- Ralf Peter Reimann via Flickr
The Cleveland Indians are yet again being dragged through the mud in the national debate surrounding controversial names and derogatory team mascots.
In the latest bout of racist team-name news, Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder pulled the ol’ nostalgia trumps racism card.
He’s currently wrapped up in a lengthy legal battle against a group of American Indians who are attempting to block the team from getting federal trademark protection.
The issue has received so much press lately that it even reached Washington DC and prompted remarks from President Obama who told the AP that he would “think about changing” a name that offends “a sizeable group of people.”
This type of heated controversy hits close to home for us Clevelanders as the Indians have long been part of the debate.
In 1915, Cleveland’s baseball team changed its name from the Naps to the Indians. Since then, Clevelanders have cherished Native American themed mascots and logos, like Chief Wahoo.
On one hand, American Indians feel that the names and mascots support negative and hurtful stereotypes about their heritage. On the other, sports fans often have a hard time overriding nostalgia and attachment to their team.
Our own Chief Wahoo is “the only professional sports logo in the western world to caricaturize a race of people,” said Peter Pattakos in his Scene feature story from 2012, “The Curse of Chief Wahoo.”
For some fans, changing the name means changing it all: the jerseys, the logo, the mascot. Especially in Cleveland (read Believeland), change means placing all of our blood, prayers and tears in something new and unfamiliar.
Would you change the Washington Redskins’ name? How about the Cleveland Indians?
This article appears in Oct 9-15, 2013.
No…leave them alone!
Maybe they are holding out for a payout…that’s my opinion.
No…Do sick of this winey, sand in your vagina political correctness I could vomit….so ‘effing leave Chief Wahoo alone!!!!!
(So sick of whiney…)
IT IS TIME FOR A CHANGE AS A NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN I’m ASHAME OF THE WASHINGTON FOOTBALL CLUB AND THE CLEVELAND INDIAN MASCOT>>> IT IS TIME FOR CHANGE
No!
Yes the Washington NFL Team should change it’s name and the Indians should at least drop Cheif Wahoo
The name and the mascot are a disgrace. We look like a national laughingstock by holding on stubbornly to the hateful, bigoted image and name. It’s the small-minded kind of attitude that creeps into the way we treat our communities in other ways, and neglect the concerns of the people who live in Cleveland.
I heard a suggestion from someone that we change the mascot/name to one of the older iterations, like the Spiders or Naps. Or, we could use one of the most majestic and powerful symbols for Cleveland (which stand RIGHT outside of the Jake/Progressive Field): the Guardians of Transportation. I mean, the Lorain-Carnegie bridge could practically be the honorary gateway to the team’s games.
No. Why not feel honored to be apart of the nostalgia. I’m Irish and don’t have issues with the Celtics.
Change it to the Cleveland Franconas and have a side view of the Manager as the mascot with a headdress.Think about it………….
If we have to change the name, the team should be called the Cleveland Spiders again, since that was their name in the late 1800’s. Have you seen how big the spiders get near the lake?
I’m surprised Animal rights whacko’s haven’t gotten in on this talking about how we shouldn’t use animal names or images for mascots either. Anything to get in the news and seem relevant.
Should we ban all old western movies too? Why not sue Daniel Day Lewis for portraying an indian? When does it stop?
If a group of Indians would like to start a Sports team called the Whitey’s, the Honkies, the Pale Skins, I won’t be offended. I couldn’t care less. Why is this still such a big deal, how many more times do we need to keep paying the tribes off every couple years?
I think deep down, they just want in on the $$$$$
I have Cherokee blood on both sides of my family, I’m NOT an Indians fan. I just don’t see the so called “racism” in this silly debate. If the teams were outright making fun of native americans making Indians look like stupid people or something, I’d get it. But this just seems like a petty way of getting in the news and getting some money.
just get off it WHITE people with nothing better to do
We should go back to the best name we ever had: The Blues. The uniforms would remain mostly unchanged. The caps with the “C” could stay. And we wouldn’t be pissing off a whole race of people.
The wheels are coming off and there’s a train wreck about to happen, folks. How about doing this much pissing and moaning about the REAL problems facing Leaveland (yes, that’s spelled right…as two dozen people bail outta C-town every DAY) and the rest of the Untied Snakes?
