Re: Chief Master Sergeants logo images and ceremonies using Native American related headdress and playing at Indian ceremonies. Open letter to the United States Air Force.
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Is this man a respected Native elder or is he playing Indian Chief? Do you believe that allowing the misrepresentation of Native American religious symbolism and playing at Indian Chiefs is acceptable in the USAF? |
| Do you believe toying with the religious meaning of the Eagle Feather will promote respect or abuse of Native Americans? |  |
CREATING CONFLICTS ON THE PERSONAL LEVEL
The bottom line is simply this: Chief Master Sergeants have created an environment which encourages the mockery of Native American Airmen and their family traditions. This condition is being promoted by the abuse of Native American ethnic heritage and religious beliefs among the Chief Master Sergeants. The stereotype images of Native American elders and warriors from 150 years ago, even if handsome or noble, are fundamentally shallow. They instigate an entirely different response toward Native serviceman and woman from their piers. This results in the ridicule of Native Americans serving in the Armed Forces by fellow servicemen and women. This practice teaches non Indians that it is acceptable to manufacture false identities for Indians and spread them around. Non Indians are hurt by this practice because it is becomes a working model for abuse of any people of any nationality and ethnic origin. This model of abuse works fosters racial and religious conflicts and thwarts the interests and the mission of the USAF.
UNDERMINING INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
This practice of appropriating Native American religious symbolism undermines respect for the USAF and the United States on and near Air Bases. When foreign citizens see that the USAF does not respect the religious and ethnic heritage of it's airmen and Indian citizens of the USA, national and international citizens do not respect the USAF in their own communities. This is a grievous and dishonorable condition that guarantees racial and ethnic conflicts created by the USAF in the communities where they are based.
This condition which affects foreign citizens around air bases has the same effect in those American communities bordering air bases as well.
NOTHING IS LOST IF YOU REMOVE INDIAN SYMBOLS
Discretely moving away from these Native American religious symbols, ceremonies and logos will not reduce the stature or importance of the Chief Master Sergeants. On the contrary it will show a level of sensitivity and common sense appropriate to the mission of the USAF. Unfortunately, leaving these practices in place is a guarantee of unnecessary conflict on many levels.
RESPECT FOR THE VETERAN AND THOSE KILLED AND MISSION IN ACTION
This July 4th to the 8th, 2001, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Traveling Wall is coming to our community, McPherson, Kansas, and we will be honoring the more than 68,000 who gave their lives for us. I am joining with our community to honor these dead because these are the ones who gave their lives in service for America and the cause of religious freedom in this country. I am thinking of them today because they gave so much for our freedom to worship in America. It is important that this freedom to worship is not subverted or twisted by the Chief Master Sergeants to encourage disparagement of Native American religious symbols.
SYMBOLS OF PRAYER
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Some of the Chief Master Sergeants have used a logo picturing a man in eagle feather headdress and religious ceremonial clothing. He is holding a Master Sergeant's rank insignia up as if praying with it. I am asking the Chief Master Sergeants what this is supposed to mean and why are you representing this action of praying with the image of an honored elder with our religious symbol of the eagle feather? |
This is the way so many of my brothers and sisters pray with the eagle feather, however we do not pray to or with a Chief Master Sergeants insignia. My people, and many Native religious persons, pray with the eagle feather holding it to the sky. When we dance the Sun Dance or an uncle or relative is buried he will have an eagle feather moving for him for a very special religious purpose. It is because the eagle feather is a religious symbol. Do you know why? If you do not know why, it is best to turn to another symbol which you will not appear to disparage.
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What is it you are doing with the eagle feather symbols and the symbol of the respected elder? If you are using these things for something other than religious ways then you should stop because they are not toys or objects to be twisted to other purposes. |
Sirs, my people were killed for their religious belief in the eagle feather. They were prepared to die for the eagle feather and they did die protecting the honor of them. That is why it is such a serious issue with us. It is that simple.
As servicemen and women, you can understand that sacrifice for honor better than most anyone. It is not too much to ask of the USAF Chief Master Sergeants to scrutinize your organization and treatment of Native American religious symbols and our revered elders. It is not too much to ask that you:
Treat them as religious symbols as you would treat any other religious symbols common to American religious life.
Today the Native American people are trying to recover from the religious persecution of the past centuries. This is a good thing to hope for the dawn of the new day of religious freedom in America and we hope to see the USAF enforcing a policy of respect for Native American religions and their symbols. This is important for everyone. We hope the United States Air Force will continue to defend and insure religious freedom and we hope the military will teach it's members to respect the religious symbols of our people within the Chief Master Sergeants.
Sincerely,
Matthew Richter
1131 Iron Horse Road
McPherson, KS 67460
620-241-7240
