Oklahoma schools reenact Land Run

Elementary School Alternative To Land Run Reenactments Offers More Sides Of The Story

By Susan ShannonSara Adams Cornell has two daughters in the Oklahoma City school district. Last year her daughters participated in a reenactment of the Oklahoma Land Run of 1889.

As members of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Cornell said her daughters didn’t understand why anyone would want to reenact that occasion. Cornell contacted the school and was told by her daughter’s teacher and the school principal they could sit in the office or miss a day of school with an unexcused absence.

Cornell found these alternatives unacceptable, so at a Native American Student Services parents meeting, Cornell brought up the land run reenactments.

“Their reaction was really what I think inspired us most to do this,” Cornell said. “They talked about feeling singled out, and they talked about feeling embarrassed. These are a lot of emotions that equated to what children feel when their being bullied.”

April 22nd is Land Run Re-enactment Day: Students & Teachers Race to Stake Their Claims

By Joyce Griffin OberlyEven though we were the original inhabitants of Oklahoma, we were not allowed to participate in the Land Run events. This separation of Oklahoma society, still echoes today. For example, we have little say on the organization and culturally appropriate education for students in public schools, including but not limited to the Land Run celebrations.

Earlier this month, I received a note from my son's school stating that on April 22nd, students and staff will re-enact the Land Run of 1889. The re-enactment will include students grouped into "families" to race across the playground and stake their claims.

As a kid raised in Oklahoma, I remember participating in a similar event in first grade. I went to a school with a significant Indian student population. My teacher specifically asked that the Indian children wear their Indian clothes to school that day. I can only surmise this added to the dramatic effect for our re-enactment.

Thirty years later, I assumed Oklahoma public schools taught this subject without the Land Run re-enactment. I am not the only one with this viewpoint. Beginning in 2007, the Society to Preserve the Indigenous Rights and Indigenous Traditions attempted to petition the state to ban these land run re-enactments at public schools. From my perspective, re-enacting the Land Run of 1889 only serves to physically demonstrate one side of history.In contrast to the schools' happy reenactments, some actual history:

Native History: Land Rush for Oklahoma Indian Territory Begins



Comment:  I'm not sure kids should be reenacting any part of US history, including the uncontroversial ones. Take the signing of the Declaration of Independence, for instance. What educational value does it have to reenact it--as opposed to reading about it?

The reenactment is mostly propaganda--sending a message about how great and glorious the American enterprise is. Well, what would the British loyalists say? What would the Indian tribes, who mostly sided with the British, say? The reenactment sends the message that this history matters and other histories don't.

The first school eventually instituted an Oklahoma History Day, which includes a Native perspective. It sounds like that perspective is only one of many, so it's not as if they're seriously trying to counteract the settler story.

And we don't know how this one day compares to the Land Run festivities in scope. I'm guessing the Manifest Destiny narrative still predominates.

The school's initial response is telling. As with the Pledge of Allegiance, if you challenge the government propaganda machine, you get punished or shamed. Message: Conform and submit!

Anyway, play-acting the Land Run contributes to several stereotypes: that the land was empty and free for the taking. That Indian nations weren't using it "productively." And that conquest and land theft is something to be celebrated rather than condemned. For these reasons, these news items are a Stereotype of the Month entry.

For more on the subject, see Empty Land in True Grit.

Scalped in development for TV

WGN America Adapting DC Comics' 'Scalped' (Exclusive)

"Banshee's" Doug Jung will adapt the crime noir drama set on a Native American reservation.

By Lesley GoldbergWGN America is looking to DC Comics' Vertigo imprint as it bolsters its development slate.

The cable network, which will bow its first original scripted series on Sunday, has put in development an adaptation of Scalped from DC Entertainment's Vertigo imprint, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

Scapled is described as a crime noir set on a Native American reservation. Banshee's Doug Jung will pen the script and executive produce the Warner Horizon Television drama.

The book launched in 2007 as a monthly and ran for 60 issues, ending in 2012. Jason Aaron penned the comic, which was illustrated by R.M. Guera. The series focused on the Oglala Lakota inhabitants in the fictional Prairie Rose Indian Reservation in South Dakota as they grapple with organized crime, poverty, drug and alcohol addiction and local politics while trying to preserve their cultural identity. The plot was partially inspired by Native American activist Leonard Peltier, who was arrested for gunning down two FBI agents on a reservation in 1975.

The Scalped series is highly regarded within the comics industry and a critical darling. It ranks as one of the longest-running series in comics history with a nonwhite protagonist and largely nonwhite cast. The series was named one of Comic Book Resources' Comics You Should Own and was "a deeply flawed masterpiece."'Scalped' Comic Book Is Coming to TV; Native Actors Need ApplyScalped, a Vertigo (DC) comic book about crime on a fictional Indian reservation, will be made into a TV series, according to a story in The Hollywood Reporter.

Scalped ran for 60 issues, from 2007 to 2012, and won praise from critics for its gritty portrayal of Native mob bosses and thugs, as well as characters trying to do the right thing in a world of poverty and addiction. And there was a lot of killing. A lot of blood. Scalped was often described as The Sopranos on the rez.

The question of whether Scalped was exploitative and harmful was raised from the get-go. (If you want to get a sense of the critical reaction from issue no. 1 and read some thoughts on what was wrong with Scalped, ICTMN contributor Rob Schmidt has a page at his Blue Corn Comics website on it.) Scalped's creators, writer Jason Aaron and artist R.M. Guera, aren't Natives, and whether the world they depicted ultimately treated Native people fairly in the course of their series is a topic for debate. What outrage there was over Scalped seems to have died down as the series gained momentum, winning a place on many critics' "Best of" lists year after year.And:Filmmaker Steven Judd, Kiowa and Choctaw, tells ICTMN he is optimistic about a TV version of Scalped. "I remember reading that it was supposed to be like Sopranos set on the reservation," he says. "After I read the first issue, I thought Donnie Brasco set on a rez would have been a more accurate description. I felt the first issue alone would have made a really cool movie. I for one will watch this when it comes out. I'm sure there will be opportunity for our Native actors to get work on it; I only hope they hire some Natives for behind the camera on crew and above the line. It would be cool to see a Native director get an opportunity to helm an episode, my vote would go to Jeff Barnaby [of Rhymes for Young Ghouls], I think the aesthetics of this story fits nicely into his wheelhouse."

Casting will be key, as Scalped will be a chance for Native actors to see screen time on prime time TV. A 2012 blog post at iFanboy.com suggested Michael Spears as the main character Dashiell Bad Horse, and Graham Greene, Irene Bedard, Q'orianka Kilcher and Adam Beach in the other major Native roles.

Some tweets following this article:

ICTMN Arts ‏@ICTMN_Arts Apr 17
"Scalped" series should put several Native actors in prime time. Who would you cast? http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2014/04/17/scalped-comic-book-coming-tv-native-actors-need-apply-154489 … pic.twitter.com/nfgEIH01Jb

BlueCornComics ‏@bluecorncomics Apr 17
@ICTMN_Arts "Several" Native actors? "Scalped" should be almost completely Native a la "Blackstone." Hiring only a handful would be weak.

ICTMN Arts ‏@ICTMN_Arts Apr 17
@bluecorncomics not suggesting they would hire only a handful for whole show -- meant several native *lead* actors. Ah the haiku of twitter

BlueCornComics ‏@bluecorncomics Apr 17
@ICTMN_Arts I figured that's what you meant. But it's a key issue. They may hire 5-6 "name" Natives and the rest Latinos, Asians, wannabes.

BlueCornComics ‏@bluecorncomics Apr 17
@kjescalanti If they eliminate the ugly stereotypes and cast Native actors, the "Scalped" series could be good. But I wouldn't bet on it.

Talkin' about Scalped

A Native acquaintance posted on Facebook that she was investigating Scalped. This led to the following discussion:

By all accounts, it's quality writing. If you ignore the endemic crime and corruption on this reservation, that is, which exceeds anything in reality.

It should resemble Blackstone, except a couple of times more extreme. And I question whether any US network will use Native actors the way Canadian shows have done.What about the scantily clad women in headdresses?Are you looking at the first cover image, or what? The man in a headdress is supposed to be ironic. Like, this is what the Lakota used to be, but look at them now. They're mired in a morass of drugs, sex, and violence with only a few good people trying to set things right.

I suppose the series could turn out great. Or it could lead to a Johnny Depp-level of controversy and protests. Natives should be prepared to tackle this if it doesn't turn out right.



