And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 19:58:29 EDT Subject: cleveland mlb protest For Immediate Release The American Indian Movement of Florida (Florida AIM) will hold demonstrations in front of Tropicana Field in Saint Petersburg on August 6th (6:00 pm), August 7th(5:30 pm) and August 8th (12 noon) athe 4th AVE S and 16th street S entrances to Tropicana Field. The protests will last until the game is over. WE ASK ALL HUMAN BEINGS TO JOIN US IN OUR STAND AGAINST THE USE OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AS A SPORTS MASCOT. AIM and the National Coalition on Racism in Sports and Media have spearheaded the campaign against the use of Indigenous peoples as a sports mascot. AIM has specifically challenged the Cleveland baseball team since 1969. AIM's national leadership participated in the effort to eradicate the trademark protections of the Washington football team, and plan to extend that successful effort to the Cleveland team. The use of Indigenous peoples as a sports mascot trivializes and degrades Indigenous peoples cultures, and spiritualities in a circus like atmosphere. There are no Cleveland Blackskins acting in a manner that stereotypically depicts African people and culture. There are no Cleveland Catholics in which the "Pope" does the lambada with a "Nun" tossing communion wafers on the field while the crowd does a rousing rendition of the Crucifix Chop replete with a mock Gregorian chant. Yet the dominant society feels free to degrade and trivialize Indigenous peoples and culture/. Indian peoples are a living breathing peoples and cultures, not a sports mascot for America's fun and games. As we end the millenium it is time to end this symbol of American racism.
