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Measure to ban "Redskins" and "Savages" dies in committee

Even though a proposal to bar two Indian mascot names has been defeated, supporters of the legislation say they are happy the issue even went up for debate. And they promise not to give up the fight. The bill, sponsored by Oklahoma State Senator Judy Eason McIntyre, would have banned the use of the words “Redskins” and “Savages” from Oklahoma high school mascots. McIntyre, a Tulsa-based Democrat from District 11, said she introduced the law because she realized the monikers were hurtful to some. Eighteen members of the Senate Education Committee did not agree, and the Oklahoma Racial Mascots Act died on a vote of 18-5. Members of the Tulsa Indian Coalition Against Racism, a civil rights organization that has long been opposed to the mascots, preferred to look at the bright side. "We are encouraged because two years ago this wasn't even an issue that people were discussing and today it was heard in the Senate," TICAR President Louis Gray said in a statement the day of the vote. Senators Don Barrington and Robert M. Kerr, in defense of their opposition, said the mascot names were ingrained in the tradition of many schools and were not meant to be offensive to Indians. Oklahoma State Senator Judy Eason McIntyre, a Democrat from District 11, said that the legislation, SB 567, was necessary because, “I realized it is offensive to some people. As an African American I know how hurtful some words can be.” [more] and [more]