I believe it avoids most of the obvious stereotypes. The question is whether its "poverty porn" take on rez life is accurate.I've been talking to someone who's read it and he said there's women in bikinis with headdresses on. I'm obtaining copies. I don't currently know enough about it to judge either way.Oh. Well, I've read only the first volume and it was almost a decade ago. Yes, there may be a scene with drunken Native women--prostitutes or drug addicts--wearing headdresses at a party.

I'd say that's not representative of the whole series. The headdresses, that is, not the degraded Native women. And Jason Aaron the writer probably would say the headdresses were ironic, again. Much like the drunken white girls at Coachella who also claim to wear headdresses ironically.

I'd be fascinated to hear your take on the series after you read some of it. Many Natives have cheered it for its "realistic" take on rez life. I suspect they're cheering for the age-old reason of seeing themselves in the media, not because they've analyzed the stories' content.

Here's an academic discussion of Scalped. The first few paragraphs that mention Aaron and me are interesting, before it starts going into detail.

I've been one of the most vocal critics of Scalped, if not the most vocal. So you should take my comments with a grain of salt.

A typical (?) drunken party on the Prairie Rose rez:



We should get a campaign going to ensure Natives are involved in every stage of the production. Since the comics are almost 100% an inside view of rez life, and from an outsider.

Scalped vs. reality

The same woman posted another message relevant to Scalped:People say a lot of bad things about Indian country, especially non-Natives. They focus on the negative; and yes the issues we face are real and can seem overwhelming at times, but they aren't seeing the whole picture. Everyday I see thousands of intelligent, resilient, beautiful Native people who work hard to raise families, blaze new paths, and give back to their community. I see relatives who never surrender no matter the odds, and embody the strength of their ancestors by mobilizing to protect land and water. I see people learning their Native languages and teaching them, babies in regalia dancing and singing with the drum, and young people beating seemingly insurmountable odds to go off to college. I see single moms with more energy than I can fathom, and Native dads who are excellent fathers. Who tells their stories? We need to hear more about them. About you. Just so you know, I see you. Thank you for sharing your journey with me. I'm proud to know you. You renew my sense of hope. We're going to be just fine.Let us know how many of these people you find in the Scalped series. <grin>

Bottom line is I'm keeping a somewhat open mind. The show may be less stereotypical than the comics were.

In any case, people need to be aware of it no matter what. If it's headed in the wrong direction, the only way to stop or change it is to protest it now, before everything is set.

For more on Scalped, see "Native Spiritual Adviser" Warns Rob and Aaron on Ending Scalped.

Video game encourages killing Indians

Racist Game Justifies Murder of Mexicans and Indians

By Simon Moya-SmithA mobile game that pits a white, 19th Century sheriff-like figure—one who brandishes a pair of pistols—against stereotypical images of Mexicans and Indians has prompted opposition by both Native American game developers and educators.

The game, designed for iOS and Android systems, is aptly titled “Clash of the West Cowboys Shootout.” The objective of the player, or “Black Jack Ketchum,” is to kill or leap over the Mexicans and Indians in his path. For $1,000, which comes in the manner of bags of money and gold bullion peppered across the ground, the player can upgrade to “Buffalo Bill,” who brandishes a shotgun in place of Ketchum’s six-shooters.

In the game description, the Mexicans, who are illustrated as both lanky and corpulent, and the Indians, who are portrayed as dull-eyed and dopey, are referred to as “a gang of criminals who are violently committing crimes.”

Elizabeth LaPensée, an Anishinaabe and Métis game developer and researcher, said the game “couldn’t [be] more racist” and that it justifies the historical murder of Mexicans and Indians.

“Games like these portray Native people as fodder to be killed,” she said. “They’re representing them as lazy, as evil, because they justify the shootout by saying that these ‘Indians’ are in a gang and that their acts are making the situation.”Comment:  For more on stereotypical video games, see No Doubt Video = Custer's Revenge and Angry Patriots and Pinheads.

Warren "hurt" by Cherokee controversy

Elizabeth Warren: ‘I was hurt, and I was angry’

By MJ LeePerhaps the most hurtful and high-profile attack thrown against Warren by Brown had to do with her heritage.

At the height of the 2012 campaign, it was reported that Warren had listed herself as having Native American roots at Harvard University. Soon, there was a “full-blown campaign frenzy,” Warren recalls, with Republicans demanding that she prove her Native-American roots and accusing her of getting her job at the elite university by making false claims about her personal background.

Caught off-guard, Warren admits that she “fumbled” when reporters first asked her about the controversy.

Things only got worse when the Brown campaign asked whether her parents had lied to their children about her family. “He attacked my dead parents,” Warren writes. “I was hurt, and I was angry.”

Brown’s allegation that Warren had used her background to get ahead “simply wasn’t true,” she writes. “I was stunned by the attacks.”

Warren devotes a section of her book—called “Native American”—to this controversy, explaining that she had simply grown up learning about her Native American background from her family and that as a kid, she had never questioned her family’s stories or asked for documentation.

“Everyone on our mother’s side—aunts, uncles, and grandparents—talked openly about their Native American ancestry,” she wrote. “My brothers and I grew up on stories about our grandfather building one-room schoolhouses and about our grandparents’ courtship and their early lives together in Indian Territory.”Hits on ancestry claims angered Elizabeth Warren

New book recounts controversy

By Bob McGovernU.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren recounts in her new autobiography that she was “hurt” and “angry” by news reports that there was no documentation to support her claims of her family’s Cherokee heritage in the 2012 Senate race, according to a published report.

“What really threw me, though, were the constant attacks from the other side,” Warren wrote, according to Politico.com, which received an advance copy of Warren’s book, “A Fighting Chance,” due to be released April 22.

“I would almost persuade myself that I was starting to get the hang of full-throttle campaigning and then—bam! Out of left field, the state Republican Party, or the Scott Brown campaign, or some blogger, would launch a rocket at me,” Warren wrote.

The Herald first reported that Indian tribes had no record of membership by Warren, and that genealogists were unable to confirm any Native American heritage. It later emerged that Warren had listed herself as a minority in the nation’s leading directory of law professors for a period of a decade as she moved up in academia, and she was ultimately cited by Harvard University as a minority hire.

Facts contradict claims

Cherokee women want to meet Elizabeth Warren on book tour

To get Warren to understand why they are hurt and angry that she assumed, then discarded, Native American identity.

By William A. JacobsonWarren will be launching a nationwide book tour. Someone who wants to meet Warren is Twila Barnes.

Barnes is the Cherokee Genealogist whose groundbreaking genealogical research exposed the falsehood to Warren’s claims. Barnes and her team of Cherokee genealogists traced Warren’s family lines back to the early 1800s and documented that Warren’s family not only was not Cherokee or other Native American, but also that they never lived as such.Elizabeth Warren History of 'Minority Status' Listings at Odds with New Book's Claims

By Michael Patrick LeahySenator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) writes in her new book, A Fighting Chance, scheduled for release on Tuesday, that "I never asked for special treatment when I applied to college, to law school, or for jobs." But a mountain of factual evidence contradicts that assertion.

As far back as 1986, while she was still a professor at the University of Texas Law School, Senator Warren consciously requested special treatment by falsely self-identifying as a "Minority Law Teacher." Her request for special treatment began with information she provided that was published in the 1986-1987 Association of American Law Schools (AALS) Directory of Faculty.And:"Why would Elizabeth Warren, who never suffered an ounce of discrimination on the basis of her alleged Native American status, whose parents, grandparents, great grandparents, and great great grandparents also suffered no such discrimination, feel justified in claiming such status, which she must have known would accrue to her benefit even if such benefit were not provable?" Jacobson asked.

Breitbart's Pollak reported in May 2012 that despite Senator Warren's claim she wanted to "meet other people with tribal roots," she never attended or participated in a single event sponsored by Harvard University's Native American Program (HUNAP) at Harvard Law School before or after she landed a job there.Comment:  Boo-hoo! Warren's feelings were hurt!

Well, so were the feelings of the Natives who tried to interview her, to get her to talk about the controversy. She refused every overture to explain her alleged Cherokee ancestry. So no one should feel sorry for her.

Apparently she wrote an entire chapter on the subject, but literally said nothing new. She was simply repeating her family stories, she says again, with no curiosity about whether they were true or not. One has to wonder if someone this thoughtless has the right temperament to be senator...or president.

It's extremely well-known throughout Indian country that people claim Cherokee ancestry with little or no evidence. But Warren the "Native" is as naive and ignorant as a child about this problem. Like every Indian wannabe of the last century, she never considered genealogy or DNA to verify her claims. She was happy just "playing Indian."

But that's not the only issue. She didn't just acknowledge her alleged Native roots. She actively claimed to be Native for decades. She used it in her professional career.

