With the World Series underway, I should add one more push to the notion of eliminating the Cleveland Indians’ “Chief Wahoo” logo.
Polls in Ohio have shown a majority of fans have no objection to this caricature – and many of those who do admit its obvious racism still stamp their approval with the excuse of “tradition.”
Well, it was once a tradition to castrate and/or hang black men who got caught kissing a white woman, as well. This country’s got a lot of traditions, including one of abject stupidity. Of course, stupidity’s kissin’ cousin is apathy. And in America, Native peoples are the ultimate victims of apathy – to the point of invisibility. Heck, if it weren’t for old TV shows, Hollywood movies – and now, casinos, people wouldn’t acknowledge American Indians’ existence at all.
Oh, yes, there’s the sports team “homage.” The homage to the proud, defeated people by the superior white man. Like monkeys in cages, like archaeological remnants of defunct and primitive cultures housed in the house of the Great White Father, in Washington.
It’s all the pinnacle of not “white” privilege, but American privilege. So ingrained is this racism towards the Indian, that sports fans and just plain anyone can strenuously object to NOT BEING ALLOWED TO BE RACIST. Even to their own people, so to speak. Some Indians are so rednecky, they wind up beating themselves up. Like dogs that have been beaten so often, they go into their cage or corner without a command.
I could go on and on, but let’s get down to language and concepts anyone could understand. “Tradition” can kiss my ass, so can the people of Cleveland. Can you imagine a new baseball team being formed in say… Portland, Oregon – and being dubbed the “Indians?” Especially with a logo like this one.
