Latest news with #Huguenots
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Business Standard
4 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Trump admin threatens to cut NY funding over Native American mascot ban
US Education Secretary Linda McMahon said her agency found New York state officials violated Title VI by banning Native American mascots and logos AP New York New York is discriminating against a school district that refuses to get rid of its Native American chief mascot and could face a Justice Department investigation or risk losing federal funding, President Donald Trump's top education official said Friday. US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, on a visit to Massapequa High School on Long Island, said an investigation by her agency has determined that state education officials violated Title VI of the federal civil rights law by banning the use of Native American mascots and logos statewide. The department's civil rights office found the state ban discriminatory because names and mascots derived from other racial or ethnic groups, such as the Dutchmen and the "Huguenots", are still permitted. McMahon described Massapequa's chiefs mascot as an incredible representation of Native American leadership as she made the announcement backed by dozens of students and local officials in the high school gymnasium. The Trump administration will not stand idly by as state leaders attempt to eliminate the history and culture of Native American tribes, the former longtime CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) said. McMahon said her department will give the state 10 days to sign an agreement rescinding its Native American mascot ban and apologising to Native Americans for having discriminated against them and attempted to erase their history. J P O'Hare, a spokesperson for the New York education department, dismissed McMahon's visit as political theatre and said the school district was doing a grave disservice to its students by refusing to consult with local tribes about their concerns. These representatives will tell them, as they have told us, that certain Native American names and images perpetuate negative stereotypes and are demonstrably harmful to children, he said in a statement. Representatives from the Native American Guardians Association, who voiced support for keeping the chief mascot at Thursday's event, also don't speak on behalf of local indigenous residents, despite claims from school officials, Adam Drexler, a Massapequa resident and member of the Chickasaw Nation, said. They're Native Americans for hire, he said, noting the group is based in North Dakota. They have no tribal authority. Meanwhile the National Congress of American Indians, considered the country's oldest and largest Native American advocacy group, reaffirmed its long-standing opposition to the use of unsanctioned Native American imagery. These depictions are not tributes -- they are rooted in racism, cultural appropriation, and intentional ignorance, the organisation said in a statement ahead of McMahon's appearance. Trump ordered the federal education department to launch an inquiry into the Massapequa mascot dispute last month, making the coastal suburb an unlikely flashpoint in the enduring debate over the place of Indigenous imagery in American sports. Located about 64-km east of Manhattan, the town has for years fought a state mandate to retire Native American sports names and mascots. But its lawsuit challenging the state's 2023 ban on constitutional grounds was dismissed by a federal judge earlier this year. State education officials gave districts until the end of this school year to commit to replacing them or risk losing education funding. Schools could be exempt from the mandate if they gained approval from a local Native American tribe, but Massapequa never sought such permission, state officials have said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
NY high school's ‘racist' Native American mascot takes center stage
LONG ISLAND (PIX11) – Massapequa High School is the home of the Chiefs, and the mascot has the attention of President Trump. U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon toured the school Friday morning. In remarks after visiting classrooms, she said the Department of Justice would get involved if the state of New York insists on removing the logo. More Local News Some students presented 'Chief Nation' shirts with the mascot to her and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. They also had one personalized for President Trump. During a media briefing, she talked about the state education department requiring the logo to be changed by June 30. She calls it a civil rights issue. 'We have Huguenots, the Highlanders, and we have the Scotsman. Why is that not considered racist? I think you have to treat everybody equally. It is a racist environment of you say that this emblem has to be removed,' Secretary McMahon said. She is asking the state to allow local schools and local parents to make the decision. 'If they don't, we reserve the right to turn this over to the Department of Justice, and that's how serious we are about this,' the secretary added. Frank Blackcloud with the Native American Guardians Association was also on the tour. He said changing the mascot would be an act of erasure. 'We are not victims. We are warriors. We want to see the historically iconic images. That is what we are. We are iconic,' Blackcloud said. The Shinnecock Nation on Long Island issued a statement addressed to President Trump. 