California: Native Americans face violence over mascot removal

Contact:
Mark Anquoe
American Indian Movement - West
(415) 566-5788
gazelbe@yahoo.com
http://www.aimwest.info


Corine Fairbanks
American Indian Movement – Santa Barbara
(805) 212-4947
corine68@yahoo.com
http://www.myspace.com/aimsantabarbara

Native Americans Face Violence and Intimidation Over Mascot Removal in Carpinteria

CARPINTERIA, California - The small town of Carpinteria, California is the latest battleground in Native Americans’ fight against racism. The controversy over a supposedly “harmless” high school sports mascot has alienated the Native American population of Carpinteria, who have come to fear violent reprisals from the non-Native community.

The Carpinteria “Warriors” mascot is the standard Indian chief stereotype, complete with generic plains-style war bonnet and stoic gaze. The school logo consists of a spear with dangling feathers; a visual symbol also associated with plains Indian cultures. Last spring, 15 year old Chumash youth Eli Cordero voiced his objections to the use of this stereotypical imagery by Carpinteria High School. On April 22nd, 2008, he brought his concerns before the school board which then voted to retire the use of all Native American imagery.

Since the April 2008 decision, many citizens of Carpinteria have waged a campaign of terror against those who supported the school board’s decision, as well as the school board itself. A local businessman placed a quarter-page ad in the local newspaper explicitly naming and targeting Eli Cordero, the young student who originally brought the issue to the school board. Since that time, the 15 year old has received death threats and his family has been harassed. Death threats were also made against the child of a school board member who voted to remove the imagery. Local police began escorting school board members to and from school board meetings. Some citizens of Carpinteria shouted racial epithets at John Orendorff, a Native American Army Reserve colonel who spoke at a school board meeting in favor of removing the racist imagery.

Some Native American people have moved out of Carpinteria due to the climate of fear and anti-Indian sentiment. Ashleigh Brown, until recently a resident of Carpinteria, spoke of her decision to move away, “There is a community member who refused to do our printing for our cultural awareness event. Her son…started telling my roommate to keep my nose out of Carpinteria issues, or else I might regret it…So after other townspeople found out where I lived I decided to move out of Carpinteria.”

An organization called “Recall CUSD - Warrior Spirit Never Dies” (http://www.recallcusd.org), has waged a largely successful campaign to discredit and oust the school board members who supported the anti-mascot measure. Having successfully installed pro-mascot sympathizers on the school board, there is now a petition to rescind the earlier decision and keep the racist imagery at the public high school. On January 27th, local Native American people organized a protest to voice their objection to the measure, and were met with verbal abuse by drivers and passers-by. One protestor was hit with a rock thrown by an adult man shouting obscenities. This occurred despite the presence of a representative of the federal justice department, who was sent from Los Angeles to ensure proper police conduct and the safety of the demonstrators. Many local Native Americans, while supporting the anti-mascot effort, refused to join the protest, fearing violent reprisals by the townspeople.

The next school board meeting in Carpinteria is scheduled for February 10th. At this meeting the board will hear from a committee which was formed to assess each specific Native American image on display at Carpinteria High School. The school board is then expected to adjourn until February 24th, when the vote to rescind the previous ruling will be held. Protests and counter-protests are expected at both board meetings.

Carpinteria School Board to vote on racist mascot

In Carpinteria, where a 15-year-old Chumash received death threats after taking action for removal of a racist mascot, the school board votes to reinstate the mascot on Tuesday

Contact: Mark Anquoe, American Indian Movement - West, gazelbe@yahoo.com
http://www.aimwest.info
Corine Fairbanks, American Indian Movement – Santa Barbara, corine68@yahoo.com http://www.myspace.com/aimsantabarbara

By Mark Anquoe and Corine Fairbanks

CARPINTERIA, California (March 16, 2009) – On Tuesday, March 17, the school board of Carpinteria, California will meet to vote whether or not to rescind their own 2008 decision to remove all imagery that stereotypes Native American peoples from Carpinteria High School. Tuesday’s vote is the climax of a conflict that began almost a year ago when 15-year-old Chumash youth Eli Cordero petitioned the Carpinteria district school board to change the school mascot which he and the local Native community find offensive and racist.

Since the April 2008 decision, many citizens of Carpinteria have waged a campaign of intimidation against those who supported the school board’s decision, as well as the school board itself. Over the past year, the Native American community in Carpinteria has endured multiple death threats, violent harassment and the public targeting of children. The conflict in Carpinteria has attracted the attention of national media as well as the Federal Department of Justice.