You normally can't do that unless you're enrolled in a tribe. If you're not enrolled, perhaps you can do it if you're substantially Native by blood--e.g., one-fourth or more. Neither of these conditions applies to Warren.

So why did she claim to be not merely of Native heritage, but flat-out Native? And why has she stopped making the claim? Why isn't she proudly declaring herself Native at every opportunity if she is, indeed, proud of being Native?

These are the type of questions Warren can't or won't answer. And that's why critics won't let her get away with her flimsy claims.

For more on Elizabeth Warren, see Delaune: Politicans Ignore Native Concerns and My Thoughts on Brown vs. Warren.



(Apologies for whoever misspelled "determined" in this image.)

Chief Wahoo hurts bottom line

Following the 42nd Annual Chief Wahoo Protest, some arguments against the stereotypical mascot:

The Wahoo debate has changed, but where do the Indians stand?

By Craig LyndallThere’s something vastly different about the Chief Wahoo debate this year. The protests have been going on at Opening Day for years, but the movement spawned a new arm since last season. There’s a new @DeChiefWahoo Twitter account that doesn’t have a ton of followers, but don’t be mistaken: This debate has moved beyond those activists directly impacted and into the fan base. Last week, I spoke with Brian Spaeth about the film he was making at the, but he never even had a chance to get any footage out before a photo from the scene by Peter Pattakos of Cleveland Frowns went viral. This site and others have talked about the Cleveland Indians and Chief Wahoo plenty already, so I’ll skip covering that same ground again. There’s one overriding feeling that I can’t help but focus on: The Cleveland Indians—most notable the Dolan family—is failing to lead on this issue.

I can’t figure out how this will ever end well for the Dolan family. By sitting in the background and seemingly waiting for the world to impact them, they’re failing to control the message. Just this morning, it’s being reported on NPR that ESPN has removed Chief Wahoo as an image by which they might use to talk about the team. Check another box for someone other than those most responsible for Wahoo having more of a stance. The Indians have taken an issue and decided pretty much not to have a stance on it at all. It’s a failure by the Cleveland Indians. They’ve lost control of the message. In fact, they don’t have a message at all and it will be a bigger and bigger problem going forward.Native Mascots: Cleveland Is Not Rocking, Neither is Kansas City, Washington, Atlanta

By Todd BennettTo wear this garb is to disavow knowledge, easily discovered, that proves Native Americans were systematically persecuted. It is to ignore the messages of peace, and the contributions to farming, and the myriad survival techniques that were based on respect for all of God’s creatures, not just the capitalistic. It would not be acceptable to have a mascot of an African American man wearing a gold tooth and name your team the Thugs, or a Mexican with sunglasses and name the team the Cartels, so why is portraying natives to be savages acceptable? It isn’t.

The tragedy of stereotypes is not just the prejudice they foster, but the beautiful truths they obfuscate. If you want to make a respectful mascot based on the culture of a fascinating and by and large peaceful people, a screaming savage is not where you start. If you want to accurately portray the vast majority of Native American culture in one symbol, don’t start with an arrow, start with a big, red, striking …

Heart.

The bottom line

The Cleveland Indians’ controversial mascot is hurting their bottom line

By Jeff YangTripathi and Lewis began their project by exploring the direct financial impact on teams that break with tradition by changing a mascot, starting with an analysis of college athletics, for which they had a much larger sample pool.

“In college basketball, you have quite a few teams that originally had a Native American mascot, but at some point decided to abandon it,” says Tripathi—including Illinois and Stanford, but also many others, like Syracuse, whose mascot from 1931 to 1978 was an “Indian Chief” called the “Saltine Warrior”; St. John’s, who were nicknamed the Redmen from the 1920s until 1994, and who had a Native American mascot through the ’60s and ’70s; Marquette University, which retired its mascot “Willie Wampum” in 1971, and renamed their team from the Warriors to the Golden Eagles in 1994; and Miami University of Ohio, which in 1997 went from the Redskins to the RedHawks.

“Given that we were doing a statistical model, it made sense to start with colleges, because we had tons of schools to work with,” says Tripathi. “And we also had great data: In the NCAA, because of Title IX, teams have to put all of their revenue data out there in public.”

What Tripathi and Lewis found was that, after accounting for factors like a team’s past performance, market size, and median income of the schools’ fanbases, in the short term, teams that eliminated a Native American mascot experienced a small, measurable revenue hit—but over the long term, the decision ended up boosting a school’s revenue. They surmised that this was due to a number of factors, including the elimination of negative publicity, expansion of the potential fan base, and subsequent implementation of new mascots with greater merchandising power.Study: Teams with Native American mascots end up losing millions

By Kenley YoungIf negative public opinion about Native American mascots can't dissuade pro sports teams from using them, then maybe a study about the money they're losing because of those mascots will change their minds.

Just how much? It's apparently in the millions of dollars, according to research from Emory University.

It's a lot to go through, but the website Quartz summarizes it this way:Examining the financial performance over the past dozen years for four teams--the Kansas City Chiefs and the Washington Redskins in the NFL, and the Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Indians in Major League Baseball--revealed the eye-opening result that having a Native American mascot appears to cost professional sports teams millions of dollars in annual revenue--at least $1.6 million per year in the NFL, and $2.6 million per year for MLB's Braves and Indians.Comment:  So...whether the argument is moral or financial, supporters of Chief Wahoo and other Indian mascots lose. There's literally no excuse for keep these racist caricatures.

Cliven Bundy the welfare cowboy

Cliven Bundy's standoff with the Bureau of Land Management says a lot about conservative Christianity, white privilege, and racism in America.

Rancher in land dispute is a bully, not a hero

By Alan O’NeillI have been following the news on the proposed roundup of Cliven Bundy’s cattle that are grazing illegally on federal lands in Gold Butte managed on behalf of the public by the Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service.

I am familiar with the situation, as I served as superintendent of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area for the National Park Service from 1987 to 2000. In 1993, we reduced the number of cows that could be grazed on the Bunkerville allotment to 150 because of the emergency listing of the desert tortoise as an endangered species.

Because Bundy refused to remove his cattle to meet the 150 level and ignored repeated requests to do so, his permit was canceled in 1994 and the allotment was closed to grazing.

As the news coverage has reported, Bundy continues to graze his cattle and has refused to pay the BLM a grazing fee. The figure he owes the government exceeds $300,000. The estimate of cattle being grazed illegally since 1994 on the old Bunkerville allotment have ranged from 550 to more than 900.

It is unfathomable to me that 20 years after the Bunkerville allotment was canceled in 1994, we are still wrestling with getting his cattle off the range. And there were issues of overgrazing that allotment before 1994. It is my opinion that the BLM and the Park Service have done everything possible administratively to try to resolve the issue amicably. In addition, there are two federal court rulings upholding the agencies’ position, and the most recent ruling demanded Bundy not physically interfere with any seizure or impoundment operation.

Bundy is a bully who has used his threat of a range war and to do “whatever it takes” to stop the government from impounding his cattle to scare public officials.Fox News’ demented poster boy: Why angry rancher Cliven Bundy is no patriot

The right's new fixation: An angry old white man who thinks freedom means not having to follow the law

By Edwin LyngarBundy has not paid grazing fees in close to 20 years, while the federal government has, with painful, stupid moves, tried to somehow deal with him. Bundy also faced restrictions because he continued to graze cattle on a slice of public land reserved for the endangered desert tortoise. He was invited to talk to Sean Hannity (of course) about the “standoff.”

“We want freedom,” Bundy said. I don’t know what freedom Bundy’s talking about. He does not own the land nor does he even pay the modest fees required to use it. Thousands of ranchers across the West pay fees for their businesses, but Bundy thinks he should get to use public resources to make a personal profit. Cliven Bundy, far from being a patriot, is also clearly a straight-up communist.

Bundy is using the language of freedom, patriotism and outright paranoia to further his business interests. He succeeded wildly in drawing other “patriots” to his slice of contested desert. I don’t know these exact people, but the words and phrases they used were the nursery rhymes of my childhood. I’ve been listening to ignorant people bitch about the federal “gub’met,” since I could crawl, and I’m weary of it. I can’t bear to hear poor people rally to the defense of moneyed interests like mining and ranching, like well-trained, bleating sheep. As tired and silly as I find his language, clearly it worked. He so inflamed the lunatic militia movement, that many rallied to him, often from out of state, with guns and naked threats. They created a real possibility that someone might get killed, so the feds backed down.

