Nugent Facing American Indian Protest in South Dakota
A group of American Indians who say they’re opposed to the racist rhetoric of rocker Ted Nugent say plan to protest tonight outside his planned concert in Sturgis, S.D., where 500,000 bikers are gathered.
The protest is being organized through social media, including a Facebook page, claiming support from the United Urban Warrior Society, with support of A.I.M. Grassroots.
“[E]veryone has heard the Racist comments made by Ted Nugent!,” a posting on the page says. “Native activists from The ‘United Urban Warrior Society’ with the support of A.I.M. Grassroots will make an effort to stop! The Ted Nugent Concert at the Sturgis S.D. Bike Rally.”
James Magaska Swan, one of the protest organizers, couldn’t be reached immediately for comment.
The protest page on Facebook said 372 protesters had committed to participate, with another 141 in the “maybe” category. One of the posters, identifying himself as Michael Raccoon Eyes, wrote:
“TO THE RACIST COLONIAL PIG, TED NUGENT! GET THE HELL OF LAKOTA LAND! THE LAKOTA NATION HAS SPOKEN & YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE! YOU F------ RACIST PIG!!!!”
Nugent is scheduled to perform at the Full Throttle Saloon, which bills itself as the “world's largest biker bar … open for only 10 days a year in August during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
The operators of the saloon couldn’t be reached by phone and didn’t immediately respond to an email request for comment.
Nugent, who recently called President Obama a “subhuman mongrel” and a “chimpanzee,” is getting attention from American Indian social media and news sites, including Indian Country.com. While Nugent has tried to portray himself as a savior of American Indians, and even “more Indian” than some Indians, tribes are taking increasing skeptical views.
“Nugent’s racially-insensitive behavior extends to Native Americans as well,” IndianCountry.com reported.
Nugent “frequently wears a feather headdress on stage and appropriates a sacred Native symbol in his song ‘Great White Buffalo,’ both of which are highly disrespectful to Native culture,” the site reported.
“Anti-mascot activists would argue that the everyday use of a dated slur encourages exactly this sort of casual stereotyping and trivializing of Native culture,” the article said.
The Indian Country article referred to Nugent’s opposition to a movement to change the name of the Washington Redskins pro football team.
Meanwhile, social media posts as well as various news sites and blogs have reported on American Indian tribes in Idaho and Washington state cancelling Nugent’s concerts because of his racist rhetoric and public pressure.
