-Caveat Lector- ------- Forwarded message follows ------- Date sent: Fri, 31 Aug 2001 14:46:06 -0400 (EDT) To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: LP RELEASE: Sports team names From: Libertarian Party Announcements <owner- [EMAIL PROTECTED]> Send reply to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- =============================== NEWS FROM THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY 2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Suite 100 Washington DC 20037 World Wide Web: http://www.LP.org =============================== For release: August 31, 2001 =============================== For additional information: George Getz, Press Secretary Phone: (202) 333-0008 Ext. 222 E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] =============================== Government should end its jihad against Indian sports team names WASHINGTON, DC -- A decision by Maryland's Montgomery County school board to prohibit the use of sports team names like Indians and Warriors -- and investigations by the U.S. Justice Department into whether such names create a "racially hostile environment" -- is proof that political correctness has trumped civil liberties, says the Libertarian Party. "There is no sensitivity exception to the First Amendment," said the party's national director, Steve Dasbach. "The fact that some Native Americans are offended by some Indian-themed sports team names does not give the government the right to prohibit such names. "As long as we have a First Amendment in this country, the government should shut down its Department of Hurt Feelings -- and get off the warpath on the issue of Indian sports team names." This week, the Montgomery County school board ordered Poolesville High School to stop calling its sports teams the "Indians." The decision was made, said school board superintendent Jerry Weast, to "support every child in a way that they feel supported." But that's only one example of the anti-Indian sports team name hysteria that's sweeping the country: * In April, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights called for an end to Indian-themed sports team names, arguing that they are "disrespectful and offensive" to Native Americans. * In 2000, the U.S. Census Bureau announced that professional athletes who promote the Census could not be referred to by their Indian-named teams. For example, an athlete from the Cleveland Indians would be called a member of "Cleveland's professional baseball team." * In 1999, the Department of Justice launched an investigation of Erwin High School in Asheville, North Carolina to determine if its sports teams -- named the Warriors and the Squaws -- created a "racially hostile environment." Had D.O.J. lawyers decided to prosecute, the school could have lost $8 million in federal funds. Ironically, the jihad against such names is going on even while many Native Americans don't mind -- or actually endorse -- such names. For example, in New York, the Seneca nation tribal council passed a resolution supporting the Salamanca High School Warriors, while in Florida, Seminole tribal leaders have endorsed the name "Seminoles" by Florida State University. Given the genuine difference of opinion on this issue, even among Indian leaders, what should be done? Here's a suggestion from Dasbach: How about letting schools decide -- without government interference or pressure? "Schools, whether public or private, are capable of making decisions about what to call their sports teams, based on the wishes of students and parents, the opinions of fans, the school's history and traditions, and the viewpoints of ethnic and racial groups," he said. "They don't need government bureaucrats -- or Department of Justice lawyers -- making those decisions based on political correctness." And for schools that are forced to eliminate Indian names, Dasbach said he had some thoughts about possible replacement names. "If government bureaucrats want to get into the business of determining sports team names, let's name the teams after them," he suggested. "How about a team named the Busy-Body Bureaucrats? The Lying Politicians? Or the Jack-Booted Thugs?" Of course, he would withdraw those suggestions if politicians found them disrespectful or offensive, said Dasbach. "We do want to support every politician in a way that they feel supported," he said. All levity aside, Dasbach acknowledged that since he is not personally a Native American, he cannot judge whether some Native Americans are genuinely distressed by some team names. "I don't doubt that some Native Americans feel these team names belittle their culture and ethnic identity," he said. "That is regretful. It would be nice to live in a world where no individual ever felt demeaned or slighted. But that's separate from the question of whether the government should be involved in this debate." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- The Libertarian Party http://www.lp.org/ 2600 Virginia Ave. NW, Suite 100 voice: 202-333-0008 Washington DC 20037 fax: 202-333-0072 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- For subscription changes, please use the WWW form at: http://www.lp.org/action/email.html Alternatively, you may also send a message to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> with just the word "subscribe" or "unsubscribe" in the subject line. ------- End of forwarded message ------- -- Best wishes A just government, one that is working for the people, need not fear the people's encrypted conversations. 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