THE STANDARD OF TRUTH-
QUESTIONS TO ASK ANY SCHOOL BOARD THAT IS USING NATIVE AMERICANS AS MASCOTS.

INSTRUCTIONS: PARENTS & CITIZEN PRESENTORS of this INTERVIEW FORM

You have our permission to copy this document in full and take it to your school board. Print a copy of the following questions for each Board Member. Pass them out so each of them receives a copy. Tell them as a citizen you are entitled to have their opinion on the subject and know if the people in this system are following the Constitution of the United States. Tell them you want to know if their motives are racist, ignorant or what the problem is, but there has to be a reason why they are not listening.

Send their responses to your local media so they may view it and respond to it after your meeting. Send us, the Seven Creeds Society, their responses and we will publish them in AMERICAN COMMENTS MAGAZINE on the World Wide Web, www.iwchildren.org.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR BOARD MEMBERS ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS:

Please do not revert to parroting school policy when answering these questions because school policy is not being enforced. The reason we are asking these questions is that when you ran for the School Board you promised the public you would protect the individual rights of each student. So as Native Americans we want to know that our children are receiving the same consideration as all other students. Please respond in writing.

THE INTERVIEW for BOARD MEMBERS- SECTION 1: HONOR & EQUALITY

1. Do you make Native American's culture and religious symbols into mascots to honor Native Americans? Yes or No?

2. Can you truly honor any race of people without first understanding what their culture and religious beliefs are? Yes or No?

3. Which of you will make the statement that Native Americans do not have religious beliefs?

4. Does your educational system deny the religious beliefs of the Native Americans?

5. Are you aware that American schools are being used as the primary agents to destroy families by taking Native American children from their parents? Physical separation was used for 300 years until the 1980's now separation is done by psychological molestation. (The concept of the Indian as mascot denies the true history of Native Americans within your school.)

6. How many of you understand that the eagle feather is a religious symbol that represents the connection to the Creator of the Native American people?

7. Are you aware that a law exists that states the eagle feather can only be used for the religious beliefs of the Native American people? This law is enforced by the federal government.

8. The image of the cross is not the real thing, is it? It is an image of the real cross and is a sacred symbol to the Christian, the Catholic and the other denominations who believe in it.

9. As a symbol of the real cross, does your school system ignore its religious connection for those people?

10. Is the cross still a religious symbol, even if you don't believe in it? Yes or No?

11. Will your school still treat the cross as a religious symbol according to its true meaning even if yours is not a Christian school?

12. Who on this Board will tell us that the imagery of the eagle feather, to a Native American, is not a sacred symbol?

13. Explain why the eagle feather, which is a religious symbol to a Native American, should be treated differently from the cross which is a religious symbol to a Christian?

14. Should Native American religious symbols receive the same respect as any other people's religious symbols? Yes or No?

15. Do you believe that our public schools should be teaching children to abuse the religious, cultural and racial identity of any people? Yes or No?

16. Has your school considered a Jewish nickname and mascot because they are the symbol of financial success? Yes or No?

17. How is this, Jew with Money, stereotype any different from the dozens of Indian stereotypes currently in use in your schools?

18. What other minority will the school use as a mascot? Since the school system likes to use the word honor in referring to Native American mascots you are able to honor any other minority and it should be your job to treat them equally with that same honor.

19. If you cannot name another minority that should be used as a mascot state why they should not be used as mascots.

SECTION 2- NATIVE AMERICAN RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS:

Are you aware that among Native Americans the most common belief is that you cannot separate an individual's religious and cultural identity? Cultural identity is based on the religious beliefs of a Native American and is, by this, the foundation of their culture.

1. There was a period of time in history that Native Americans were considered savages. A savage had no religion and no cultural identity. Do you still believe this? Yes or No?

2. Are you aware that the Medicine Wheel is a sacred symbol that explains all things from the moment of birth until the crossing over to meet your maker? Do you teach that concept when the Medicine Wheel appears in your schools? Yes or No?

