"After more than 30 years of protesting the use of Indians as mascots for America’s sporting teams activists such as myself, Charlene Teters, Michael Haney and Vernon Bellecourt have seen more steps backward than forward, but it is fight we will never relinquish.

Haney, who is part Seminole, is terribly bothered by the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s acceptance of the Seminole mascot at Florida State University.

How can a tribe think it is all right to allow non-Indians to desecrate that which is Indian? The painted faces and feathered heads of the FSU sports fans is not only a disgusting display of racism every Saturday, it is also degrading to the Indian people.

The proud Seminole Nation also appears to support the bastardization of its name. T-shirts and sweatshirts at the football games all display the word “Noles” instead of Seminoles. Do tribal members now call themselves 'Noles?'

I, for one, can no longer watch a football game in which FSU participates. The entire game is filled with insults to the Indian people. The Grade B Western song the student body chants about every five minutes of the game is maddening."

Get the Story:
Tim Giago: Donning feathers and paint for the television camera (The Native American Times 7/18)

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