A CALL TO ACTION!
AIM-WEST issues a Call to Action against use of Racist Logo of Cleveland Indians,
Oakland Coliseum
On Friday, April 20th through the 22nd, the American Indian Movement-WEST (AIM-
WEST), a San Francisco based human rights and non-profit organization, will be calling on all
friends and supporters who stand in solidarity with the American Indian community. We will
raise our voices against the use of the racist images of an American Indian as a mascot. Join us at a public rally, taking place as the Cleveland Indians play the Oakland A’s.
Indians are humans, not mascots!
AIM-WEST calls on the Cleveland Indians team management and the National Baseball
League (NBL) to immediately change its current racist team logos under the NBL
administration. The caricature of the Cleveland team logo is a stereo-typical Indian person in
red pigmentation, with a large nose, and exaggerated teeth, and with a feather behind its head.
This disgusting image perpetuates racism against Indigenous peoples and their way of life.
Indeed, it institutionalizes this heinous practice and brings no honor to the original peoples of
these lands. It must, therefore, be retired for it dehumanizes American Indian communities.
Additionally, AIM-WEST considers it a violation of our human dignity included in the
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (DRIP) adopted by the General Assembly in 2007.
Article # 8 of the DRIP specifically states:
1. Indigenous peoples and individuals have the right not to be subjected to forced assimilation or destruction
of their culture.
2. States shall provide effective mechanisms for prevention of, and redress for;
a. Any action which has the aim or effect of depriving them of their dignity as distinct peoples, or of their
cultural values or ethnic identities;
b. Any action which has the aim of effect of dispossessing them of their lands, territories or resources;
c. Any form of forced population transfer which has the aim or effect of violating or undermining any of
their rights;
d. Any form of forced assimilation or integration;
e. Any form of propaganda designed to promote or incite racial or ethnic discrimination directed against them.
Further, AIM-WEST calls for resolution from the City of Oakland, as well as the City of
San Francisco, to officially declare their support concerning American Indian people’s right to
their culture and dignity and to oppose any further use of any human beings as mascots in sports and entertainment. The Bay Area city governments must stand together and not allow
compliance in perpetuating this form of institutional racism, for purposes of generating revenues by ticket sales and merchandizing at Indigenous people’s cultural expense.
Indigenous peoples will neither accept tactics and gestures, nor forms of benevolence,
such as token designations of “Native American Day” at sports games contrived by the NBL,
including the National Football League (NFL), which are intended to compromise the concerns
of Indigenous peoples under the pretext of acknowledging our heritage; nor accept money that
derives from these pacification efforts appealing to non-profit Indigenous causes, which serve to evade the real issues of racism and of the need to change racist mascots and logos.
Change these racist logos! That is how Indigenous peoples can be honored!
AIM-WEST extends an invitation to the public to come stand with Indigenous peoples
on this issue of racism and mascots in sports. We will be providing literature and information
this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Oakland A’s Coliseum starting at 6 pm, 5 pm and 12
noon respectively. This is an opportunity to help educate the general public about this burning
issue, and where and who to write to help make the proper changes to these racist logos which do no more than depict human beings as clowns and caricatures that damage the self-esteem of our youth. Help us bring dignity back to the American Indian and the American people! All my relations!
For more information: 415-577-1492
www.aimwest.info
www.aimovement.org
www.whoisleonardpeltier.info
Photo from www.demockratees.com