3. Do you know that if you are not teaching the true meaning of a religious symbol, you are mocking and belittling that religious symbol?

4. Would you teach false meanings, mock or belittle the Bible? The Medicine Wheel is the equivalent to the Bible in its revelations to the individual. Are you aware of this and do you have this understanding. Yes or No?

5. To truly honor a people one must always have an understanding of their culture and religious beliefs so that you will not unknowingly, degrade and ridicule them thereby segregating them as a sub human group. Is this statement true or false?

6. The Prophesy of the White Buffalo Calf Woman, which has been discussed in schools, came about in a recognized tradition; through a vision. All religious denominations recognize the significance of visions. How many of you understand that the Virgin Mary has appeared in vision to her people? She is an image that has been treated with the respect of a religious symbol. Why are you not treating the White Buffalo Calf Woman in the same manner as the Virgin Mary for she holds among the Native American people the same visionary concept of good for her people.

7. Do you segregate Native American religious symbols from any other religious symbol by the use of a double standard which makes them into mascots? Yes or No?

8. How many are aware of what is commonly called the Peace Pipe which was received in a religious manner? That manner was also through a vision which is the communication that all religious sects believe in. The Pipe is a religious symbol that is used equally with the eagle feather and the Medicine Wheel in Native American religious ceremonies.

9. With this simple knowledge why is your school using religious symbols while the law states that religious symbols are not to be permanently used by school systems?

10. Are you mocking, denigrating and insulting Native American religious beliefs by denying their religious connections in your school? Yes or No?

11. Where in your school does the law provide for the segregation of a people from others because of their religion, race and culture? Explain why Native Americans are used as mascots and no other race is?

12. If the word HONOR is used to describe the treatment of Native American culture and race then why aren't other minorities being used in the same fashion?

13. If the word HONOR is being used to describe the use of Native American religious symbols why aren't other religions given equal access in the same manner?

14. Does your school recognize the laws prohibiting segregation? Yes or No?

15. Does your school recognize the Constitution's guarantee of equal protection for all citizens? Yes or No?

A BOARDS FAILURE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS-

Failure of a school board to answer these questions shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are not dealing in their school district with the problems presented here. That is common sense.

16. Would you refuse to answer these questions if they were about African Americans, Jews, Hispanics, Asians or any other minority ethnic group? Yes or No?

17. Do you as a School Board feel you do not have to answer to minority concerns? Yes or No?

PRESENTERS: SCHOOL BOARDS MUST RESPOND TO YOU IN WRITING-

It is necessary for this Board and Committee to respond in writing so that you and the Seven Creeds Society can bring it out to the public. Any Board member who cannot speak out with equality for all and dignity in the face of oppression denies the very fabric of this country's beliefs, the freedom to practice our religious beliefs away from persecution.

Make it clear to any school that wishes to talk about our religious symbols that we stand ready to defend them and will do it with a common sense approach with full explanations of these religious symbols. The Seven Creeds Society has provided assistance for programs through out the Americas, and in Italy and Hungary as well.

Thank you for your time and please send us a copy of these responses. We will print them on the World Wide Web in American Comments Magazine at www.iwchildren.org. This information is of international interest and will be shown to other parents through out the world who are concerned with receiving the highest standard of quality and education for their children.

The American press as well as journalists and scholars in foreign countries are pursuing their interest in schools in the United States which have so little understanding of Native Americans after their government has killed so many and stolen everything they have had. This international perspective has the advantage of breaking down the local code of secrecy by holding the US accountable for its hate crimes.

Board members who remain silent do so because they have been caught in the act and want to minimize their liability for molesting children. By presenting these questions to Board members and demanding a statement, their lack of response to them establishes the standard that these questions which cannot be answered across the country. It is then obvious to everyone who sees this silence, that racism is flourishing.

How to contact the Seven Creeds Society:


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copyright by Matthew Richter, 2000

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