AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE
STATEMENT ON TEAM NAMES

The following statement was released to American Comments Magazine on May 6, 1998, by American Jewish Committee representative, Ken Stern. Stern's book, LOUDHAWK: THE UNITED STATES
vs. THE AMERICAN INDIAN MOVEMENT (U/Ok. 1994) addresses the genocide of Native Americans. Mr. Stern has distinguished himself in the Native American community and in the Intenational Human Rights arena by publicly addressing issues of hatred for Native Americans.

Speaking at the University of Illinois, April 3rd May of 1998, Mr. Stern chastised Jewish and other religious communities along with human rights organizations for their silence in the face of appeals for help to combat Native American defamation.

" I don't think the organizations in the Jewish community and the other organizations are doing enough. Some of them have come forward when there are specific requests, but the ethnic religious and human rights organizations are the social change agents in America today. It's not enough to be there when we are asked. We have to adopt policy, we have to push this issue, we have to make it a priority. We have to say that no human being should be subjected to this type of dehumanization and cultural degradation that American Indian people are today and we should say together, ENOUGH!" -KEN STERN, 1998

 

 

STATEMENT ON TEAM NAMES

Whereas it is the mission of the American Jewish Committee to combat bigotry and promote intergroup relations, and;

Whereas the use of racial or ethnic stereotypes in the names, nicknames, or titles of business, professional, sport or other public entities is frequently demeaning, whether intended as such or not;

Whereas demeaning symbols create an environment in which degrading acts become more acceptable;

Whereas many teams still sport names such as "Indians," "Braves," "Redskins," "Chiefs," "Redmen," etc.;

Whereas such names are degrading and promote practices that trivialize and demean people and religious beliefs and symbols;

THEREFORE, the American Jewish Committee deplores and opposes the use of racial or ethnic stereotypes in the names or titles of business, professional, sport or her public entities when the affected group has not chosen the name itself. The AJC resolves to encourage such entities to end their use of offending stereotypes.

Adopted April 28, 1993 by the Anti-Semitism Subcommittee of the National Affairs Commission,
endorsed by the National Affairs Steering Committee on June 21, 1993.
Tabled at the National Affairs Commission on June 28, 1993.
Readopted by the Anti-Semitism Committee on November 5, 1997
and by the Civil Rights Committee on November 24, 1997.
Passed by the National Affairs Commission March 16, 1998.

Ken Stern,
American Jewish Committee;
Jacob Blaustein Building | 165 East 56 Street | New York, NY 10022 | (212) 751-4000

Ken Stern is the author of LOUDHAWK: THE UNITED STATES vs. THE AMERICAN INDIAN MOVEMENT (U/Ok. 1994)

 

We thank Ken Stern for his work and presence and encourage the Jewish community to listen to him as you further educate yourselves and take action to combat religious supremacy and racial hatred. We strongly encourage the Jewish community to take action. We have known about the methods of good intentions and promises on paper to Native Americans for half a millennium. American Indians have welcomed every manner of white religious people to our shores for 500 years. We sent our Code Talkers and thousands of our men to Europe and Axis aligned Asia in World War II to defend Jews against those who would destroy them even in a time when our own beautiful religions and way of life were against the law in the USA. We know what religious persecution is and we know Jews do too. We need and welcome your help.

 

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