A May 2008 school board meeting in Carpinteria was moved from the 40-seat city hall to the high school gymnasium, ostensibly to allow for “greater public participation”. However, the move created what the Native American community viewed to be a contrived situation designed for maximum intimidation. Board meeting participants from Carpinteria’s small Native American minority were shouted down during their attempts to speak by the overwhelming non-Native crowd. Native people also endured racial slurs and taunting and were spit upon as they entered and exited the building. This Tuesday’s school board meeting has been again moved to the high school gymnasium and local Native people fear a repeat of the threatening tactics and humiliation they endured at the May 2008 meeting.

Coalition Against Racism in Education (C.A.R.E.) will hold a prayer ceremony and rally at Carpinteria High School at 4pm on Tuesday, March 17th, shortly before the school board meeting. C.A.R.E. demands that the previous decision be upheld in accordance with official positions on Native American mascots published by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, the National Education Association, the American Psychological Association and the National Collegiate Athletic Association, among others.

Fifteen-year-old Chumash receives death threats in California town

Fifteen-year-old Chumash receives death threats in California town

Backlash to opposing mascots exposes racism in coastal California town

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com

CARPINTERIA, Calif. – A 15-year-old Chumash youth received death threats because he urged his high school to eliminate sports mascots which are degrading and mock Native Americans and their culture.

After those deaths were reported to police in this small coastal town, 90 minutes north of Los Angeles, police took no action and said the death threats were not credible.

Mark Anquoe, Kiowa from Oklahoma and member of the American Indian Movement, said it is inexcusable for police not to take death threats of a student seriously.

Speaking on Red Town Radio, Anquoe said it is surprising with the number of shootings in schools in the United States, such as Colombine, that this death threat was not taken seriously.

“You would think a death threat made to a student would be investigated and disciplinary action would be taken,” Anquoe said of the youth, whose name is not published here because he is a minor.

“The Indian people in this tiny community are vastly outnumbered. You saw this one young person stand up when he felt his people were being dishonored and this was the price that is being paid for speaking up,” Anquoe said.

“It didn’t fall into their legal definition of what a threat is,” said Corine Fairbanks, Lakota and member of the American Indian Movement, living in Santa Barbara near Carpinteria.

Fairbanks said the high school here was one of the last schools in the area to be desegregated. “It has a history of being really resistant to change.”

The area is home to the Chumash people and the federally recognized Santa Ynez and state recognized Chumash near Malibu.

Fairbanks said the issues came to the forefront after the Chumash youth was disturbed by the mascot. When he received an assignment to explore “Be the change you want to see in the world,” he chose to take on the challenge of exposing the degrading images of sports mascots.

After taking the issue to the school board, the "Warriors" mascot was removed. However, what followed revealed that the racism in the United States which is often believed to be confined to pockets, like in the south or in bordertowns around Indian Nations in the west, was manifested in this central coastal California.

A fierce reaction followed from some residents in the city of Carpinteria, joined by some alumni and some of the students. They formed an organization, “Warrior spirit will never die,” and opposed the young man’s efforts and those who supported him.

The virulent opposition even went on to recall a school board member who supported the Chumash youth. The organization followed with intimidation and harassment of the youth, his family and those who allied themselves.

Anquoe said what happened in Carpinteria makes it clear that some people believe that Indians should be involved only as a matter of token diversity, and only so long as they keep quiet. Indians are seen as a “good luck charm,” for a sport’s team.

“As soon as a real flesh and blood Indian stands up and says, ‘I deserve to be treated like a human being.’ You see this huge crazy maniacal backlash from the citizens in this little town.”

Anquoe said the backlash to this one young man standing up in Carpinteria has rallied widespread support from the American Indian Movement and AIM California Indians.

Red Town Radio host Brenda Golden, Muscogee from Oklahoma, sent a message to those who want to honor American Indian culture: Don’t make fun of our culture.

Anquoe said young American Indians in public schools are affected deeply when they see signs that say” Scalp the Indians,” “Kill the Indians,” and watch Indians burned in effigy.

Fairbanks said some in the area attempt to say they are honoring Native Americans with mascot images. She points out, however, that the war bonnet and other symbols are primarily Plains style, while the Chumash in this area have a different culture.

