He’s also the treasurer of the National Congress of American Indians, which has had a long-standing opposition to athletic teams with Native American nicknames, logos and symbols.

It's also ironic that the adoption of Native symbols by civic organizations often dates back to a time when Native American children were being taken from reservations and sent to boarding schools ...

The Thunderbirds and other local civic groups raise millions for charity but critics say using Native American symbols is outdated and offensive.