"Proud to Be"

[handmade34]

[annm4peace]

1. Very powerful and thank you

I work near Little Earth in Minneapolis, MN which is about 3 miles from the Metrodome.
My cousin lives across the street from the American Indian Center. The area has a large Native American population in this area.
Mixed in with was a immigrant population.

At my work is over 3000 employees, and vast majority white. Several people I work with are from SD, ND, MT.
When I invited my coworkers to join the march from the American Indian Center to the Metrodome.. I had to hear how they had native american friends that didn't have a problem with the name Redskin or Fighting Sioux. .. couldn't even try to discuss with them. They were so defensive and I was outnumbered.

I'm from California and mostly grew up with latinos and a very small native population, so I'm in awe of the large and diverse native population in MN and admire the different cultural events that go on in the neighborhood and up north near Leech Lake where my cousin's family lives.

To me it has always been outrages that the teams, whether high school, college or pro, wouldn't change their name. It is oppressor holding on to superiority issues. If it was about economic issues than the colleges and pro teams would realize they could sell more merchandise if they changed the names.

I was really outraged when the NFL commissioner said that "the Redskin name honors the Native Americas" What a racist, arcane asshole he is. I posted the article and my response on my facebook.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=715107

[handmade34]

2. a few years ago

some of the Native American population here in Vermont (Abenaki) protested the name used by our small local high school... the school refused to change the name...


http://www.vpr.net/episode/53561/recognizing-vermonts-abenaki/