

The headline read "Rad Robins scalp Indians in solid GNC 6-0 shutout." The headline referred to the Antigo Red Robins and Mosinee Indians hockey teams.





UW-Madison professor Dr. Patty Loew, who is also a member of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe, says it hurts Native Youth to see their race depicted stereotypically in the media.



"I want to believe that they weren't intentionally trying to insult an entire race of people, that it wasn't intentionally malicious. But a headline like that just suggests so much ignorance," said Loew.



Pollard wasn't shocked by the headline.



"When those mascots exist, then journalism outlets are going to use them because they are going to describe them by what they call themselves," said Pollard.



Loew says that not only are Native American mascots an issue, but that the lack of Native reporters contributes to offensive media coverage.



"We need to have newsrooms that reflect the diversity of our communities so that we can begin to understand each other and also, you know, have checks and balances," said Loew.



Forest County Potawatomi Chairman Gus Frank sent WJFW a statement:



"The recent headline in the Antigo Daily Journal was disgusting and deeply offensive. The use of racial slurs, in any form or in any medium, should not be tolerated. Beyond the fact that this disturbing headline was printed, it's alarming that someone employed by a newspaper came up with this headline in the first place. Terms like these are more than hurtful. They are a reminder of the discrimination that still exists today."



Pollard says the paper should release an in-depth editorial to explain how the headline got published. He also says that the paper should touch on the importance of the unique cultures Native people bring to the community.



"That's really the ultimate remedy that a news organization can do when it comes to this is to then take their action and then turn it into advocacy," said Pollard.



The Antigo Daily Journal chose not to comment beyond their online and printed apology in Friday's paper.



The apology can be found on the newspaper's website linked below.





"You would think that this would kind of be a relic from the past," said Native American Journalists Association President Bryan Pollard, speaking of the historically and racially charged language.