Transcripts

MARY LOZIER: A group of around two dozen Native Americans and their supporters held signs saying, "Federal law prohibits naming of beer after white man's leaders. Why not Native leaders? And I am Lakota. Don't name this beer after my spiritual leader." David Manuel of the local chapter of the American Indian Movement, or AIM, says the real Crazy Horse who fought against Custer at Little Bighorn was a widely respected spiritual leader who told his people to abstain from alcohol and using his name to promote malt liquor is an outrage.

DAVID MANUEL: What we need to talk about here is respect and honor. I would not dream of naming an assault rifle after Gandhi. So I don't understand why this is allowed to happen.

MARY LOZIER: A written statement issued by the Johnson Brothers Liquor Company says, "Although the company believes in the First Amendment rights of those who may choose to protest, the reaction from consumers has been overwhelmingly positive." The statement says, demand for the product currently exceeds supply. Leaders of the demonstration say they will expand their protests to other major liquor outlets. They also say they will pursue legal channels to stop the distribution of Crazy Horse liquor. Barbara Otis, president of the Minnesota chapter of Honor our Neighbors Origins and Rights, or HONOR, says federal law prohibits liquor labels or advertising from using illustrations that are not in good taste or pictures of public officials. And she says, the protection afforded by that law should apply to Native American leaders as well.

BARBARA OTIS: As sovereign nations, Native Americans have the right to elect and recognize their own public officials, and tribal governments are recognized by the state as local governments. So why are Native Americans excluded from this protection?

MARY LOZIER: In Washington State, the state Liquor Control Board has banned the sale of crazy horse, and the Minnesota Chapter of Honor has been collecting signatures here, asking for a similar ban. However, Otis says the Liquor Control division in Minnesota has indicated it will not take a position to ban Crazy Horse. So Otis says the group will next ask the state attorney general and the state legislature to act on the matter. Activists are planning another rally later this month in front of the State Capitol. I'm Mary Lozier, Minnesota Public Radio.