It is asinine in our age that an armed group of idiots can thwart reasonable government action. Bundy is not a hero, a victim or innocent in any way. Just think of real injustice of America, like people spending life in jail for marijuana charges. It’s hard to imagine the “militia,” a mostly fat, white and ignorant group, showing up to defend a kid in the inner city who was arrested for no reason. Also think what would happen to you, if you opted not to register your car for 20 years. Bundy exploits the most sickening version of white privilege to justify what amounts to theft.

Cliven Bundy syndrome: Why Christian conservatives think they’re above the law

From Hobby Lobby to the Nevada rancher, members of the far right share a dangerous, anarchic pathology

By Amanda Marcotte[F]or some reason, Bundy’s outrageous theft of services from the taxpayers is not being taken seriously by the right-wing press. As Roy Edroso of Village Voice and Eric Boehlert of Media Matters have chronicled, the conservative response to the whole incident has ranged from minimizing the seriousness of the crime to outright cheering Bundy on in his efforts to use the threat of violence to continue stealing from the taxpayers.

It’s tempting to write this reaction off as a matter of idiocy married to identity politics. Bundy is a white guy in a cowboy hat wielding guns, which reads as “one of us” to many on the right, so they refuse to accept that he’s a bad guy no matter how much he threatens violence against federal officers simply for enforcing a law that applies to everyone. And no doubt that is part of what’s going on here. But really, what’s going on runs deeper than a knee-jerk desire on the part of the right to believe every white guy in a cowboy hat is a good guy. This is the logical extension of a push that’s grown in recent years from conservatives to argue that they, and only they, have special rights to simply disregard any law they don’t want to follow. And unfortunately that’s an argument that may be making headway this year in the Supreme Court.

The past couple of years have seen a surge in conservatives demanding special rights to disobey universally applicable federal laws on the grounds that they don’t believe in them. This argument has largely been treated favorably by right-wing media that would definitely not extend that courtesy to anyone else. The Hobby Lobby case is simply the most prominent. To recap, Hobby Lobby is arguing before the Supreme Court that because they don’t believe certain forms of contraception are allowed by their god, they shouldn’t be required to meet federal minimum standards requiring that contraception for healthcare plans offered to employees as part of their compensation package, even if the employees don’t believe in a birth control-hating god.

It’s alarming to think that Hobby Lobby is arguing that anyone should be able to ignore any law they want just by stating they don’t “believe” in it, but reading between the lines of their lawyer Paul Clemente’s arguments before the Supreme Court, it’s clear they think this right to exempt yourself from federal regulations should be exclusive to Christian conservatives.

Bundy the liar

It goes without saying that Bundy the welfare cowboy has no case. Indeed, he seems to be lying through his teeth:

BREAKING: Proof Cliven Bundy is Lying About ‘Ancestral Claim’ to Grazing Rights (Video)

By John PragerNevada rancher Cliven Bundy and his army of domestic terrorists that call themselves “militias” may claim that his family has been working taxpayer-owned land he has been using for personal gain since 1877, but property records tell a completely different story.

Bundy has claimed pre-emptive rights because of his family’s history on the land. “I’ve lived my lifetime here. My forefathers have been up and down the Virgin Valley here ever since 1877. All these rights that I claim, have been created through pre-emptive rights and beneficial use of the forage and the water and the access and range improvements,” Bundy said.

However, Clark County property records reveal that Bundy’s parents moved from Bundyville, Arizona and purchased the ranch in 1948 from Raoul and Ruth Leavitt. Water rights were, as Bundy claims, transferred, but only to the ranch–not to the federal land surrounding it. In another blow to the welfare cowboy’s credibility, cattle did not graze on the land until 1954.

The Bureau of Land Management, Bundy’s nemesis, was created in 1946–the same year that Bundy was born, and two years before the family’s purchase of the ranch. However, Bundy won’t let little things like facts stop him! “My rights are before the BLM even existed, but my rights are created by beneficial use. Beneficial use means we created the forage and the water from the time the very first pioneers come here,” Bundy claims.

But hey–who needs “facts” and “reality” when you can focus on the delusion that, as Oathkeeper and Bundy supporter Justin Giles put it, “They are literally treating western United States citizens, ranchers, rural folks like this--are the modern day Indians. We’re being driven off of our lands. We’re being forced into reservations known as cities.”

The “Indians” of which he speaks would be the Paiute, who were forced onto reservations in 1875. They were promised the land that Bundy now inhabits.

Josh Marshall quotes TPM Reader JG:

Smarter Than It Seemed?I grew up in southern Utah, not far from the Bundy ranch standoff--and the stuff going on there turns my stomach. I share Josh's concern about letting the camo crowd scare off the BLM, though it's probably wise in the short term. Here's why:

I've got FB friends who are ranchers, and most of them are pretty right-wing, but even they are rolling their eyes at this guy. They've had conflicts with the feds/BLM over land use issues, and they're way more conservative than me on those issues, but they're really worried that Bundy is going to make things much harder for them in the long run. They're also angry, too, because they pay the grazing fees that Bundy has skipped out on. Bundy will have a crowd of aimless teaparty gun-toters, bored during a midterm election year, that will wave their guns (so to speak) around for a while, but Bundy's situation won't keep that crowd inspired very long. Everyone will be embarrassed about the whole thing eventually. I think it was wise for the BLM to let the Bundy wackos go full wacko for the cameras so the feds could be seen taking the high road for the time being. Bundy won't garner much sympathy for very long. He's a no-nothing Joe the Plumber in a cowboy hat.Comment:  For more on conservative Christians, see Conservative Christians in Panic Mode and Conservative Christian Persecution Fantasies

Natives criticize Redskins golf tournament

Supporting Derogatory Depictions Not an Option for NIGA

By Ernest L. Stevens, Jr.The National Indian Gaming Association has a long-standing history of opposition to ethnically damaging mascots. We have signed on in partnership with tribes, organizations and associations who represent the interests of Indian people who are and will always be against stereotypical sports imagery. Further, we have partnered with national Civil Rights organizations who have joined Indian country in opposing culturally harmful caricatures.

Our mission is to uphold sovereignty and increase the self-reliance of our Native people. We are an organization of 184 member tribes entrusted to ensure there is a strong tribal presence here in Washington, D. C. to protect the Indian Gaming Industry. We have a strong commitment to our tribes and will continue to do so.

This issue provides us with another opportunity to help educate America so that we can grow out of the negative stereotypes of the past. Being separate, diverse groups of people with beautiful cultural traditions and beliefs makes us unique and distinct from one another, in a very positive sense. It adds to the fabric of the creation, allowing honor and respect for all things. This is the kind of harmony and appreciation we need to strive for every day.

To ensure the integrity of our 30-year-old association and our tribal nations, we have pulled our sponsorship from this golf tournament, which has just recently announced a partnership with the newly created Washington football team's Original Americans Foundation. When we agreed to be a sponsor to benefit Native American College Scholarships and Youth there was no mention of the involvement of the Washington football team.In Redskins Golf Tournament, It Was the Navajo Who Got Played

By Jacqueline Keeler"I think it is unfortunate the Navajo Nation administration of Ben Shelly is so out of step with the Navajo people, particularly, the young people, regarding this issue. Obviously, offensive cultural appropriation done by non-Native fans of Native Mascots does not generally include Navajo culture. We do not see them performing Sand Paintings at half-time or dressed like Yeii, but we should understand that most Americans are unable to differentiate between tribes enough to understand that and that Navajo children, two-thirds of whom live off the reservation are subjected to these ignorant ideas about who they are as Native Americans.

"I am also alarmed at the underhanded way this event was handled. The other funders were unaware of the Washington Redsk*ns OAF involvement until the day before and Ben Shelley has repeatedly refused to comment on his meeting with Snyder. It feels like the Navajo people have been hoodwinked into supporting racism and have dragged other national American Indian organizations through the mud in the process. This fundraising to cover the use of a racist slur by a billionaire takes away from the fundraising efforts of legitimate American Indian foundations and takes needed money away from them. It is a travesty."Background

More on how the controversy unfolded:

Snyder's Redsk*ns Hush Money and KTNN's Questionable Behavior

By Nicholet DeschineSometimes you don’t realize the magnitude of an issue until it hits close to home. On Tuesday, April 8, 2014, I opened an email and to my disbelief I saw a flyer for the Washington Redsk*ns First Annual KTNN Celebrity Golf Tournament. The event was scheduled for April 12, 2014 at the Whirlwind Golf Club at the Wild Horse Pass Resort on the Gila River Indian Community. My hometown radio station’s fundraiser was being sponsored by Daniel Snyder’s Washington Redsk*ns Original Americans Foundation (OAF), an organization that believes it can meet the needs of Indian Country while mocking our identity and intelligence by using a racist team name to raise funds for our students.