Fairbanks said public schools receive tax dollars to teach the truth. It is time to put away the Hollywood images and mascots, she said.

“It doesn’t honor the Chumash people.”

Further, Anquoe said the backlash has been so serious that Indian people have been forced to move out of town and move out of school districts. Similar situations are happening all over the country, as people put forth the images of “clown Indians.”

Anquoe said one of the reasons that people in the United States put out these ridiculous images is because they do not want to deal with the “uncomfortable truths” of the real history of American Indians in this country.

With the image of mascots revealing this dark side of racism in America, Anquoe said Americans have to face and teach the real history of American Indians.

UPDATE: You can email the Carpinteria School Board at:

Terry Hickey Banks tbanks@cusd.net Lou Panizzon lpanizzon@cusd.net Alex Pulido apulido@cusd.net
Leslie Deardorff ldeardorff@cusd.net Beverly Grant bgrant@cusd.net
The 1st three board members still seem to be in favor of retaining the imagery; the latter two already voted for removal. It will be revoted on 3-17-09.

Listen to this radio show at Red Town Radio:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/RedTownRadio

Press statements by Mark Anquoe and Corine Fairbanks
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/search?q=Carpinteria

Read more:
http://www.indianz.com/board/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=36124

Native Americans Protest Reinstatement of Racist Mascot

Contact: Mark Anquoe, American Indian Movement - West
(415) 566-5788 gazelbe@yahoo.com
http://www.aimwest.info/
Corine Fairbanks American Indian Movement – Santa Barbara (805) 212-4947
corine68@yahoo.com
http://www.myspace.com/aimsantabarbara

Native Americans Protest Reinstatement of Racist Mascot
By Mark Anquoe and Corine Fairbanks

CARPINTERIA, California – The Carpinteria based Coalition Against Racism in Education (C.A.R.E.) will hold a rally and protest outside of Carpinteria City Hall on Tuesday, February 10th at 4:30 pm. That evening, the Carpinteria district school board will continue to hear arguments regarding a petition to rescind its own April 2008 decision to remove the Native American sports imagery at Carpinteria High School. C.A.R.E. demands that the previous decision be upheld in accordance with official positions on Native American mascots published by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, the National Education Association, the American Psychological Association and the National Collegiate Athletic Association, among others.

The demonstration is also being held to draw attention to the threats and intimidation against the Native American community that have become commonplace since the 2008 ruling. Supporters of the racist mascot have made multiple death threats against Eli Cordero, the 15 year old Chumash youth who originally petitioned the school board to remove the imagery. A child of one of the supporting school board members was also targeted, prompting the child’s transfer to another school. No one has been charged with making the threats, as police have refused to recognize any “credible threat”. Those who publicly support the mascot’s removal have been refused service at local restaurants, harassed in their homes and even pursued into and accosted at their churches.

Protest organizers expect aggressive opposition at the Tuesday rally. At a protest on January 27th, the Federal Department of Justice sent an agent from their Los Angeles office to ensure proper police protection of demonstrators. Previous protests have been met with mascot supporters shouting racist epithets, spitting, and throwing rocks.

Although the Carpinteria school board will hear arguments on Tuesday, it is not expected to vote on the matter until February 24th. C..A.R.E is also organizing a rally and march on that date.

Censored News Blog Radio

Mark Anquoe, Kiowa, AIM, El Salvador and Carpinteria
Mark Anquoe of the American Indian Movement speaks on the elections in El Salvador and the racist mascots in Carpinteria, Calif, where a 15-year-old Chumash boy received death threats after opposing the offensive images. (10 min)

Tohono O'odham: Militarization of the border
Listen to Mike Flores, Tohono O'odham, describe the increased militarization of the border and human rights abuses by border agents, acting in complicity with the tribal government. Flores is introduced by Mark Anquoe, Kiowa. Flores and Anquoe, of the American Indian Movement, spoke at the Anarchist Book Fair in San Francisco March 14. Recorded by Censored News. (60 min)

UN Action Western Shoshone:
Julie Fishel Bill of the Western Shoshone Defense Project describes the United Nations actions to protect Western Shoshone Territory, including CERD action (60 min)

Defending Sacred Mountains and Lakes
Manny Pino, Acoma Pueblo, speaks on defending Zuni Salt Lake, San Francisco Peaks and Mount Taylor (45 min)

