Latest news with #ChickasawNation
The Independent
30-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Trump supports locals who refuse to cancel a school's controversial mascot
A clash between local pride and cultural sensitivity has erupted in Massapequa, Long Island, reigniting the debate over Indigenous imagery in sports. The controversy centers around the Massapequa High School Chiefs, whose mascot—a stereotypical Native American figure in a headdress—has drawn criticism. Adam Drexler, a former Chiefs hockey player and member of the Chickasaw Nation, once wore the team jersey with pride. However, a growing awareness of his Indigenous heritage has shifted his perspective, leading him to view the mascot as problematic. This local conflict has escalated into a federal investigation. The Trump administration is examining whether New York State officials are discriminating against Massapequa by threatening to withhold funding. The town has defied a state mandate requiring the retirement of Native American mascots and team names, setting the stage for a legal showdown. 'There was no tribe east of the Mississippi that ever wore a headdress — ever,' said Drexler, 60, who was adopted and raised by a white Jewish family. 'How can you argue for a symbol that has no significance or relevance here, while at the same time claiming you honor and respect the culture and history of the people this town is named after?' It's hard to miss the Native American imagery around Massapequa, a coastal hamlet 40 miles (64 kilometers) east of Manhattan where roughly 90% of the residents are white. The Chiefs logo is prominently featured on signs adorning school, police and fire department buildings. Students in recent years even painted a colorful mural with the logo and team name on a commercial building next to the high school in protest of change to the mascot. A few minutes drive away, next to the town's post office, a statue of a Native American figure wearing a flowing headdress towers over those depicting a buffalo, a horse and a totem pole. 'When you think of Massapequa, you think of the Chiefs,' said Forrest Bennett, a 15-year-old high school sophomore. New York has been trying to rid schools of Native American mascots going back more than two decades to the administration of Republican Gov. George Pataki, and in 2022 gave districts until the end of the school year to commit to replacing them. Massapequa was among four school districts on Long Island that filed a federal suit challenging the ban, arguing their choice of team names and mascots were protected by the First Amendment. Districts could seek exemption from the state mandates if they gained approval from a Native American tribe, but state officials say Massapequa instead 'stayed silent" for years. The local school board declined to comment this week, instead referring to a Friday statement in which they lauded the investigation by the federal education agency, which President Donald Trump has moved to dismantle in recent weeks. Trump, for his part, has made frequent visits to Long Island in recent years as the suburban region has shifted Republican. Last spring, he visited Massapequa to attend the wake of a New York City police officer. 'Forcing them to change the name, after all of these years, is ridiculous and, in actuality, an affront to our great Indian population,' Trump wrote in a recent social media post. Days later he posed with a Massapequa Chiefs sweater in the Oval Office. 'I don't see the Kansas City Chiefs changing their name anytime soon!' The NFL's Chiefs have stuck with their name despite years of protest from some Native American activists. Five years ago, the team barred fans from wearing headdresses or face paint referencing Native American culture. Meanwhile other professional teams, including football's Washington Redskins ( now Commanders ) and baseball's Cleveland Indians ( now Guardians ), have adopted new monikers and logos. Along the eateries and shops next to Massapequa High, students and parents insisted the team name and mascot are meant to honor the Massapequa, who were part of the broader Lenape, or Delaware people who inhabited the woodlands of the Northeastern U.S. and Canada for thousands of years before being decimated by European colonization. 'It's not that we're trying to do anything disrespectful,' said Christina Zabbatino, a mother of two. 'Actually, I would be honored if it was my face, you know what I mean?' Lucas Rumberg, a 15-year-old sophomore, shrugged off criticism that the school logo reflects the traditional garb of a Midwest tribe and not the attire worn by the Lenape people eventually forced to move further and further west by colonial settlers and then American government forces as the nation expanded. 'Even though it's not necessarily what they look like here, I feel like it still conveys that we are respectful of Native Americans,' Rumberg said. 