Why would KTNN, “The Voice of the Navajo Nation,” accept a sponsorship from a controversial foundation whose name is a racial slur? Why is KTNN not following FCC broadcasting rules on the use of racial epithets? Why is the Navajo Nation Office of the President and Vice President co-sponsoring an event with the Redsk*ns, even after legislation was introduced in the Navajo Nation Council opposing the NFL team’s moniker? How long has the sponsorship deal between KTNN, the Navajo Nation Office of the President and Vice President, and the Redskins been in place? How aware were other donors of the fundraiser’s affiliation with the Redsk*ns foundation?

Adding to my disbelief was seeing known anti-Redsk*ns organizations co-sponsoring the event. The Washington Redsk*ns golf tournament was a fundraiser to benefit Native American college scholarships and was co-sponsored by Navajo Engineering Construction Authority, Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise, Navajo Nation Office of President and Vice President, National Indian Gaming Association, and Dixon Golf. Many other organizations such as the Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury, Diamondbacks, Arizona State University, and the Notah Begay III Foundation also donated silent auction items. An even more surprising co-sponsor of the event was the Navajo Nation’s Office of the President and Vice President. Shocking because the Navajo Nation Council was considering legislation opposing the Redsk*ns name, this was introduced on March 14, 2014 by Council Delegate Joshua Lavar Butler.

From a quick Internet search, I learned that although KTNN created a Facebook event on March 13 and marketed the event on March 21, they failed to mention the event’s title sponsor. In fact, the only mention of the OAF was on the event webpage and the flyer. Curious as to how aware sponsors and donors (especially those organizations who are anti-Redsk*ns) were made of the OAF’s involvement, I began notifying organizations. By Friday April 11, two donors, the National Indian Gaming Association and the Notah Begay III Foundation, withdrew their sponsorship of the event because of ties to the Redsk*ns name. Both organizations said they were unaware of the Redsk*ns’ involvement and would never have donated had they known. Likewise, on Saturday, April 12, the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise issued a statement indicating they would have declined sponsorship had they known of the Redsk*ns involvement, “We deeply regret not being told of the Washington Redsk*ns involvement in advance of today’s tournament.”

The actions of these three organizations could mean a few things: 1) The Washington Redsk*ns were a last-minute sponsor to strategically place themselves on the same event as Indian organizations who oppose the NFL team’s moniker, and/or 2) KTNN, aware of the Washington Redsk*ns sponsorship, lacked insight on the controversy and didn’t care to inform other donors. The event flyer I received was dated April 3, 2014 proving that, at minimum, KTNN had at least one week to notify other donors (this assumes the title sponsorship was accepted at a last moment which casts further unfavorable light on the Redskin’s attempt to purposefully taint the event). The actions and lack of action from KTNN’s leadership raises concern about the organization’s leadership, ability to recognize potential controversy, and their ability to actively communicate with their sponsors and, more importantly, with the public.Meanwhile, President Shelley doesn't like people showing him up:

Navajo Navajo President slams the National Indian Gaming Association

For more on the controversy, see Sponsors Quit Redskins Golf Tournament and Navajo Nation Condemns "Redskins" Name.

Cultural misappropriation at Coachella

Hipster Headdresses at Coachella: Yep, It HappenedWe're fully aware we risk over-covering the cultural-appropriation idiocy of Coachella, but a pair of ICTMN readers have sent us their snaps fresh from the 2014 festival, which is in its second and final weekend right now, and they're share-worthy. The lingerie model in the massive headdress gearing up for the fest and the high-priced tipis-for-rent danced around the assumption that this phenomenon hasn't gone away, but here's the photographic proof.

The Bros of CoachellaAh, the Native American headdress, a staple of the inadvertently racist Coachella bro.Coachella '14: Rent a $2200 Tipi to Match Your Hipster HeaddressAt this year's event, on-site camping includes a tipi (or "tee pee") option; for $2200 you get two general admission passes and a two-person tipi on Lake Eldorado for the weekend. A VIP pass option is also available, for $3100.

Ok, Indians are cool. We get it. We actually already knew it.

Plus this hipster from a previous year:



What's wrong with this?

Why So Many American Indians Have an Issue With Coachella

By Zak Cheney-RiceThe news: At this point, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival has inevitably devolved into a parody of itself. Blinding sunshine, massive crowds, exorbitant ticket prices and rampant teenage drug abuse have bolstered its reputation as the yearly paean to rich kid debauchery you love to hate, and the one most people would inexplicably still commit murder to attend.

But amidst all the bare skin and disappointed Outkast fans is another issue that bears discussing. It is perhaps best encapsulated by this meme:That genre classic was recently tweeted by Ruth Hopkins, a contributor to the Indian Country Today Media Network. It refers to the ongoing pattern of non-Native Coachella attendees rocking traditional American Indian attire they would never wear elsewhere, like it was a Batman costume or something.

It's become so much of a "thing" that even famous people don the dreaded "hipster headdress"—considered, "not racist, what are you talking about?" because it's worn "ironically" or as "fashion"—to get "inspired" for the festival:

Don't do this

Step Away from the Feathers: 10 Coachella Trends that Need to Die

Fringed dresses and vests:This look has hints of "slutty Pocahontas costume" that hits us the wrong way. If you can't rock out to the Black Keys without getting tangled up with your neighbor, you're just being rude.Indian headdresses:Are we the only ones who find this trend borderline offensive? I mean, you're jamming out to Gotye and drinking designer beer, not dropping peyote in the desert trying to find your spirit animal. On top of that, it's just culturally insensitive.Do this instead

Fest Fashion Sans Headdress: How to do Coachella/Native-Inspired Fashion RightWe are kicking off the music festival season, and I want to do all I can to ensure that we do not continue to witness the tacky headdress outbreak that we've experienced in the past several years (just say no to fashion mistakes like Alessandra Ambrosio, left). So, to help out, we've got some non-offensive, super hot, festival-chic Native American fashion options for you music fest lovers out there. These items are made by Native artists and designers, and they are meant to be appreciated by people of all backgrounds, and, the items start at only $22.Comment:  For more on the subject, see One Direction Singer in a Headdress and Oklahoma Governor's Daughter in a Headdress.

WBC to picket Alaska Natives

God Hates Alaska Native Culture Says WBC

By Jeanne DevonFred Phelps, the founder of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas is dead and gone, but the institution of intolerance and hatred is still on the march, and headed to Alaska. WBC has a long history of organizing anti-gay protests, and picketing military and other funerals with crude and offensive signs.

Now, Westboro Baptist Church has announced plans to picket the Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage on the morning of June 1. Why, you ask?

A news release posted on GodHatesFags.com, replete with Bible quotations, states two reasons for protesting the Alaska Heritage Center.“…you make a religion out of the pagan idolatrous practices of past generations. There is nothing appealing or holy about the “heritage” of the eleven “distinct cultures” or “diverse population” of Alaska. They walked in darkness and served idols of every kind, contrary to the direct commandment to have no gods before God.

“… you fail to give God the glory, instead of the traditions and gods of the past… Stop worshiping dead cultures, man-made idols, and the sinful traditions of past generations. Put the resources into teaching and learning the Bible instead, and warning your neighbor to stop sinning before it’s too late, and he’s sinned away the last day of grace.”Westboro Baptist Church protesters unlikely in Alaska, watchdog says

By Tegan HanlonAs a local group made plans Tuesday to counter-protest a Westboro Baptist Church picket in Anchorage, an expert with the Southern Poverty Law Center said it's unlikely that Westboro protesters will actually show up. Their announcements are often publicity stunts, he said.

Mark Potok, a senior fellow at the Southern Poverty Law Center, said the Topeka, Kan. church, known for controversial protests at funerals and other public events, has a long history of scheduling pickets, but actually attends less than half of the events.

"Typically, they will call the local press, get a scary story about these awful people coming to town and not show up," Potok said. "And what sometimes happens is you'll be expecting 50 people and a man and two small children show up."

Westboro Baptist Church has announced two protests in Anchorage over the past three days, one at ChangePoint, a non-denominational church, and the other at the Alaska Native Heritage Center, a nonprofit in Muldoon with a mission to share and preserve Alaska Native culture. Both pickets are planned for Sunday, June 1.'God Hates Native Culture': Westboro Baptist to Picket Alaska Natives

By Vincent SchillingShortly after the announcement of the protest by the WBC, a No Westboro Baptist Protest at our AK Native Heritage Center! Facebook page was created to offset the protest. Though the Facebook page had over 600 members on Monday evening, it had doubled in size by Tuesday afternoon to well over 1,200.