Carrie Dann and Manny Pino
Radley Davis, Pit River, presents Carrie Dann, Western Shoshone, and Manny Pino, Acoma Pueblo, with Human Rights Defenders Awards. Carrie speaks on respect for one's self and Manny speaks on uranium mining. (70 minutes with 20 min end music)

Indigenous Defenders Sacred Places
Northern California Natives Ann Marie Sayers, Radley Davis and Mark LeBeau speak on protecting sacred lands. Carrie Dann speaks on protecting sacred Mount Tenabo from Barrick Gold Mining. (90 min)

CENSORED NEWS BLOG RADIO
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Brenda-Norrell

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Race and Racism: John Trudell speaks in Santa Barbara

SYMPOSIUM ON RACE AND RACISM @ UCSB

INDIGENOUS SYMPOSIUM ON RACE AND RACISM at University California Santa Barbara
This WEEKEND!
November 13th-15th, 2009

Key Note Address by

John Trudell, Lakota Activist, Writer and Musician

Following recent events surrounding the Carpinteria High School mascot vote, the UCSB Nexus Newspaper, the lack of an Indigenous/Native American Indian Studies department at UCSB and low enrollment, students are organizing this Symposium to address race and racism affecting local Indigenous communities, especially in the areas of education.

Sessions will be on racism regarding mascots, sacred sites, and education, including religious and identity persecution effecting urban and rural communities. The Symposiums goal is to bridge conversation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous, academic and traditional knowledge, and tribal nations and organizations, in addressing historic and contemporary issues and solutions facing our nations today.

Event is Free, donations of $5.00 per meal is requested.

For more information and registration, please contact: Monique Sonoquie at sonoquie@hotmail.com or (805) 403-6744


Tentative Schedule-
November 13th and 14th, 2009

FRIDAY Student Resource Center Building
4:00-4:50 Sessions 1 American Indian Movement Santa Barbara Community Activism-Mascot/Holidaze CR1
5:00-5:50 Sessions 2 Manolo Callahan (Chicano/UCSB ) Decolonial Methodologies and Epistemologies CR1
6:00-6:50 Dinner
7:00-7:50 Sessions 4 Deana Dartt-Newton (Chumash, U of W) Museum and Mission Representation MPR
8:00-9:00 Session 5 Film Gold Greed and Genocide, Monique Sonoquie (Chumash) Environmental Racism MPR

SATURDAY Student Resource Center Building
9:00 -9:30 Registration Continental Breakfast SRC
9:30-10:25 Session 6 Keshan Lara (Yurok, ASU ), The Human Way MPR
10:30-11:25 Session 7 Hulleah J. Tsinhnahjinnie (Seminole/Muskogee/Dine' Nations), Images and Mascots MPR
11:30-12:25 Keynote John Trudell (Lakota) Indigenous Race and Racism MPR
12:30-1:25 Lunch Salads, Beans and Sandwiches SRC
1:30-2:25 Session 8 Stan Rodriguez (Kumiai Community College) Borders Crossing Us, Cut in Half MPR
2:30-3:25 Session 9 Liz Garcia (Chumash/Native Youth Resource Center) AlterNative Education MPR
3:30-4:25 Session 10 Laura Wass (Mt. Maidu/Many Lightings/AIM) Indigenous Academia MPR
4:30-5:25 Session 11 FuiFuiLupe Niumeitoulu (UCB, Tongan) Building Indigenous Sisterhood SRC
5:30-6:25 Dinner
6:30-8:30 Session 12 Film In the Light of Reverence/ Caleen Sisk Franco (Winnemem Wintu) Spiritual Racism MPR

Schedule subject to change.
Monique Sonoquie at sonoquie@hotmail.com or (805) 403-6744

University of California Berkeley leads U.S. in Native Grave Robbing

Photo Penn State Museum

University of California Berkeley leads U.S. in Native Grave Robbing. Long History of Grave Robbing by Museums Revealed in NAGPRA Notices.

By Brenda Norrell

Censored News

The University of California Berkeley has the largest number of unreturned human remains of Native Americans, in violation of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.

Further, recent notices in the Federal Register reveal that grave robbing resulted in large numbers of Arikara, Mandan, and Hidatsa, Miwok, Pueblo, Shawnee, Arapaho, Siletz, and others being harbored for decades by museums across the United States.

UC Berkeley has Native remains from every county in Arizona and Utah where the Navajo Nation is located.