'I get that people might be offended by it, but I just feel that it's been here so long that it should stay.' But that dismissive attitude is precisely why stereotypical mascots are offensive, argues Joseph Pierce, director of Native American and Indigenous Studies at Stony Brook University, also on Long Island. 'It is as if this image were a shorthand for any and all Indians,' said the Cherokee Nation citizen. 'And that reduces us to a type, rather than portray us as distinct peoples.' Indian mascots also contribute to the view that Native peoples are relics of the past, and not living communities facing urgent threats today, says Joey Fambrini, a member of the Delaware Tribe of Indians who works for New York Indian Council, a nonprofit providing health care to Native Americans. 'That dehumanization isn't harmless: It directly contributes to why our struggles are ignored or minimized,' the 29-year-old Brooklyn resident said, noting that tribal communities endure high rates of poverty, inadequate housing, lack of clean water and limited education access, among other challenges. The cheerful mascot also obscures Massapequa's grim legacy of violence against Native Americans, says John Kane, a member of the Mohawk tribe of upstate New York who has pushed districts across the state for years to change their names and mascots. The town, after all, was the site of a massacre in which scores of Native men, women and children were killed by Europeans in the 1600s, he said. 'They're not trying to honor us. That's why accuracy of the logo doesn't matter to them,' Kane said. 'So the idea that this is some sort of honor to us? I mean, come on. It's an absurd proposition to even suggest.'
30-04-2025
- Politics
A town refuses to give up the school's Native American mascot — and gets Trump's support
MASSAPEQUA, N.Y. -- As a high school hockey player, Adam Drexler wore his Massapequa Chiefs jersey with pride. But as the Chickasaw Nation member grew up and learned about his Indigenous roots, he came to see the school's mascot — a stereotypical Native American man wearing a headdress — as problematic. Now his Long Island hometown has become the latest flashpoint in the enduring debate over the place of Indigenous imagery in American sports: The Trump administration launched an investigation Friday into whether New York officials are discriminating against Massapequa by threatening to withhold funding. The town has refused to comply with a state mandate to retire Native American sports names and mascots. 'There was no tribe east of the Mississippi that ever wore a headdress — ever,' said Drexler, 60, who was adopted and raised by a white Jewish family. 'How can you argue for a symbol that has no significance or relevance here, while at the same time claiming you honor and respect the culture and history of the people this town is named after?' It's hard to miss the Native American imagery around Massapequa, a coastal hamlet 40 miles (64 kilometers) east of Manhattan where roughly 90% of the residents are white. The Chiefs logo is prominently featured on signs adorning school, police and fire department buildings. Students in recent years even painted a colorful mural with the logo and team name on a commercial building next to the high school in protest of change to the mascot. A few minutes drive away, next to the town's post office, a statue of a Native American figure wearing a flowing headdress towers over those depicting a buffalo, a horse and a totem pole. 'When you think of Massapequa, you think of the Chiefs,' said Forrest Bennett, a 15-year-old high school sophomore. New York has been trying to rid schools of Native American mascots going back more than two decades to the administration of Republican Gov. George Pataki, and in 2022 gave districts until the end of the school year to commit to replacing them. Massapequa was among four school districts on Long Island that filed a federal suit challenging the ban, arguing their choice of team names and mascots were protected by the First Amendment. Districts could seek exemption from the state mandates if they gained approval from a Native American tribe, but state officials say Massapequa instead 'stayed silent" for years. The local school board declined to comment this week, instead referring to a Friday statement in which they lauded the investigation by the federal education agency, which President Donald Trump has moved to dismantle in recent weeks. Trump, for his part, has made frequent visits to Long Island in recent years as the suburban region has shifted Republican. Last spring, he visited Massapequa to attend the wake of a New York City police officer. 'Forcing them to change the name, after all of these years, is ridiculous and, in actuality, an affront to our great Indian population,' Trump wrote in a recent social media post. Days later he posed with a Massapequa Chiefs sweater in the Oval Office. 