If you give me a few milliseconds, I can think of a LONG list of them. How much time have you got? (Hint: Chief Wahoo is not among them…)
Chuckles the Clown
bull leave it alone what about Atlanta braves? everybody wants more laws and change everything things were a lot better when I was a kid. trbe fan since 49.
I’m sick of all the whingers that get upset of over everything anymore. I’m tired of them making people walk on eggshells to avoid offending someone. Get over it. If you can’t go screw yourself. I’ll keep on wearing my Chief Wahoo hat proudly.
I get the Redskins complaint(although I wouldn’t change that name either) because it would be like calling a team the blackskins or yellowskins. Indians is different because what about teams with names like Seminoles or other tribe-specific names? But Cheif Wahoo is definitely not the only race charicature mascot in Western world. To name one, how about the Notre Dame Fighting Irishman, it depicts Irish people as drunk, violent leperchauns.
Seriously the Tribe is not the only team with a name that can be offensive. The Indians have had the same name for years. Chief Wahoo isn’t even as bad as some other teams. I am sick of hearing that the Indians are offensive and they shouldn’t have to change who they are. Chief Wahoo has changed throughout the years, but he is a MLB trademark. Why wouldn’t they protest a team that actually wins more. Don’t get me wrong I’m a born and raised Tribe fan who believes that people need to leave the Indians and Chief Wahoo alone. People from Cleveland do not want the name to change we have been the Indians for years and we will always be the Indians. Come on most people still call the stadium Jacobs Field. Cleveland’s not going to change. In our hearts we will always be The Cleveland Indians and nothing will ever change that.
Let’s change the name to the Cleveland Happy Sunshine Smiley Faces! That way, no one will ever be offended again, ever!!!
People Not Mascots’ Logo
Acrylic on Canvas
Artist David Jakupca
22″ x 28″
1992
Signed Lower Right
Current Owner assumed to be Lake Erie Native American Council (LENAC)
The ‘People Not Mascots’ Logo is meant to be a Native American protest caricature of the Cleveland Indians Baseball team. It was originally painted by David Jakupca, it has drawn criticism from some sportswriters, fans and local businessmen, but gained immediate acceptance among humanitarian, religious groups and Native Americans. It gained international popular attention when it was it exhibited by ICEA at the 1993 UN World Conference on Human Rights held in Vienna, Austria and has become one of the most recognized anti-racists logo’s in existence. It also caused repercussions for the groups connected with the logo and this has been documented in the INTERNECINE MATRIX Article.
Reference Google Search Links:
“INTERNECINE MATRIX” Chief Wahoo
“WIKIPEDIA” Chief Wahoo
How. I’d like suggest the name Washington Crackers. Or maybe Washington Princesses (W.P.) so all the white people can be happy and stay racist at the same time.
I use to be a loyal fan to racism until I talk to a group of Native Americans who where protesting the Cleveland Indians logo (damn liberal Native Americans). It boils down to respect, you can respect the wishes of a group of people or you can be nostalgically racist.
Got a name suggest, what about the Cleveland Drunks (After the Irish), or Cleveland Whiggers (again for the Irish) or no better yet Cleveland Killers (After the Po-po).
If you like the cartoon logo of a bucked tooth Indian more POWER to you, so got out there and buy up all the shirts and hats and anything with that logo, help keep it alive. Talking won’t help, put your money where you ego is. This is America and you have the right to subject other subgroups to the whims of ignorance. Stay strong and don’t let those damn liberals corrupt your dreams of manifest destiny.
Cleveland loosers
I am native american. And i am ashamed of the people that make a fuss of this kind of crap. In no way do i find this or any other team name or mascot’s nickname offensive. I would be pretty sure that when they were named by their owners or players, that there was any intent of racism. What the hell people!! maybe try to put your attention to a worthwhile cause instead of these petty pissing contests. F-ing crybabies!!!
2016 i’m ashame as a native american-afro-american that we are still talking about this nonsense… it should have been taken care of years ago….three game lead, two run lead and then the rains came at the end of 9th inn game tied ..17 mins delay..thats three times coming to the world series and losing… you just don’t get it yet..mother nature and the ancestors have spoken again and america refuses to answer the call . the mascot will come to an end just as the golden state warriors, just as the atlanta braves, just as 20 different major college universities …. only one team left the washington football club
ONE DOWN ONE MORE TO GO