1/13/2005 Add a comment

If you're an American Indian who has gained some fame, and you really want to make sure your mark on American Indian culture is recognized, the Smithsonian's new National Museum of the American Indian seems like the logical place to turn, right? What if you are the Indian in the Village People? Turns out that's where Felipe Rose (the "Indian," who really is half-Lakota Sioux), went, too, donating his gold record to the museum in a ceremony yesterday. The real kicker, though, is that it immediately went into some dustbin in the suburbs for storage. Writer Hank Steuver says he doesn't know until when, but my guess is until the museum does an exhibit on semi-offensive stereotypes that includes all of the racist sports mascots (like the Cleveland Indians' Chief Wahoo, the Washington Redskins' logo, and, I'm so ashamed to point out, the University of Illinois' Chief Illiniwek). William

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