ParadeFor the fifth straight year the Oneida Nation-sponsored float, “The True Spirit of Thanksgiving” will take part in the 86th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Representatives of over 20 different nations from across the Americas will accompany the float as it spreads a traditional message of peace and thanksgiving.

Heading up the all Native choir will be Grammy-winning Native American artist Thirza Defoe. Defoe is currently attending the New York University Fellow Graduate of Music and Song Writing Program and spent countless hours in the studio composing the song the choir will be singing called “Tree of Life” which was especially written for this year’s event. “I wrote the song with all people in mind not just from my own perspective, it joyously celebrates peace, love and giving thanks,” says Defoe. “I feel that Native participation in the parade can begin to bring about new ideas of Thanksgiving and possibly reinvent the stereotyped images Americans have of the holiday.” Choir members hope to show the public that native people are still here, alive and flourishing in present day America. The float will also show them how very different Native Americans are, touching on the fact that so many tribes are represented in this year’s parade.

‘The True Spirit of Thanksgiving,’ the Oneida Nation’s Macy’s Parade Float, Captivates the CrowdsAs the Oneida Nation float made its way down Broadway in this year’s 86th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, “Thank you for giving us Thanksgiving" was the most popular cheer heard from the crowd; “Look honey real Native Americans” was second. The float called “The True Spirit of Thanksgiving” was certainly a favorite among parade goers. Many visitors clapped their hands and danced as they heard the sounds of Iroquois social dance music blasting from the speakers on the float. As I crouched to take a photo I heard a father say to his child, “Look son, those are the First Americans."

For the fifth straight year Oneida Nation Representative Ray Halbritter lead the tribes float accompanied by 12 Native American representatives, some from as far away as California. The goal of the Oneida Nations' participation in the parade is to combat the stereotyped images created by the media and create a positive and accurate portrayal of who Indian people are today. “We want to the public to see the very spirit of Native people and how the tradition and culture of our ancestors inspired the very first Thanksgiving” said Halbritter. I asked the tribal representative how he feels about the fact that many Native Americans chose to protest the holiday, his reply was a positive one “Native people certainly have a great many issues to address and need to come a lot further in our struggles but I think there is a time and place and right now I think is a time when the ceremonies of thanksgiving and gratitude to the creator for all we have is celebrated, we must remember the many blessings we have and we do have many."Comment:  For more on the subject, see Oneida Float in Macy's Parade 2011 and Chamberlain Joins Oneida Thanksgiving Float.

Oneida Nation sponsors Packers gate

Oneida tribe renews Lambeau Field gate sponsorship

By Scott Cooper WilliamsGreen Bay Packers fans will continue entering Lambeau Field through the Oneida Nation Gate for at least another 10 years.

The Oneida Tribe of Indians announced Monday it has renewed its sponsorship deal with the Packers through the year 2022.

Financial details of the partnership were not disclosed.

But tribal Chairman Ed Delgado said the arrangement gives the Oneidas valuable exposure and promotes tribal businesses, which include Oneida Bingo & Casino in Ashwaubenon.

“Financially it’s a win-win,” he said.Comment:  For more on gaming tribes and sponsorships, see Ho-Chunk Starts Arena Football Team and Foxwoods Sponsors Chinese Dragon Boat.

Multimedia Oneida exhibit at NMAI

Oneida Indian Nation announces new interactive exhibit at Smithsonian's Museum of the American Indian

By Alaina PotrikusThe 19-foot bronze sculpture titled âAllies in War, Partners in Peaceâ€depicts Oneida Chief Skenandoah and an Oneida woman, Polly Cooper, with George Washington.

A new multi-media presentation at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian will give new life to Oneida Indian Nation history, officials announced this morning.

In 2002, the nation committed $10 million to the museum on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

This morning, Oneida leader Ray Halbritter delivered the eighth $1 million installment of the donation at the Shako:wi Cultural Center on the nation's 32-acre territory off Route 46 in Oneida.