'We are not your mascots or your pets or your good luck charms, and it is not an honor to be your racist, stereotypical logo. Appropriation is not something to brand for your entertainment. First, acknowledge the treachery of the past/present mistreatment of my people which includes land theft, murder, rape, robbery and war crimes of every description. The dehumanizing of Indigenous people of this land is well known and documented, yet you ignore our suffering and call us ridiculous,' the spokesperson wrote. Some people said the education secretary was politicizing a school visit, while many others said the mascot was a source of pride. The secretary says the state will have 10 days to comply, and the federal officials will follow up. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Trump's education secretary threatens to pull funding from New York over its Native American mascot ban
New York is discriminating against a school district that refuses to get rid of its Native American chief mascot and could face a Justice Department investigation or risk losing federal funding, President Donald Trump's top education official said Friday. US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, on a visit to Massapequa High School on Long Island, said an investigation by her agency has determined that state education officials violated Title VI of the federal civil rights law by banning the use of Native American mascots and logos statewide. The department's civil rights office found the state ban is discriminatory because names and mascots derived from other racial or ethnic groups, such as the 'Dutchmen' and the 'Huguenots,' are still permitted. McMahon described Massapequa's chiefs mascot as an 'incredible' representation of Native American leadership as she made the announcement backed by dozens of students and local officials in the high school gymnasium. 'The Trump Administration will not stand idly by as state leaders attempt to eliminate the history and culture of Native American tribes,' the former longtime CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment said. McMahon said her department will be asking the state to voluntarily sign a resolution rescinding its Native American mascot ban and allowing districts to continue using the mascot of their choosing. The resolution would also include an apology to tribes, acknowledging that the state discriminated against Native Americans and 'attempted to erase Native American history,' the department said. JP O'Hare, a spokesperson for the New York education department, dismissed McMahon's visit as 'political theater' that disrupted students' class time. He also said Massapequa is doing a 'grave disservice' to its students by ignoring facts and refusing to consult with local tribes about their concerns over the mascot. 'These representatives will tell them, as they have told us, that certain Native American names and images perpetuate negative stereotypes and are demonstrably harmful to children,' O'Hare said in a statement. 'If we truly wish to honor our Native American people, we will teach our students the true history of the area's Indigenous people and how they advanced our civilization – rather than perpetuating outdated and disproven myths.' Trump ordered the federal education department, which he has moved to dismantle, to launch an inquiry into the dispute last month. The move has made the coastal suburb an unlikely flashpoint in the enduring debate over the place of Indigenous imagery in American sports. Massapequa, which is about 40 miles east of Manhattan, has for years fought a state mandate to retire Native American sports names and mascots. But its lawsuit challenging the state's 2023 ban on constitutional grounds was dismissed by a federal judge earlier this year. State education officials, who have been trying to remove offending mascots and team names for more than two decades, gave districts until the end of this school year to commit to replacing them or risk losing education funding. Schools could be exempt from the mandate if they gained approval from a local Native American tribe, but Massapequa never sought such permission, state officials have said. Residents who support keeping the mascot have argued the image has been a part of the community's identity for generations and is meant to honor its Native American past. The town is named after the Massapequa, who were part of the broader Lenape, or Delaware, people who inhabited the woodlands of the Northeastern US and Canada for thousands of years before being decimated by European colonization. But indigenous residents on Long Island and elsewhere in New York have called Massapequa's mascot problematic as it depicts a Native American man wearing a headdress that was typically worn by tribes in the American Midwest, but not in the Northeast. The cheery mascot also obscures Massapequa's legacy of violence against Native Americans, which includes the site of a massacre in which scores of Native men, women and children were killed by Europeans in the 1600s, Native American activists have said. Massapequa, which is roughly 90% white, has long been a conservative bastion popular with New York City police and firefighters. Trump visited the town last year to attend the wake of a New York City police officer and has made frequent visits to Long Island as it has shifted Republican. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld, Hollywood's Baldwin brothers and the Long Island's alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer are also among Massapequa High's notable alums.