According to the ‘No Westboro’ Facebook pages’ mission statement posted by Donna Willoya:

‘We are uniting as Alaskans to honor and embrace our cultural diversity, to preserve our heritage and to teach future generations the importance of acceptance & respect for all people.’

Willoya also posted in the group that though people may get angry at the WBC members for wanting to protest, she wishes the Native community not to respond with violence and sink to their level.Photos of the Native Culture Center 'God Hates'

Comment:  Last I heard, the WBC called the protest off. Good thing for them, since Natives would've shown them up badly.

But I wonder how this came about. Did the idiots read about Alaska Natives in a hunting magazine or something? Did they decide these must be the last Natives left?

Did anyone tell them hundreds of tribes have been practicing their religions for centuries? It's kind of late to stop their "idolatry." What's next...supporting the Spanish Inquisition against the Jews?

For more on the Westboro Baptist Church, see Pix of Comic-Con 2010.

Misty Upham's outside activities

Another of my interviews with Misty Upham:

'August: Osage County' Actress Misty Upham: 'Acting Saved my Life'

By Rob SchmidtBlackfeet actress Misty Upham had a big year in 2013 with important roles in two major movies: Jimmy P. and August: Osage County. She and Michelle Thrush walked the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival—the first Native actresses to do so—for Jimmy P. Her work in the August: Osage County ensemble has been recognized by the Screen Actors Guild, the Hollywood Film Festival and several critics’ societies.

But Upham has been just as busy off the screen with professional and personal activities. She recently spoke with ICTMN about what she’s doing when she’s not making movies.Comment:  For more on Misty Upham, see Misty Upham on Filming Jimmy P. and Native Actresses in Cannes Competition.

Below:  "Misty Upham with her 'August: Osage County' co-star Juliette Lewis at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, where the cast of the film was nominated for the Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture award."

Sporsors quit Redskins golf tournament

Redskins foundation golf event loses sponsor in protest

By Brent SchrotenboerA major Native American organization has canceled its sponsorship of a charity golf tournament in Arizona on Saturday because it doesn't want to be associated with the event's title sponsor—the Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation.

The National Indian Gaming Association, a nonprofit that includes 184 Indian nations as members, made the decision to pull its sponsorship Friday after learning that the Redskins foundation was involved in the same event. Ernest Stevens, chairman of the National Indian Gaming Association, said his organization finds the NFL team's name to be offensive and is skeptical about the motives of the foundation recently started by Redskins owner Daniel Snyder.

"It's a blatant attempt to try to buy out the issue," Stevens told USA TODAY Sports.

The celebrity golf tournament in Chandler, Ariz., is to benefit Native American college students. Likewise, the stated mission of Snyder's foundation is to improve the lives of Native Americans. But some questioned whether Snyder started the foundation as a way to deflect criticism over his team's name.More developments came the following day:

Washington Redskins foundation loses another event sponsor

By Erik BradyThe Notah Begay III Foundation pulled its support from this weekend's Arizona golf tournament to benefit scholarships for Native American students when it learned the title sponsor was the Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation.

"I find it underhanded and despicable that the Washington football team would co-opt this event," Crystal Echo Hawk, NB3 foundation executive director, told USA TODAY Sports on Sunday. "As soon as we found out about their involvement we withdrew our support."

Begay, a four-time PGA Tour winner and an analyst with the Golf Channel, is Navajo, Isleta Pueblo and San Felipe Pueblo. He is a longtime critic of the Washington team name, which he called "a very clear example of institutionalized degradation" on ESPN last year.

Echo Hawk, who is Pawnee, said the NB3 Foundation was asked in February to donate silent auction items for a golf tournament to be held in Chandler, Ariz., this month; the foundation donated golf apparel.

When she found out Friday that Saturday's event was sponsored by the NFL team's foundation, she called the radio station that asked for the donation. Echo Hawk spoke to Tony Little, general manager of Arizona radio station KTNN, and demanded that NB3's name be removed from the event officially called the Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation (OAF) 1st Annual KTNN Celebrity Golf Tournament.

"The NB3 Foundation does not support the Redskins or its organization OAF," NB3 said in a statement. "We are adamantly opposed to the team's continued use of this derogatory name."Redskins Sponsorship Taints Navajo Golf Event, Other Sponsors Outraged

By Gale Courey ToensingThe National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA), the Notah Begay III Foundation (NB3), and the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise (NNGE) said they were approached by KTNN months ago to donate to the tournament to raise scholarship funds for Native college students, but they were not told of the Redskins OAF involvement and would not have participated if they had known about it.

The OAF’s involvement was discovered Friday on a flyer on KTNN’s website showing the OAF as the event’s primary sponsor and featuring NIGA, NB3 Foundation and the NNGE as other sponsors. NIGA and the NB3 Foundation immediately withdrew their participation and demanded that their names be removed from the publicity materials. The NB3 Foundation is a charitable organization that funds programs aimed at improving Native American health. NIGA is a non-profit organization that represents 184 tribal nations and advocates for Indian gaming in Washington and elsewhere, but it also provides scholarships for Native students through its own of Sovereignty Foundation and through donations to events like the golf tournament.

The event page on KTNN's website has been edited to reflect the lost sponsors.

“The Washington Redskins have found themselves an Indian,” NIGA Chairman Ernie Stevens Jr. said, referring to OAF Executive director Gary L. Edwards (Cherokee), “and through this Indian they’re going to try to buy off Indian country and attempt to convince Indian country that something so racist and so horrible [as the Redskins name] is okay and good. Indian country is not for sale and all the scholarships in the world are not going to buy an allegiance to racism.”And:By late Friday, KTNN’s Facebook page was smoldering with comments from Navajo citizens objecting to the KTNN-OAF partnership.

“This is wrong. I urge a reversal of this decision. Give the money back. Accepting this disgusting symbolism dishonors all of our Native people who died as the hands of those who used the symbol and pursued policies and practices of extermination! Shame on KTNN!” Shabah Nez wrote.

“Boycott KTNN!” Winona Dawn wrote.

Comments soon began to disappear from the page, as Nicholet Deschine noted. “Two sponsors have already withdrawn support from this event when KTNN only had to decline one sponsor, the Redsk*ns. The act of adding the Redsk*ns on as a sponsor at the last moment (or hiding the info from other sponsors), the withdrawal of sponsors who do not want involvement with the Redsk*ns, KTNN deleting comments on the FB page, RAISES concern on the intent of KTNN and the Redsk*ns to USE the guise of raising scholarship funds to further the Redsk*ns own agenda.”Comment:  Wow. If we can believe the reports, some major-league deception took place.

So the Redskins foundation (OAF) was the title sponsor? With a bold headline and an entire panel on the flyer? And presumably a large amount of signage at the event itself?

And no one thought to mention that to the other participants? Despite Indian country's well-known sensitivity, to put it mildly, to the ethnic slur? No one thought to ask if they were cool with supporting the Washington Redskins First Annual Golf Tournament?!

Sounds like KTNN, the Navajo president's office, or whoever arranged this event got the scorn they deserved. Talk about a PR nightmare. The organizers sabotaged the event's credibility, if not the event itself, by lying about its provenance.

Navajo Nation condemns "Redskins" name

Council opposes Redskins' nameThe Navajo Nation Council formally has opposed the use of the Washington Redskins name.

The council's committee of the whole voted 9-2 Thursday on the measure sponsored by lawmaker Joshua Lavar Butler. He says the word can have negative psychological effects on American Indians.

The statement of opposition also applies to what Butler says are disparaging references to American Indians in other professional sports franchises.

It does not apply to college or high school mascots. The mascot for at least one high school on the Navajo Nation is the Redskins.Navajo Nation Officially Joins Fight Against Redskins Mascot

By Gale Courey ToensingButler’s proposal was brought before the council in March, but it was tabled, because there were obstacles, including a generational challenge, he said. “The older generation may be desensitized to the negative impact of the racial slur. We did a lot of educating and answering their questions and so forth. It was a grassroots effort that helped us, as well--young people voicing their concerns to the council,” Butler said.

A lot of support came from young urban Navajo citizens living off the reservation, Butler said. “These are young Navajos working, going to school, being professionals--I received a lot of praise from that sector. They really applauded this effort and are very happy,” he said.

The Navajo Nation is believed to be the first Original Nation to formally adopt a resolution opposing the offensive name. Butler said his staff had researched the issue, working with the Nation’s Washington office and could find no tribal council acting on it, only national organizations or individual advocates. He recommends that other nations follow the Navajo council model. “I’ve offered the Navajo Nation’s approved resolution as a template to present before their councils and get a stamp of approval from their governments as well,” Butler said.Navajo lawmakers approve bill opposing offensive sports names

Thursday's legislation marks the first time Navajo Nation officials have weighed in on the debate

By Noel Lyn SmithBefore the bill's passage, committee members approved an amendment to remove any references the bill made to the Navajo Code Talkers Association.

