PUT A WAR BONNET ON ART MODELL

I have watched with great humor and dismay how people from Cleveland have reacted to the Super Bowl. Art Modell this and Art Modell that, how he took their precious Cleveland Browns, "in the middle of the night," and moved them to Baltimore and how their lives would never be the same. Imagine how our forefathers felt when the same thing happened to them and their families when the Europeans removed almost all of the Indian tribes out of the Ohio Valley. Of course, back then it wasn1t a football team; it was real people and their culture.

Today at places like Jacobs Field and even our nation's capital, Washington, D.C., people are saying they are showing us "Honor" by naming their teams after us. If that's true, why don't I see Ron Wolf's image on the side of a helmet of the Green Bay Packers? Isn't he one of the reasons, "The Pack is back?" Why not pay him and all of the other "White" general managers "Honor" and put their faces, a caricature or some other comic type of face on a jacket, hats and t-shirts and make money off them? Isn't that what free enterprise is all about? Can't someone take a face or something similar, smear it all over places of business and make money? Better yet, put a likeness of Bill Clinton on a helmet. Wasn't he voted one of the most popular presidents of all time? Why not pay "Honor" and "Tribute" to one of the greatest leaders of the free world and make the Cleveland Browns the new "Cleveland Whites?" How many schools do you think would allow students wearing the likeness of, "Slick Willie" on their hat, but see no problem with Chief Wahoo?

Amazing if the people of Cleveland and greater Ohio really want to show us honor, then why won't they listen to us? Listen how each day we need to accept the taunts and looks we get from people who choose to wear these things and then give us their lame reasons as to what their visions of honor are. Have you ever tried to listen with an open mind as to what traditional Indian people do each day to live their lives? Do you really know how sacred the drum is to us? Do you know the true meaning of an Eagle feather? Do you really know the meaning behind the words and music of an honor song? Do you know why some Indian men choose to wear their hair long? I could go on and on, but not everyone cares. And you know why? Because we might actually catch someone's attention who really does care and we may actually be able to get rid of Chief Wahoo, the Tomahawk Chop and, heaven forbid, the Washington Redskins. Then who would you pick on? Probably still, Art Modell. And you know why? Because in twenty years the record books will still show that the Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl and all the "Indian Stuff" you find cool will probably still be around. But, hopefully some traditional people like me will also still be in your face telling you it's not right. Until someone begins to listen to us as, "People of honor," and not people who are being, "shown honor," things won't change.

One more thing. Cleveland got their football team back. We, as Indian people, have yet to get our recognition. Show me why I should be proud to live in "The land of the free." Try putting your money where your mouth is and try listening to a "real" Indian for once.

You may learn something.

Richie Plass, Menominee, Stockbridge/Munsee

Warren, Ohio