'I don't see the Kansas City Chiefs changing their name anytime soon!' The NFL's Chiefs have stuck with their name despite years of protest from some Native American activists. Five years ago, the team barred fans from wearing headdresses or face paint referencing Native American culture. Meanwhile other professional teams, including football's Washington Redskins ( now Commanders) and baseball's Cleveland Indians ( now Guardians), have adopted new monikers and logos. Along the eateries and shops next to Massapequa High, students and parents insisted the team name and mascot are meant to honor the Massapequa, who were part of the broader Lenape, or Delaware people who inhabited the woodlands of the Northeastern U.S. and Canada for thousands of years before being decimated by European colonization. 'It's not that we're trying to do anything disrespectful,' said Christina Zabbatino, a mother of two. 'Actually, I would be honored if it was my face, you know what I mean?' Lucas Rumberg, a 15-year-old sophomore, shrugged off criticism that the school logo reflects the traditional garb of a Midwest tribe and not the attire worn by the Lenape people eventually forced to move further and further west by colonial settlers and then American government forces as the nation expanded. 'Even though it's not necessarily what they look like here, I feel like it still conveys that we are respectful of Native Americans,' Rumberg said. 'I get that people might be offended by it, but I just feel that it's been here so long that it should stay.' But that dismissive attitude is precisely why stereotypical mascots are offensive, argues Joseph Pierce, director of Native American and Indigenous Studies at Stony Brook University, also on Long Island. 'It is as if this image were a shorthand for any and all Indians,' said the Cherokee Nation citizen. 'And that reduces us to a type, rather than portray us as distinct peoples.' Indian mascots also contribute to the view that Native peoples are relics of the past, and not living communities facing urgent threats today, says Joey Fambrini, a member of the Delaware Tribe of Indians who works for New York Indian Council, a nonprofit providing health care to Native Americans. 'That dehumanization isn't harmless: It directly contributes to why our struggles are ignored or minimized,' the 29-year-old Brooklyn resident said, noting that tribal communities endure high rates of poverty, inadequate housing, lack of clean water and limited education access, among other challenges. The cheerful mascot also obscures Massapequa's grim legacy of violence against Native Americans, says John Kane, a member of the Mohawk tribe of upstate New York who has pushed districts across the state for years to change their names and mascots. The town, after all, was the site of a massacre in which scores of Native men, women and children were killed by Europeans in the 1600s, he said. 'They're not trying to honor us. That's why accuracy of the logo doesn't matter to them,' Kane said. 'So the idea that this is some sort of honor to us? I mean, come on. It's an absurd proposition to even suggest.'
NBC News
30-04-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
A town refuses to give up the school's Native American mascot — and gets Trump's support
MASSAPEQUA, N.Y. — As a high school hockey player, Adam Drexler wore his Massapequa Chiefs jersey with pride. But as the Chickasaw Nation member grew up and learned about his Indigenous roots, he came to see the school's mascot — a stereotypical Native American man wearing a headdress — as problematic. Now his Long Island hometown has become the latest flashpoint in the enduring debate over the place of Indigenous imagery in American sports: The Trump administration launched an investigation Friday into whether New York officials are discriminating against Massapequa by threatening to withhold funding. The town has refused to comply with a state mandate to retire Native American sports names and mascots. 'There was no tribe east of the Mississippi that ever wore a headdress — ever,' said Drexler, 60, who was adopted and raised by a white Jewish family. 'How can you argue for a symbol that has no significance or relevance here, while at the same time claiming you honor and respect the culture and history of the people this town is named after?' It's hard to miss the Native American imagery around Massapequa, a coastal hamlet 40 miles east of Manhattan where roughly 90% of the residents are white. The Chiefs logo is prominently featured on signs adorning school, police and fire department buildings. Students in recent years even painted a colorful mural with the logo and team name on a commercial building next to the high school in protest of change to the mascot. A few minutes drive away, next to the town's post office, a statue of a Native American figure wearing a flowing headdress towers over those depicting a buffalo, a horse and a totem pole. 