DENVER | Gov. John Hickenlooper created a commission Tuesday to discuss the use of Native American mascots at Colorado high schools.
The group, which was created by executive order, will include tribes, local community members and state agencies to find common ground on the use of mascots that could be disrespectful, said Ernest House Jr., executive director of the Colorado Office of Indian Affairs.
The Denver Post reported (https://goo.gl/UvAUyc ) that in the last legislative session, a bill that would have required tribal approval for public schools to continue using Native American mascots passed in the Democrat-led state House but was killed by a Republican-led Senate committee.
The bill would have created a subcommittee in the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs to review the use of potentially offensive mascots. The subcommittee or a tribe would have had the power to approve Native American mascots, or the schools would be given two years to stop the use of the mascot or risk a $25,000-a-month fine.
Hickenlooper’s order does not include penalties.
“This is a different approach to having that discussion,” House said.
The commission is expected to hold public meetings once a month in communities that have Native American mascots.
Its purpose is to allow tribes and schools to work together the way Arapahoe High School in Centennial worked with its namesake tribe in 1993 and 1994 to preserve the Warrior mascot and make sure its representation is dignified and historically accurate.
Colorado is home to such mascots as the Lamar High School Savages, the Eaton Reds, the Frederick Warriors and several schools called the Indians, including Arickaree, Yuma, Montrose, Kiowa and Loveland.
“This is an effort to bring people and communities together through dialogue about the issue of American Indian mascots,” Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia said. “Open, honest dialogue, free from the threat of penalties, can result in new paths forward and avoid future deadlock.”
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Information from: The Denver Post, https://www.denverpost.com
Doesn’t the Looper have more important thing to do than to look for a problem. The State, once they distribut tax money to the schools should go sit in a corner of a State building and let the local schools determine their own mascot.
Just remember Oklahoma was derived from two “Native American” words that mean red and man. Lets start there, then move on to State names for areas that have “Native American” names. Let the Lt. Gov. have an “open and honest dialogue” with this State issues.
Really! Hickenlooper is the most inarticulate individuals I have ever seen. I have yet to see him have an original thought, let alone form a complete sentence without stopping to think about what he just said. I am embarrassed that he is the governor if Colorado. He is a laughing stock to most people inside as well as outside of this state. And now this. Obviously, there is not enough going on around this state to garner the attention of the governors office!
Another attempt by totalitarian progressives to erase history. American Indian culture 120+ years ago was not noble. It was savage and animalistic. Those are the facts. I lack respect for anyone who holds up that past culture as a good. This is no different than banning the teaching of the National Socialist Holocaust of the 1940’s.
Mascots are not chosen as an insult or to demean the subject. They are chosen to reflect a community’s history, a respected or admirable people or thing, or some other benevolent recognition. After all, has anyone ever chosen Nazis or Soviets as a mascot?
The word “Indian” is a misnomer, (as is the phrase “Native American”) but it is historically the name Europeans used for indigenous people. Indigenous people called themselves in their languages by their tribal names, not as a homogenous continental group.
The only reason this is an issue is because Progressives operate on their feelings of white guilt.
Another important problem solved by government. I will sleep better tonight.