The code talkers association was included in the bill after four members appeared at an NFL game between Washington and San Francisco in November. Some members have also met with executives from the Washington team.

Their appearance made some individuals in Indian Country think the Navajo Nation supports the use of such terms, Butler said in a previous interview.

After Speaker Pro Tem LoRenzo Bates certifies the bill, copies will be submitted to the National Congress of American Indians and to the Washington Redskins headquarters.Navajo Nation wants Washington Redskins name change

By Chris McKeeNew Mexico is now a player in the battle over changing the name of the Washington Redskins.

The Navajo Nation is the latest tribe to try to tackle the mascot controversy.

It’s a divisive topic in sports fandom. You either love the Washington Redskins name or hate it.

“It is offensive, very offensive,” said Chief George Tiger of the Muskogee Creek Nation.

UN official condemns "Redskins" name

UN Special Rapporteur Calls Washington NFL Team Offensive

‘Redskins’ Team mascot hurtful reminder of past suffering of Native AmericansIn a news release issued from Geneva, Switzerland, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, James Anaya, today called on the owners of the Washington Redskins Football team, to consider “the hurtful reminder that the term ‘redskins’ represents of the long history of mistreatment of Native American people in the United States.”

“While I am aware that there are some divergent views on this issue,” the human rights expert said, “I urge the team owners to consider that the term ‘redskin’ for many is inextricably linked to a history of suffering and dispossession. It is understood to be a pejorative and disparaging term that fails to respect and honour the historical and cultural legacy of the Native Americans in the US.”

The National Congress of American Indians, the oldest national American Indian organization in the United States, was quick to applaud Mr. Anaya’s statement.

“The United Nations is the latest to dispel the absurd claim by Washington’s football team and its owner Dan Snyder that the term ‘redskins’ honors Native Americans,” Oneida Indian Nation Representative Ray Halbritter and NCAI Executive Director Jackie Pata stated in the news release.

“This word is widely recognized throughout the globe as a racial slur. If the NFL wants to be a global brand that contributes to the positive image of the United States across the world, it needs to stop promoting this slur and change the name.”U.N. expert: Redskins' name 'hurtful' and 'disparaging'

By David SteeleAnaya, appointed to his U.N. position in 2008, is a professor of human rights law and policy at the University of Arizona. He operates independently of the U.N. and its member nations.

He cited the U.N.'s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and his own 2012 report on indigenous people in the United States, in which he said, “The use of stereotypes obscures understanding of the reality of Native Americans today and instead help to keep alive racially discriminatory attitudes.”

Snyder and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell have been under increasing pressure to change the name; last month, Snyder announced the formation of the Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation "to address the challenges that plague the Native American community,” he said in a much-criticized letter.

In January, Anaya met with members of the Oneida Indian Nation, who have been in the forefront of the name-change effort. The Oneida Nation and the National Congress of American Indians jointly applauded Anaya in a statement: “The United Nations is the latest to dispel the absurd claim by Washington's football team and its owner Dan Snyder that the term ‘redskins’ honors Native Americans."Oneida Indian Nation and National Congress of American Indians Applaud the UN for Condemning the Hurtful Name of Washington’s NFL Team

By Oneida Indian NationHuman rights expert and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples James Anaya today called the Washington NFL team’s current R-word team name a “hurtful reminder of past suffering of Native Americans.” The Oneida Indian Nation and its Change the Mascot campaign, as well as the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), are praising the UN for its powerful statement, which comes on the heels of Oneida Indian Nation Representative Ray Halbritter’s January meeting with the UN on the topic.

“The United Nations is the latest to dispel the absurd claim by Washington's football team and its owner Dan Snyder that the term ‘redskins’ honors Native Americans,” said Oneida Indian Nation Representative Ray Halbritter and NCAI Executive Director Jackie Pata. “This word is widely recognized throughout the globe as a racial slur. If the NFL wants to be a global brand that contributes to the positive image of the United States across the world, it needs to stop promoting this slur and change the name.”Comment:  For more on the UN Special Rapporteur, see Baby Veronica Case Violates Sovereignty and Pe'Sla Auction Canceled.

FSU unveils new uniforms

FSU officially unveils new logo, uniforms

FSU's three new uniform options are garnet, white and black

By Brendan SonnoneFSU unveiled its new logo and football uniforms Friday.

The fan base's initial response to the school's logo change--an altered version of the Seminole head that has been used since 1971--was generally negative when the new emblem was leaked earlier in the month.

But the hostility was seemingly negated when fans got a look at the new uniforms during Friday's "Ignition…Tradition" event. FSU had several players model the three new uniforms, which come in white, garnet and black. Jerseys and pants were matching colors.And:FSU approached Nike two years ago with the intent of rebranding the athletic department. The school cited a desire to use a consistent shade of garnet for all of its athletic wear and to create a logo that is easier to replicate as primary factors for making the changes.

Wilcox said the Seminole Tribe approved the logo change, as well as the additions to the football uniforms, which has the Seminole Tribe's symbols for arrow, man on horse and fire integrated into the sleeves and neckline of the uniform.

The helmet still has a spear on each side, but the spears now cross at the back.More photos of the new uniforms:

PHOTOS: Florida State unveils new look for 2014

FSU unveils new uniforms and logo

#IgnitionTradition: FSU Unveils New Uniforms

Comment:  I'd say the new uniforms are average.

The Seminole or Native-style elements around the neck and shoulders are nice in theory, but they're too small to be seen at a distance. The logo in the center of the chest is also too small.

The Nike swish is almost comical. The team is honoring Indians and tradition by selling out to a corporate sponsor.

But the real head-scratcher is the spears on the helmets. They reinforce the message that to FSU, Indians are nothing but savage spearchuckers.

For more on the subject, see FSU Updates Seminole Logo.

Heidi Klum accused of racism

More on the controversy launched in Heidi Klum's Redface Photo Shoot:

Heidi Klum faces ‘racism’ backlash over ‘redface’ Native American shoot: Germany’s Next Top Model issue apology

Production company behind the TV show has since apologised for causing offence

By Jenn SelbyHeidi Klum’s decision to promote a Native American-themed photoshoot, undertaken by the contestants she mentors on the 2014 series of Germany’s Next Top Model, sparked accusations of racism.

Outraged fans bombarded the gallery post on her official Facebook page, which showed 12 individual, black-and-white editorial shots of the models in training in full ‘redface’-–the name given to those who pose in stereotyped attempts at traditional Native American dress.

'Here are my beautiful girls!' the title on the post from Klum read.

"Thank you Heidi Klum and GNTM for contributing to the fetishization and hypersexualization of Native Women," one user wrote.

"WOW! That is absolutely disgusting and offensive. Ugly! Racist! Demeaning to our heritage, religion, culture… our nation,” another commented in German.But:Christoph Korfer, a spokesperson for Germany's Next Top Model production company ProSieben, has since told The Independent on behalf of Klum and the show: "We have nothing but the utmost esteem for the Native American culture and are so sorry if our shoot was offensive to anyone.

"By no means was our intention to insult Native Americans or in any way demean their heritage. We sincerely apologize."Heidi Klum Native American photo shoot receives calls of racism

By Regina AvalosHeidi Klum is in big trouble over a Native American photo shoot. The model is now being called racist because of a new photo shoot she posted on her Facebook page. The photo shoot features models from her reality television series "Germany's Next Top Model." On April 10, Shine Yahoo reported on the controversy surrounding the photo shoot, and it looks like Klum is losing fans.

Heidi Klum is one of the most beautiful women in the world. This is not the first time she has been in trouble because of a fashion choice though. She caused backlash with her choice of Halloween costume one year when she wore a costume of the Goddess Kali to her yearly Halloween party. Hindu people found the costume offensive, but she 'loved' her costume that year.

This new controversy surrounds a Facebook page post Heidi made back in March that is now only making the rounds of the media outlets. Now that people have noticed the Native American style photos, it is causing big controversy for the model. In the photos, models from the German reality series are posed and photographed as Native Americans.

People are now taking over the Facebook page with comments both supporting the photo shoot and blasting it because of its depiction of Native Americans. Comments have been made since April 9 about the photos and Klum's posting of them. People are not happy, but initial comments to the photos were positive. Now, Klum's photos are being attacked for their content. One commenter called the photos a 'fashion fail.'Heidi Klum Under Fire For Native American-Themed Photo Shoot! Do You Think This Is Acceptable?Some people have noted that Germans have had a long-standing fascination with Native American cultures. You can read more about it HERE! It's pretty interesting!