'When you think of Massapequa, you think of the Chiefs,' said Forrest Bennett, a 15-year-old high school sophomore. A town at odds with state policy New York has been trying to rid schools of Native American mascots going back more than two decades to the administration of Republican Gov. George Pataki, and in 2022 gave districts until the end of the school year to commit to replacing them. Massapequa was among four school districts on Long Island that filed a federal suit challenging the ban, arguing their choice of team names and mascots were protected by the First Amendment. Districts could seek exemption from the state mandates if they gained approval from a Native American tribe, but state officials say Massapequa instead 'stayed silent' for years. The local school board declined to comment this week, instead referring to a Friday statement in which they lauded the investigation by the federal education agency, which President Donald Trump has moved to dismantle in recent weeks. Trump, for his part, has made frequent visits to Long Island in recent years as the suburban region has shifted Republican. Last spring, he visited Massapequa to attend the wake of a New York City police officer. 'Forcing them to change the name, after all of these years, is ridiculous and, in actuality, an affront to our great Indian population,' Trump wrote in a recent social media post. Days later he posed with a Massapequa Chiefs sweater in the Oval Office. 'I don't see the Kansas City Chiefs changing their name anytime soon!' The NFL's Chiefs have stuck with their name despite years of protest from some Native American activists. Five years ago, the team barred fans from wearing headdresses or face paint referencing Native American culture. Meanwhile other professional teams, including football's Washington Redskins ( now Commanders ) and baseball's Cleveland Indians ( now Guardians ), have adopted new monikers and logos. Residents say mascot 'honors' Native Americans Along the eateries and shops next to Massapequa High, students and parents insisted the team name and mascot are meant to honor the Massapequa, who were part of the broader Lenape, or Delaware people who inhabited the woodlands of the Northeastern U.S. and Canada for thousands of years before being decimated by European colonization. 'It's not that we're trying to do anything disrespectful,' said Christina Zabbatino, a mother of two. 'Actually, I would be honored if it was my face, you know what I mean?' Lucas Rumberg, a 15-year-old sophomore, shrugged off criticism that the school logo reflects the traditional garb of a Midwest tribe and not the attire worn by the Lenape people eventually forced to move further and further west by colonial settlers and then American government forces as the nation expanded. 'Even though it's not necessarily what they look like here, I feel like it still conveys that we are respectful of Native Americans,' Rumberg said. 'I get that people might be offended by it, but I just feel that it's been here so long that it should stay.' Native Americans say mascot is dehumanizing But that dismissive attitude is precisely why stereotypical mascots are offensive, argues Joseph Pierce, director of Native American and Indigenous Studies at Stony Brook University, also on Long Island. 'It is as if this image were a shorthand for any and all Indians,' said the Cherokee Nation citizen. 'And that reduces us to a type, rather than portray us as distinct peoples.' Indian mascots also contribute to the view that Native peoples are relics of the past, and not living communities facing urgent threats today, says Joey Fambrini, a member of the Delaware Tribe of Indians who works for New York Indian Council, a nonprofit providing health care to Native Americans. 'That dehumanization isn't harmless: It directly contributes to why our struggles are ignored or minimized,' the 29-year-old Brooklyn resident said, noting that tribal communities endure high rates of poverty, inadequate housing, lack of clean water and limited education access, among other challenges. The cheerful mascot also obscures Massapequa's grim legacy of violence against Native Americans, says John Kane, a member of the Mohawk tribe of upstate New York who has pushed districts across the state for years to change their names and mascots. The town, after all, was the site of a massacre in which scores of Native men, women and children were killed by Europeans in the 1600s, he said. 'They're not trying to honor us. That's why accuracy of the logo doesn't matter to them,' Kane said. 'So the idea that this is some sort of honor to us? I mean, come on. It's an absurd proposition to even suggest.'
