When will Indians be heard in Fullerton, CA?

I gave this speech on 12/3/2002 at a FUHSD board meeting. The board handled the evening unfairly and opposing views to the name change of the Fullerton Indians were marginalized and discounted. The underlying racism of the heavily white-male board could be felt through the room. The Fullerton Police were there to show their power, but it was really unnecessary. The powers of be didn't want to hear our point-of-view and it terrified them that non-whites were demanding a change alongside respect for there culture. Below was my speech.



I would first like to thank the Fullerton High School Board for this time on the agenda regarding the sport mascots.

In 1972, as young boy I saw Jim Plunkett quarterback the Stanford University Indians to a Rose Bowl victory and MVP honors.The subsequent year I noticed that Stanford Indians had changed their mascot to the Cardinal. I could not understand this decision as a young boy, associating these grand images of Indians to the gridiron to be replace by a color. Not even the Cardinal bird, but the Cardinal color.

In the late 70's, I was a student of Fullerton High. I attended many sporting functions. I truly enjoyed being a Fullerton Indian student. I thought it represented a symbol of leadership and respect. In short, I thought it was a "real cool" name for a mascot.
But I gotten older and wiser since my sentimental high school days. I have been exposed to and experienced racism. I remember that helpless and angered feelings that would that would boil under my skin.

I could not look back at my high school days with mascots like "Willie Ugh". Just the name described the intelligence of this mascot : Willie "UGH". A big nosed Indian caricature that gave the "V for victory sign" that popped up in our yearbooks. I remember hearing the warpath drumbeats of the band entering the stadiums and the pep rallies. I can't help but remember the ridiculous scene of the most popular bleached blonde Senior dancing as the "Chief" with dance steps right out of a John Wayne western at halftime.

Thus, for these, and many more examples that time will not me to express, is why I am not nostalgically loyal to my mascot, the Fullerton Indian.

Actually, when looking at the facts, it is rather embarrassing.

What kind of tolerance are we teaching our children about other people, that ask, not to make a mockery of their culture.

Schools are a place of expanding ideas, not an institution promoting and reinforcing inaccurate myths and legends.

These people that these mascots are named, still exist, breathe and live.
They have asked us to changed the name of schools. Why can't we grant them this request?
The time and energies that has been implemented to squash this request boggles the mind.
There are much more bigger and important issues the Board can solve rather than to be steadfast in saying "no" to changing mascot names.

This name change is going to come. It is just a matter of time. Stanford University set the precedent 30 years ago, changing the Indian to the Cardinal.
Do the right thing, and respect the requests of these Native people.

Thank you.