More pressing issues than team's mascot

On a recent vacation to the Black Hills of South Dakota, we had occasion to visit the amazing Crazy Horse Memorial. To our delight, we found it to be far more than an enormous mountain-carving-in-progress. We experienced the memorial campus's Native American Indian art exhibits, cultural museum and a historical lecture. All were fascinating by the sights, not the least of which was the Native American Dance performance. I've heard similar experiences described as exploitive, but this respectful display of traditional dance and song was steeped in reverence and pride for the Lakota Indian heritage.

After the presentation, a member of the performing group (a fourth generation descendant of Crazy Horse himself) facilitated a Q&A session. I posed the question: Where do you stand on the professional football team in Washington calling itself Redskins? He stated that he and his fellow Lakota Indian tribe members are proud of the name and its representation and do not understand the negativism surrounding the subject. He also expressed that the Redskins team logo depicts a strong, majestic warrior and was designed by a Native American.

In this time of political correctness and sensitivity, I understand the passion on both sides of the argument. When the football franchise in our nation's capitol was launched 82 years ago, the team was named in the spirit of pride, dignity and fortitude. This issue has made it to the federal tiers of our legal system. I submit that we might have more pressing issues in our government than Harry Reid's intense concern of the Redskins name and logo. Here's an idea - how about focusing on the provision of health care to our Native Americans? Go Blackhawks!

Mike Lindblad

Palatine