The Independent
30-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
A town refuses to give up the school's Native American mascot — and gets Trump's support
As a high school hockey player, Adam Drexler wore his Massapequa Chiefs jersey with pride. But as the Chickasaw Nation member grew up and learned about his Indigenous roots, he came to see the school's mascot — a stereotypical Native American man wearing a headdress — as problematic. Now his Long Island hometown has become the latest flashpoint in the enduring debate over the place of Indigenous imagery in American sports: The Trump administration launched an investigation Friday into whether New York officials are discriminating against Massapequa by threatening to withhold funding. The town has refused to comply with a state mandate to retire Native American sports names and mascots. 'There was no tribe east of the Mississippi that ever wore a headdress — ever,' said Drexler, 60, who was adopted and raised by a white Jewish family. 'How can you argue for a symbol that has no significance or relevance here, while at the same time claiming you honor and respect the culture and history of the people this town is named after?' It's hard to miss the Native American imagery around Massapequa, a coastal hamlet 40 miles (64 kilometers) east of Manhattan where roughly 90% of the residents are white. The Chiefs logo is prominently featured on signs adorning school, police and fire department buildings. Students in recent years even painted a colorful mural with the logo and team name on a commercial building next to the high school in protest of change to the mascot. A few minutes drive away, next to the town's post office, a statue of a Native American figure wearing a flowing headdress towers over those depicting a buffalo, a horse and a totem pole. 'When you think of Massapequa, you think of the Chiefs,' said Forrest Bennett, a 15-year-old high school sophomore. A town at odds with state policy New York has been trying to rid schools of Native American mascots going back more than two decades to the administration of Republican Gov. George Pataki, and in 2022 gave districts until the end of the school year to commit to replacing them. Massapequa was among four school districts on Long Island that filed a federal suit challenging the ban, arguing their choice of team names and mascots were protected by the First Amendment. Districts could seek exemption from the state mandates if they gained approval from a Native American tribe, but state officials say Massapequa instead 'stayed silent" for years. The local school board declined to comment this week, instead referring to a Friday statement in which they lauded the investigation by the federal education agency, which President Donald Trump has moved to dismantle in recent weeks. Trump, for his part, has made frequent visits to Long Island in recent years as the suburban region has shifted Republican. Last spring, he visited Massapequa to attend the wake of a New York City police officer. 'Forcing them to change the name, after all of these years, is ridiculous and, in actuality, an affront to our great Indian population,' Trump wrote in a recent social media post. Days later he posed with a Massapequa Chiefs sweater in the Oval Office. 'I don't see the Kansas City Chiefs changing their name anytime soon!' The NFL's Chiefs have stuck with their name despite years of protest from some Native American activists. Five years ago, the team barred fans from wearing headdresses or face paint referencing Native American culture. Meanwhile other professional teams, including football's Washington Redskins ( now Commanders ) and baseball's Cleveland Indians ( now Guardians ), have adopted new monikers and logos. Residents say mascot 'honors' Native Americans Along the eateries and shops next to Massapequa High, students and parents insisted the team name and mascot are meant to honor the Massapequa, who were part of the broader Lenape, or Delaware people who inhabited the woodlands of the Northeastern U.S. and Canada for thousands of years before being decimated by European colonization. 'It's not that we're trying to do anything disrespectful,' said Christina Zabbatino, a mother of two. 'Actually, I would be honored if it was my face, you know what I mean?' Lucas Rumberg, a 15-year-old sophomore, shrugged off criticism that the school logo reflects the traditional garb of a Midwest tribe and not the attire worn by the Lenape people eventually forced to move further and further west by colonial settlers and then American government forces as the nation expanded. 'Even though it's not necessarily what they look like here, I feel like it still conveys that we are respectful of Native Americans,' Rumberg said. 'I get that people might be offended by it, but I just feel that it's been here so long that it should stay.' Native Americans say mascot is dehumanizing But that dismissive attitude is precisely why stereotypical mascots are offensive, argues Joseph Pierce, director of Native American and Indigenous Studies at Stony Brook University, also on Long Island. 'It is as if this image were a shorthand for any and all Indians,' said the Cherokee Nation citizen. 'And that reduces us to a type, rather than portray us as distinct peoples.' Indian mascots also contribute to the view that Native peoples are relics of the past, and not living communities facing urgent threats today, says Joey Fambrini, a member of the Delaware Tribe of Indians who works for New York Indian Council, a nonprofit providing health care to Native Americans. 'That dehumanization isn't harmless: It directly contributes to why our struggles are ignored or minimized,' the 29-year-old Brooklyn resident said, noting that tribal communities endure high rates of poverty, inadequate housing, lack of clean water and limited education access, among other challenges. The cheerful mascot also obscures Massapequa's grim legacy of violence against Native Americans, says John Kane, a member of the Mohawk tribe of upstate New York who has pushed districts across the state for years to change their names and mascots. The town, after all, was the site of a massacre in which scores of Native men, women and children were killed by Europeans in the 1600s, he said. 'They're not trying to honor us. That's why accuracy of the logo doesn't matter to them,' Kane said. 'So the idea that this is some sort of honor to us? I mean, come on. It's an absurd proposition to even suggest.'
