I would like to provide an Indian/Redskin perspective and context in the matter of utilizing a fellow human being, an Indian, as a mascot.

First off, the word “redskin” is the “white man’s” word for a savage toward whom they had extreme hatred. In addition to their hatred for the savage Indian, they also had extreme fear of the savage Indian – a fear that drove them to genocide.

These were the early so-called pioneer days when “men” were “men” and when it was not only all right, but also a duty, for whites to kill Indians. It started by taking Indian scalps, to ears and then to taking the whole Indian head, all for a bounty.

Whites eventually went to peeling the skin from either alive or dead Indians, not only for collecting a bounty but simply for the pure pleasure of torturing, terrorizing and killing the Indian.

This practice of peeling the skin left an Indian body of red skin.

My choice of words like “whites,” “Indians” and “white man” is very deliberate because we have been using those words and labels since our two peoples met in 1492.

That has been the nature of our people’s relationship. That is what defined our relationship and continues to define that one-sided relationship into the present.

As my ending, I would like to remind everyone that we are all children of God, and that we are all related and that we must love one another or die.

Dan Ennis, O.I.M.

Caribou

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