#ChangeTheName #changethemascot #NotYourMascot #dc #WashingtonDC #art #streetart #HonorTheTreaties pic.twitter.com/tE6m0iOddh
— Gregg Deal (@the_lame_sauce) April 6, 2014Al Jazeera interviews artist Gregg Deal on his mural that takes on the Washington professional football team's racist mascot:
What compelled you to make the mural? What did you want to achieve through it? My desire was to say something that hasn't been said, including a perspective not brought to the table. Everyone wants to make this an 80-year issue, but it's not. It's a 522-year issue. The issues that are being talked about with the football issue actually span back to 1492. So to put into perspective an American Genocide, something any indigenous person would tell you is a real thing, and juxtaposing that with the ridiculous notion of 'honor' or 'reconciliation' through racial slurs and gross misrepresentation of indigenous people through caricatures seemed the right thing to do. What do you think about Dan Snyder's Original Americans Foundation? I think Snyder's new organization reeks of desperation. His gifts, while helpful in the short term, are about as meaningful as giving presidential medals to starving Indian chiefs in the 1800s or rotting meat to starving Natives during the reservation era. He cares about indigenous people only so far as he can buy them off. We are as important to him as the ants on the sidewalk leading up to FedExField.Get the Story:
'Beyond 140': Indigenous artist Gregg Deal on 'Redskins' name controversy (Al Jazeera 4/9) Also Today:
In Edgewood, an “American Genocide” Mural Takes Aim at the Pigskins (The Washington City Paper 4/9) An Opinion:
Rusty Humphries: Teach the Washington Redskins a lesson — with Apaches, Tomahawks and Blackhawks (The Washington Times 4/10) Related Stories:
Brian Cladoosby: Foundation won't fix Indian Country's problems (4/7)
David Treuer: Dan Snyder emerges as yet another 'Indian giver' (04/03)
Dan Snyder starts Redskinz.Com to reach out to Indian Country (4/1)
Ted Quasula: Gary Edwards is wrong to capitalize on a racist slur (4/1)
Peter MacDonald defends racist mascot at Navajo Nation Council (4/1)
Former director of NMAI calls team's foundation 'bait and switch' (4/1)
BIA acknowledges 'failed' contract with head of team's foundation (3/31)
Column: Omaha Tribe gets odd gift from Washington team owner (3/31)
Omaha Tribe: 'No strings attached' to donation from foundation (3/28)
Head of Original Americans Foundation tied to BIA misspending (3/28)
Gyasi Ross: Football team owner offers 'hush money' on mascot (3/28)
Senate majority leader predicts Washington team name change (3/28)
Colbert Report: Washington team extends olive branch to tribes (3/27)
Opinion: About that letter from Washington football team owner (3/27)
Cherokee man serves as CEO of 'Original Americans Foundation' (3/26)
Column: Dan Snyder's new charity comes with strings attached (3/26)
Editorial: Helping Native people means changing racist mascot (3/26)
NCAI calls foundation a 'publicity stunt' by football team owner (3/25)
Football team owner announces 'Original Americans Foundation' (3/25)
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