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Yahoo
Visiting OKANA resort? Here's the best restaurants, shopping and activities in OKC nearby
The newest feature in Oklahoma City's Horizon District, OKANA Resort & Indoor Waterpark, opens this week. Whether you're coming from far or just as close as Edmond, there's plenty to enjoy in one of Oklahoma's newest districts. The Horizon District, a collaboration between the Chickasaw Nation, OKANA and the First Americans Museum, was unveiled in 2023. It aims to be Oklahoma City's latest 'cultural and entertainment district.' Located on the southeast corner of I-35 and the Oklahoma River, the Horizon District's two main attractions will make it a bustling area in the city. Since it's still a relatively new district, developments are still occurring, but there is still lots to enjoy during a visit to OKANA. Here are some other things to do and restaurants to try near the Horizons District while you stay at OKANA. More: From a tiny hotel to a $400M resort: OKANA was 50 years in the making for Chickasaw Nation Located along the Oklahoma River and near the crossroads of Interstates 35, 40, 235 and 44 is Oklahoma City's First Americans Museum. The museum is dedicated to sharing the collective histories of the 39 federally recognized tribes in the state of Oklahoma. Visitors can explore the cultural diversity of the distinctive tribes and, for many of the tribes now residing in Oklahoma, learn what the process of removal from their ancestral homelands was like 200 years ago. In addition to this history, the museum aims to showcase Indigenous-inspired food and community events that celebrate that same history. Single-day admission for youth (4-12) is $5, while adults (18+) pay $15. Students, seniors, teachers, first responders and tribe members pay $10. Oklahoma's largest indoor and outdoor flea market is just along S Eastern Ave at Old Paris Flea Market. The business has over 450 vendors throughout the property, each with their own business and products for sale. The family-owned and operated company has operated in Oklahoma City for almost 50 years and continues to see visitors, locally and tourists, enjoy the products for sale. Suppose you're looking for more activities in nearby districts. In that case, the Boathouse District includes Bar-K, the perfect bar for families with dogs or those who head to the RiverSport areas like RiverSport's track and mountain bike trail or their rowing facility. The district has an Olympic-level training facility and will help host the 2028 Olympics for all outdoor water sports. The Horizons District is slowly growing so eating outside of the resort has less picks than nearby districts. But still within a 10-minute drive, one can try numerous highly rated restaurants including: Deep Duece Grill, 307 NE 2 St The Gilded Acorn, 120 N Robinson Ave Kitchen No. 324, 324 N Robinson Ave Mickey Mantle's Steakhouse, #7 Mickey Mantle Dr. The area offers many opportunities for outdoor exploration. Regatta Park, Scissortail Park, and Wiley Post Park are all within a 10-minute drive of OKANA and the First Americans Museum. Each surrounding park has a good view of the Oklahoma River and surrounding districts, such as the downtown business district or historic Capitol Hill. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Things to do near OKANA: See top restaurants, shopping and more in OKC
