WASHINGTON D.C. –
The following statement was released in response to an inquiry from the Associated Press on whether specific recent incidents led to the scheduling of Thursday’s Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing entitled, “Stolen Identities: The Impact of Racist Stereotypes on Indigenous People:”
“The hearing was scheduled well before the Osama bin Laden operation became news, but the concerns over the linking of the name of Geronimo, one of the greatest Native American heroes, with the most hated enemy of the United States is an example of the kinds of issues we intended to address at Thursday’s hearing,” said Loretta Tuell, Democratic Staff Director/Chief Counsel of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. “These inappropriate uses of Native American icons and cultures are prevalent throughout our society, and the impacts to Native and non-Native children are devastating. We intend to open the forum to talk about them.”
Contact: Jesse Broder Van Dyke
Contact Phone: 202-224-7045
Contact E-mail: jesse_brodervandyke@akaka.senate.gov