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Viejas Tribe Draws Ire with Arena Deal

How about this for news from an alternate, mirror reality?

An arena with a Native American name is drawing criticism. The twist: Natives are the ones who named it.

The Cox arena, as of July 1 to be the Viejas arena, is the focus of criticism because of a perceived connection between athletics and gambling. At least, that's what the critics fret about. Nobody gripes about perceived connections with obesity, making deals with Nazis, pollution, manufacturing plant deaths or any of the other long list of awful shit that Coca-Cola does when it slaps its name on an arena.

The encouragement of gambling is the main worry for detractors here. I can see how some would imply that there is an endorsement of gambling, but only if I view this story through a limited understanding of the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians.

While my knolwedge of them is not encyclopedic, I can firmly say that they are not just a Casino. While this may not be enough to calm critics with nightmare visions of roulette addicted sophmores spinning through their minds, it will have to do.

I personally see this as a step in the right direction in what is a de-facto ideology war in sports imagery. Instead of the one sided view of Native-inspired logos that we've gotten from the Cleveland Indians Baseball Company and the University of North Dakota, we can now see Natives having a say in the matter.

I don't think you'll see grins or warpaint.

Free tagging

  • Tell us what you think about the 'Navajobama' T-shirt, and we'll send your comments to the manufacturer—and to the Obama for President campaign. (No profanities, please.)

  • Omission disappoints Native Americans attending the presidential candidate's speech in Wisconsin. Others express concern over Obama's stance on Indian gaming.

  • The Native actor’s role on 'Law and Order: SVU' is coming to an end, but he plans to stay busy with an Internet TV show, a book and a new baby.

  • A Tennessee high school, whose mascot is the Indians, takes the Native American motif one step further: It calls school grounds "The Reservation."

  • Native reaction to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, McCain's vice presidential choice, is 'pretty mixed,' says one critic. A supporter says Palin 'has been open to and concerned about Alaska Native issues.'

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