4 days ago
- Politics
Trump's education secretary threatens to pull funding from NY over its Native American mascot ban
MASSAPEQUA, N.Y. -- New York is discriminating against a school district that refuses to get rid of its Native American chief mascot and could face a Justice Department investigation or risk losing federal funding, President Donald Trump's top education official said Friday. U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, on a visit to Massapequa High School on Long Island, said an investigation by her agency has determined that state education officials violated Title VI of the federal civil rights law by banning the use of Native American mascots and logos statewide. The department's civil rights office found the state ban is discriminatory because names and mascots derived from other racial or ethnic groups, such as the 'Dutchmen' and the 'Huguenots,' are still permitted. McMahon described Massapequa's chiefs mascot as an 'incredible' representation of Native American leadership as she made the announcement backed by dozens of students and local officials in the high school gymnasium. 'The Trump Administration will not stand idly by as state leaders attempt to eliminate the history and culture of Native American tribes,' the former longtime CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment said. McMahon said her department will be asking the state to voluntarily sign a resolution rescinding its Native American mascot ban and allowing districts to continue using the mascot of their choosing. The resolution would also include an apology to tribes, acknowledging that the state discriminated against Native Americans and 'attempted to erase Native American history,' the department said. JP O'Hare, a spokesperson for the New York education department, dismissed McMahon's visit as 'political theater' that disrupted students' class time. He also said Massapequa is doing a 'grave disservice' to its students by ignoring facts and refusing to consult with local tribes about their concerns over the mascot. 'These representatives will tell them, as they have told us, that certain Native American names and images perpetuate negative stereotypes and are demonstrably harmful to children,' O'Hare said in a statement. 'If we truly wish to honor our Native American people, we will teach our students the true history of the area's Indigenous people and how they advanced our civilization – rather than perpetuating outdated and disproven myths.' Trump ordered the federal education department, which he has moved to dismantle, to launch an inquiry into the dispute last month. The move has made the coastal suburb an unlikely flashpoint in the enduring debate over the place of Indigenous imagery in American sports. Massapequa, which is about 40 miles (64 kilometers) east of Manhattan, has for years fought a state mandate to retire Native American sports names and mascots. But its lawsuit challenging the state's 2023 ban on constitutional grounds was dismissed by a federal judge earlier this year. State education officials, who have been trying to remove offending mascots and team names for more than two decades, gave districts until the end of this school year to commit to replacing them or risk losing education funding. Schools could be exempt from the mandate if they gained approval from a local Native American tribe, but Massapequa never sought such permission, state officials have said. Residents who support keeping the mascot have argued the image has been a part of the community's identity for generations and is meant to honor its Native American past. The town is named after 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. But indigenous residents on Long Island and elsewhere in New York have called Massapequa's mascot problematic as it depicts a Native American man wearing a headdress that was typically worn by tribes in the American Midwest, but not in the Northeast. The cheery mascot also obscures Massapequa's legacy of violence against Native Americans, which includes the site of a massacre in which scores of Native men, women and children were killed by Europeans in the 1600s, Native American activists have said. Massapequa, which is roughly 90% white, has long been a conservative bastion popular with New York City police and firefighters.
Irish Independent
17-05-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Enter an atmospheric Cork pub that once counted a legend of the Old IRA among its regulars
Le Chateau first welcomed customers when the French Revolution was raging and St Patrick's Street was still a river 1793: The French Revolution is escalating with the execution of King Louis XVI, in the United States, George Washington lays the cornerstone for the United States Capitol, and in Cork, the Huguenots set up a public house on the banks of a waterway which would become the city's most important thoroughfare. Boats sailed up and docked, enjoying fine wines and spirits, before carrying on along one of the city's many canals. Over 230 years later, the pub – now known as Le Chateau - has seen the great and good of the city, including sports stars, politicians, and an IRA general, among their regulars.