The meeting between Halbritter and museum director Kevin Gover included details of the new exhibit on the museum’s fourth floor, which was named for the Oneida Nation's donation.

The centerpiece will be the existing 19-foot bronze sculpture titled “Allies in War, Partners in Peace.” It depicts Oneida Chief Skenandoah and an Oneida woman, Polly Cooper, with George Washington.

The exhibit will now include an eight-minute multimedia presentation that will fill the entire gallery from floor to ceiling, “immersing the audience within the storytelling montage,” Halbritter said.Comment:  For more on the Oneida Nation, see Oneida Nation Finances Feature Film and Oneida Nation Gives Another $1 Million to NMAI.

Oneidas donate to Revolution museum

Tribe was ally in Revolution, now in Revolution museum

By Peter Van AllenThe Oneida Indian Nation said Wednesday it pledged $10 million toward the planned Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia.

The gift underscores the Oneidas’ role as “first allies” in the Revolution, fighting alongside the colonists, it said in a ceremony in Washington, D.C., Wednesday morning. The Oneida Indian Nation owns the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in upstate New York and other holdings.

Last month, philanthropist H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest set up a $40 million “challenge” grant for the Revolution museum, and the Oneidas’ gift will be the first major donation toward a goal to raise $150 million. The state of Pennsylvania has pledged $30 million, though it does not count toward the Lenfest challenge grant.

The Museum of the American Revolution, planned for the southeast corner of Third and Chestnut streets, will feature artifacts, manuscripts, rare books and works of art owned by the American Revolution Center, the nonprofit raising money to build the site. Plans for the museum were drawn up by architect Robert A.M. Stern, designer of the Comcast Center in Center City; the LeBow College of Business at Drexel University in Philadelphia; the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Mass.; the Disney Beach Club resort at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla.; and the George W. Bush Presidential Center at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.Forgotten No More: Oneidas Donate to Start a Revolutionary Museum

By Rob CapricciosoThe leadership and citizens of the Oneida Indian Nation (OIN) of New York think it is important to pay homage to its role in the Revolutionary War in order to help Americans realize the strong historical contributions of the Indian nation—and to grow a bright future of strengthened relations with the United States.

To make that impact, tribal leaders on July 11 announced a major gift of $10 million dollars to the non-profit American Revolution Center in order to help build a Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The announcement came during a sunny ceremony on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building with dignitaries from OIN, officials affiliated with the Center, and U.S. legislators in attendance. The donation helps the Center come much closer to matching a $40 million Lenfest Foundation challenge announced in June.

“I’m pleased to report that we have still survived since the American Revolutionary War, as the allies of this country,” said Ray Halbritter, Nation Representative and CEO of the tribe, in a speech to the assembled audience. “None of this would have been possible if not for the fact that more than 200 years ago, the Oneida people took up arms in support of the colonial neighbors at the Battle of Oriskany.” He said the bloody battle formed the basis of an alliance that exists to this day between the Oneida and American people.

“There is an American Indian proverb that says, ‘Tell me the facts, and I’ll learn; tell me the truth, and I’ll believe; tell me a story, and it will live in my heart forever. The American Revolutionary War Center will allow us to share our story with the world,” said Halbritter, who was later presented with an architectural drawing of the planned museum and a replica of a silver cup George Washington was said to have carried during the war. “The pledge we are making today will allow people to learn many stories that heretofore have been untold and have been unknown.”Comment:  For more on the subject, see Oneida Nation Finances Feature Film.

