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We talked last week about the bigoted comments on the Francene show in Louisville and played you a clip from that show (see http://www.nativevoicesradio.net/news.html).

We mentioned that we have our own character in Cincinnati who has over and over bashed and mocked Native people for asking for social justice, particularly through the removal of race-based mascots and the perpetuation of race-based stereotypes: Mike McConnell on WLW in Cincinnati.

Here is a clip from his show on January 10, 2007.

Listen to his ignorance and bigotry related to the NCAA-policy about racist mascots at NCAA-sponsored events as he cites the faulty Sports Illustrated article.

Listen as he asks over and over: "Paleface know what best for r*dsk*n?"

So, let us be very clear about this.

The NCAA is listening to Native people.

The NCAA listened to Native people, recognized the rightness of the request of Native people that race-based stereotyping mascots in schools, universities, and professional sports teams is not acceptable.

It is because the NCAA listened to Native people that they instituted a ban of race-based images, names, and mascots at NCAA-sponsored events.

Mike McConnell and his listeners do not know and, in our opinion, probably do not wish to know, the full truth.

He refers to a poll in Sports Illustrated to bolster his arguments, but he does not refer to the reports detailing the flaws in the methods of the Sports Illustrated poll.

He and his listeners like to pretend that only a handful of people oppose race-based stereotyping, when there are hundreds of Native Nations and organizations, both Native and non-Native, representing hundreds and thousands of more people that have spoken out against racism demonstrated through these types of mascots and stereotyping.

(A list of these Nations and organizations, which include the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, is at www.aistm.org.

And, let us just point out that the N-word is not allowed on the air, but McConnell uses the R-word with absolute impunity, without any fear of discipline or recrimination.

The complete comments by Mike McConnell and his listeners are available on our website nativevoicesradio.net: Click here.

Mike McConnell in Cincinnati, like Francene in Louisville, is employed by a Clear Channel-owned station.

They are, of course, entitled to their opinions.

We are, of course, entitled to raise our own voices and point out that their bigoted, myopic opinions are based on faulty, biased, fundamentally flawed, incomplete, and false information.

As they are allowed to express their opinions, so are we.

Let him know what you think by e-mailing him at mcconnell@premierradio.com.

See http://www.nativevoicesradio.net/news.html for contact information for Francene.

And don't forget that the Red Road Awareness March will be held in front of WHAS radio in Louisville, Kentucky, this Monday, January 22, starting at 8:30 a.m. at the WHAS radio station located at Bishop and Gardener Lanes in Louisville, KY.

Clear Channel should be held accountable for this type of blatant racial slurring they are allowing to air.

Clear Channel needs a clear message.

Again, both Mike McConnell in Cincinnati and Francene in Louisville are employed by a Clear Channel-owned station.

Although there is no “magic number” of people when racism is the issue, the more people who raise their voices, send e-mails and letters, and stand together against bigotry, the better.

**If you cannot attend the March, please send an e-mail or letter to Francene, Mike McConnell, the stations, and/or Clear Channel.**

For more information about the Red Road Awareness March, contact Matt & Lynny Cordes at 270-351-6398 or Robin and Smokey Bowen at 502-942-2476.

You can also get more information and listen to both shows at our website www.nativevoicesradio.net

Alice Huffman
Producer

Randy Huffman
Host
Native Voices on 88.3 FM W.A.I.F.
Saturdays 5-6 p.m. ET live webcast http://waif883.org

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