And this fascination with all things Native may explain why Heidi chose to incorporate this type of photo shoot into the show, although we don't think it excuses it.

At this point, there's really no reason why cultural appropriation should continue to take place, especially since Native people have raised qualms about it again and again.

It's high time to start listening to them.

Some defend Klum

But a few people didn't quite see the problem. One said Klum couldn't help being ignorant of US history because she was raised in Germany:

Heidi Klum: Bury My Art at Wounded Knee?

By Michael SmithApparently Native American’s are upset by Klum’s use of headdresses, and other things such as “war paint” and what appear to be lances, moccasins and “teepees” as well as other “Native American” motifs. While it is, as one Native American put it, insulting for women to be wearing headdresses that should only be worn by men, which could be seen as being sexist, is Heidi being deliberately racist in her, or whoever thought it up, choice for the photoshoot. Probably not.

Certainly Heidi Klum cannot be held completely responsible for the fashion debacle which could be labelled, “Bury my art at Wounded Knee.” Heidi is an American citizen who did not grow up in her adoptive country, and really how many of the younger generation are aware of what horrible things were done in the name of Manifest Destiny, so she can be excused for “her” mistake.Yeah, because Germany is way across the ocean and it takes months for fashion news to reach "the continent." Fashion news such as these items:

Chanel's stereotypical Indian-inspired fashions
"Cowboys and Indians" Beauty Showdown
Snoop Dogg in a headdress
Victoria Secret's model in a headdress
13 rock stars in headdresses

Then there's this:

Heidi Klum Native American Photo Racist? (PHOTO)

By Beth OwensSome people have expressed support for the stunningly beautiful mother of four children. They stated the obvious that the pictures were artistic, which affords the person a license for creativity.

They claimed that the doctrine of “racial appropriation” is ludicrous if it prevents someone of a different culture from exploring another. It may be a bit too soon to see if the political incorrect movement has met its Waterloo, but thankfully not everyone has turned against the model. For her part, she has stayed out of the discussion.To which I responded:

Klum and her models aren't "exploring another culture." They're mimicking an ignorant and false notion of what Native culture is. Indians have hundreds of cultures and none of them routinely wear headdresses, don facepaint, or live in tipis today.

Alessandra Ambrosio in a headdress

'Becoming more inspired for Coachella': Makeup-free Alessandra Ambrosio dons massive Native American headpiece for selfie

By Sarah Bull and Helen ZhaoAlessandra Ambrosio didn’t become a world renowned supermodel for nothing.

The 32-year-old showed she can make anything look good as she donned a massive Native American headpiece in a new snap she shared on Instagram Wednesday.

The Victoria’s Secret Angel captioned it, ‘Becoming more inspired for @coachella with this amazing Native American headpiece @jacquieaiche #feathers #festival #coachella #foreveronvacation #inspiration #cocar’

The headdress with its protruding feathers framed Alessandra’s chiselled make-up free face, as she gazed with a smouldering expression at the camera.

The Daily Mail didn't get the significance of this act, but others did:

Supermodel Uses Sacred Headdress to Get Totally Stoked for CoachellaBrazilian Victoria's Secret model Alessandra Ambrosio has courted controversy with an Instagram photo of herself wearing a massive feather headdress.

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, a music festival that takes place this weekend and next in Indio, California, is the biggest event of its kind. Native culture-watchers have also come to know it as ground zero of appropriation thanks to attendees' fondness for Native headdress--or "hipster headdress." Blogger Adrienne Keene brought up the trend in 2010 in a post titled "The Hipster Headdress Abounds at Coachella", which was cited the following year in a thread on the Coachella discussion board: "Hipsters In Headdresses; Don't Be That Guy."

It's also interesting to note that one might expect Ambrosio, as a Victoria's Secret model, to be more sensitive--she was one of the models who took the stage for the 2012 Victoria's Secret Fashion show in which Karlie Kloss wore a controversial feather headdress. Native protests ensued, and Kloss's turn on the catwalk in faux regalia was ultimately edited out of the TV broadcast.Alessandra Ambrosio Causes Controversy With Native American Headdress Instagram PhotoWhen will the fashion industry learn that dressing models up as Native Americans only leads to controversy and backlash? Victoria’s Secret Angel Alessandra Ambrosio is the latest to draw criticism from anti-racism advocates for a photo of herself in a Native American headdress posted to Instagram.

Many outraged fashion watchers left comments on the photo criticizing Ambrosio for wearing the headdress, citing cultural appropriation and disrespect to Native Americans, for whom the headdress has spiritual significance and means much more than a Coachella accessory.

“If you had any knowledge of the culture, you would know how disrespectful this is,” one commenter wrote.

“Please don’t. Be a role model and don’t mock Native American cultures by wearing a headdress. Please think about the people you’re hurting wearing this. Please do not wear this anywhere,” wrote another.Alessandra Ambrosio Wears Native American Headdress

By Madelyn ChungNot again! Alessandra Ambrosio is the latest celebrity to sport a Native American headdress as a fashion accessory.

The Victoria's Secret Angel (who turns 33 on April 11) wore the traditional headpiece in honour of The Coachella Arts and Music Festival (which coincidentally starts on the supermodel's birthday), posting a photo of it on her Instagram account.

She may be misguided, but she's right on trend as far as Coachella goes. Festival-goers are often seen sporting the Native American headpieces, which have been deemed the "hipster headdress."

The fashion world also has a bad reputation for using these sacred "war bonnets" as stylish accessories. H&M's offering was quickly pulled from Canadian shelves last year after receiving complaints from customers, and most recently, supermodel Heidi Klum received flak for dressing up her "Project Runway" contestants in "red face" and a feathered headpiece for a photo shoot.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Heidi Klum's Redface Photo Shoot and Cher in a Headdress, Again.

Humane Society doesn't oppose Inuit seal hunts

More on the story begun in "Sealfies" vs. Ellen's Selfie and continued in Throat Singer Threatened Over "Sealfie":

Humane Society says it doesn't oppose Inuit seal hunt

Donation to group by Ellen DeGeneres sparked #sealfie social media campaign"Commercial sealing advocates have long attempted to blur the lines between their globally condemned industry and the socially accepted Inuit subsistence hunt," Aldworth said in a statement Tuesday.

"Unlike Inuit sealers, commercial sealers almost exclusively target baby seals who are less than three months old. Inuit hunters kill seals primarily for meat," she said.

"Commercial sealers slaughter seal pups for their fur, dumping most of the carcasses at sea. Inuit sealers kill seals sporadically throughout the year, while commercial sealers often kill hundreds of thousands of seals in a matter of days or weeks."

Inuit have long maintained that any opposition to the seal hunt, commercial or otherwise, harms Inuit by destroying the market for seal furs. That's the reason Inuit launched a legal challenge against a European ban of seal products, even though that legislation included an exemption for seal products harvested by Inuit.

Inuit Answer Hollywood With Sealfie Photo Booths, Giant Group PicThe war of images over the seal hunt is going as epic as a Hollywood movie.

The indigenous land claims group Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) is running a photo booth on April 10 and staging a humongous group “sealfie” on Friday April 11 in protest of some celebrity activists' stance against the seal hunt. Meanwhile the Humane Society of the United States, which is the beneficiary of the donation generated by the famous photo tweeted from the Oscars by host Ellen DeGeneres, says it does not oppose the small, sustainable Inuit seal hunt, just the commercial one. The Inuit say that is not the point. They are using the attention to educate the world on their history and culture.And:For its part, the Humane Society of Canada says the Inuit have got it all wrong and are protesting something that the group never objected to.

“We have never opposed the Inuit subsistence seal hunt that occurs in Canada’s North,” said Humane Society International/Canada executive director Rebecca Aldworth in a statement on April 8. “Animal protection groups oppose the commercial seal slaughter, which occurs in Atlantic Canada and is almost entirely conducted by non-aboriginal people.”

But to put it in these terms is to completely misunderstand the significance of the seal hunt and the role it plays in Inuit relations with the world, NTI leaders said.

“Various animal rights groups now say they do not oppose the Inuit seal hunt because it is sustainable and humane and provides food and clothing for people,” said NTI CEO James Arreak in a statement. “It is true that Nunavut’s seal hunt is humane and sustainable. It is also a commercial harvest. Inuit sell sealskins and seal products.”Below:  "About 30 people gathered in Iqaluit two weeks ago to shoot a pro-seal hunting #sealfie to protest a $1.5 million donation from funds raised by Ellen DeGeneres's Oscar selfie to the Humane Society of the United States, an organization that fights seal hunting." (Emily Ridlington/CBC)