Below:  "Ray Halbritter, Nation Representative and CEO of Oneida Nation Enterprises, addressed the assembled audience with Michael C. Quinn, president and CEO of the American Revolution Center, looking on as he announced the donation of $10 million to help build the Museum of The American Revolution on July 11." (Rob Capriccioso)

Oneida float in Macy's parade 2011

Oneida Indian Nation’s “The True Spirit of Thanksgiving” Marks its Fourth Year in Macy’s Day ParadeThe Oneida Indian Nation’s iconic float, "The True Spirit of Thanksgiving," once again will tell its incredible story as it moves through Manhattan today. The Oneida Nation has had a float in the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City every year since 2008. "The True Spirit of Thanksgiving" was the first float to be sponsored by an American Indian nation in the parade’s history. This year marks the 85th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which will be broadcast nationally, per usual, with the parade starting at 9 a.m.

“It is this spirit of peace, thanksgiving and generosity under one of the greatest gifts of the creator, which is the gift of peace to mankind, that marked the first special thanksgiving that we celebrate in our Macy’s Thanksgiving Day float,” stated Ray Halbritter, Oneida Nation Representative and CEO of Nation Enterprises, in a Oneida Nation press release. “This holiday we celebrate today in America is about the harvest ceremonies of Indian people that were first shared with the newcomers to this Land and the thankful hearts of the Indian people as they shared all of their blessings with the struggling pilgrims.”Comment:  For more on the subject, see Chamberlain Joins Oneida Thanksgiving Float and Oneida Float in Macy's Parade 2010.

Below:  "The Oneida Indian Nations Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, The True Spirit of Thanksgiving, with Oneida Nation Representative and CEO of Nation Enterprise Ray Halbritter standing by the turtle's foot."

Chamberlain joins Oneida Thanksgiving float

The Yankees’ Joba Chamberlain Will Join Oneida Indian Nation’s “True Spirit of Thanksgiving” Float in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day ParadeNew York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain, Winnebago, will be joining the Oneida Indian Nation’s spectacular True Spirit of Thanksgiving float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this Thursday. Chamberlain, who Indian Country Today Media Network interviewed for a feature article this past April, is a man who knows all about being thankful. As we reported in our piece, Joba’s father, Harlan, was born on the Winnebago reservation in Nebraska and contracted polio as a baby, which forced him into long hospital stays. Still, despite the crippling disease that left him unable to walk, deaf in one ear and with diminished use of his left arm, he raised Joba and Tasha (Joba’s sister) as a single parent. Joba has told of his dad still playing catch with him—with one arm—and of the entire neighborhood playing baseball at the Chamberlains’ home.

This marks the fourth year that the Oneida Indian Nation’s float, True Spirit of Thanksgiving, will be making its way from Central Park to Macy’s Herald Square in Manhattan. This year marks the 85th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which will be broadcast nationally on NBC, per usual, with the parade starting at 9am.Comment:  For more on Joba Chamberlain, see Chamberlain Pleads Guilty to DUI and Joba Goes to Disney World.

Oneida debuts second cartoon

Oneida Indian Nation Animated Short Premieres“My Home,” the second animated short film by Four Directions Productions, will screen publicly for the first time this evening, Thursday, October 13, at the Syracuse International Film Festival in Syracuse, NY.

Four Directions Productions is a 3D animation/HD cinematography studio, is located on Oneida Indian Nation lands near Sherrill, N.Y. “We are very proud that our first animated short, ‘Raccoon & Crawfish,’ captured first place at 18 international film festivals and brought international attention to our region,” said Nation Representative and CEO of Nation Enterprises Ray Halbritter in a press release. “We’re equally confident that ‘My Home’ will continue to share our legends in a meaningful and entertaining way.”

As with “Raccoon & Crawfish,” the new film is based on an Oneida legend. “Legends were how our elders taught life lessons to our children long ago and how we still do today,” said Turtle Clan Representative Dale Rood, who is Director of Studio Operations at Four Directions. “Animating those legends is how we preserve them for future generations and educate the world about who we are as a people. … Our second animation surpasses the great work we did in our first award-winning short by employing creativity coupled with the cutting edge computer techniques utilized by our highly talented and experienced team of animators.”Comment:  For more on the subject, see Four Directions Wins Awards and Rising Stars in Native Animation.