When criticism of the use of Native American imagery and names for sports teams escalated in recent years, Washington Redskins fans could always point to the Cleveland Indians and shrug, ‘”At least we don’t have Chief Wahoo.”
That argument lost a little potency Monday when the Indians announced the franchise, under pressure from MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, is removing the buck-toothed caricature of a Native American from team uniforms beginning in 2019.
The Redskins have faced much of the same criticism as the Indians, and with Cleveland moving to further downplay Chief Wahoo, pressure on Washington owner Dan Snyder to change the team name, which some contend is racist, is likely to intensify.
Snyder and the Redskins, who declined comment on the Cleveland action Monday, have a long history of defending the name. Snyder famously told USA Today in 2013 the team would never — “you can use the caps, NEVER” — change it.
The Redskins argue their name and logo both honor Native Americans. They have also pointed to polls that show support from the general public, and specifically Native Americans. In 2016, the Washington Post ran a poll that found 90 percent of Native Americans aren’t offended by the team name.
Still, activists have targeted the Redskins for years.
In December, Change the Mascot released a campaign that falsely declared the Redskins were “rebranding” as the “Washington Redhawks.”
The group drew some criticism for mocking up websites that looked eerily similar to ESPN, Sports Illustrated and others, but defended the hoax by saying it was to show how easily the name could be changed.
At the time, the Redskins responded with a statement, saying, “The name of the team is the Washington Redskins and will remain that for the future.”
On Monday, Change the Mascot again released a statement urging the Redskins to learn from the baseball team.
“Cleveland’s decision should finally compel the Washington football team to make the same honorable decision,” said Change the Mascot leader Ray Halbritter.
“For too long, people of color have been stereotyped with these kinds of hurtful symbols — and no symbol is more hurtful than the football team in the nation’s capital using a dictionary-defined racial slur as its team name.”
The Redskins have faced some political pressure in recent years over the name. In 2014, 50 senators (48 Democrats, two independents) sent NFL commissioner Roger Goodell a letter urging him to force the Redskins to change their name.
Redskins president Bruce Allen, responding to then-Sen. Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, defended both the name and logo, which he said, was was specifically designed by Native Americans.
Goodell has echoed talking points from the Redskins when addressing the issue, namely “Redskins” was intended to honor Native Americans. In 2015, Goodell said before the NFL draft that the Redskins name was something the NFL “was proud of.”
MLB, as of Monday, seems to be charting a different path. In a statement, Manfred said “Major League Baseball is committed to building a culture of diversity and inclusion throughout the game,” and the logo “is no longer appropriate for on-field use.”
The Indians gradually began phasing out the Wahoo logo in 2014, when they introduced a new primary logo that featured a “C” for Cleveland. Still, the team came under fire for displaying Chief Wahoo on uniforms and at their ballpark, Progressive Field — especially when the Indians made the World Series in 2016.
Cleveland will retain the Chief Wahoo trademark and will still be permitted to sell merchandise featuring the logo outside the stadium and in Cleveland. MLB, according to the New York Times, won’t have any of the gear featured on its website.
For now, the Redskins don’t have any plans to change either their name or logo.
Last year, the team scored a big legal victory when the Supreme Court declared the Redskins name cannot be stripped of trademark protection just because some find it offensive.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
© Copyright (c) 2018 News World Communications, Inc.
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and Chief Wahoo said what????
Really you guys caved. Losers.
Cleveland fans just “Upped their game” to give up Chief Wahoo for another Chief “Up the Wazoo” NFL-like politically correct moment of unnecessary feel-good non-problem solving of a non-problem that existed only in their political mind altering brains.
Bunch of chickens! Their new mascot should be a yellow bellied PIG!
Pls refrain from insulting swine.
Bandicoot (rat about the size of 0bama’s ego) fits more….
No matter… there is a baseball team in Mexico that also has Chief Wahoo as it’s logo.
And what’s the bet, not a SINGLE one of these rabid pc libtards, have EVER dared going after that team to change ITS name..
Political correctness. The owner of the Cleveland Indians is a weak kneed coward! Good for the owner of the Washington Redskins.
Is anyone else sick of this crap?
I was sick of it, 3 weeks after this whole ‘indian name needs to get changed’ idiocy started.
Actually I had a relative that was killed by Vikings back in the day. On behalf of my ancestors and my own self worth I demand that the Minnesota Vikings change their name to a more appropriate Minnesota Snowballs. While on the subject, being 6’4″ tall and weighing 260 pounds, I very much resent the notion of the New York and San Francisco Giants. It makes me very uncomfortable to be around shorter people at the games. I feel like I am being stared at. Therefore I am asking that these two teams consider changing their names to something a little less aggressive sounding like perhaps the “N.Y. Cabbies” or possibly the “SF Fairies”. Now that I think about it, being a Buddhist I very much resent this business of naming teams “Padres”and “Saints”. Let’s have a little sensitivity here please. And what about those who are being caricatured that have no way to express their humiliation such as bears, bengals, lions, Jaguars, panthers, wolves, coyotes, rams, cubs and others. Who speaks for them? Where is PETA?
It seems to me at the end of the day the only real legitimate humiliation being felt is that of the actual “players” on the team being disrespected by their pet name, the Washington Senators.
Great post Speedle. All of us could be offended by just about anything. PC is such huge waste of time. I bet it wastes more peoples’ time than being sick. Actually, come to think of it, PC is an sickness, so never mind. Point is, intelligent people don’t let political correctness rule our lives. Period. Mic drop.
Since many of my british ancestors served in the UK Navy, and fought against pirates, they should change ALL teams named pirates!
What about that disgraceful Notre Dame logo depicting a wee Irishman in a fighting stance. For years I had to lock myself in my basement with my Irish wolfhound service dog every Saturday during football season. I have only recently had my situation improved with many therapy sessions. Still every time I see a leprechaun I have flashbacks?
You concerns are being addressed. There actually is a new movement to change the name of the Notre Dame from the “Fighting Irish” to something…er…less demeaning to the Irish folks. The resident moron at ESPN, Max Kellerman, has actually taken up this cause. No joke.
Speedle. I have no recourse left but to start an Irish Lives Matter ILM group to bring our cause to the forefront by stopping traffic, throwing stuff, screaming obscenities at the police while blaming Trump. I have to work that day so start without me.
I’d more think they are wanting to get rid of the moniker “Fighting irish” cause it sounds noninclusive of other ‘races’…
Several highly placed sources have reported that the color blue is offended that Standford chose cardinal instead.
I have been a proud REDKINS fan for 40 years…. I have never heard name used as slur by anyone .. or seen it taken as slur by anyone ever…. all studies show real native americans (not the casino pc freaks like this halbritter dbag) consider the name an honor and take no offense……. the name is even used by some of the largest native american schools for their teams…
I take offense at the libtards and the pc jerks trying to manufacture an issue that is not there….
the day the REDSKINS alter the name in any way is the last day I am a fan or watch nfl football
go to H libtards and all creating this issue
Geez, I wouldn’t be praising the Redskin’s owner until he joins a league that honors the American flag, but that’s just me.
One would think they would be rushing to change their name now that it symbolizes whiny babies and that they are on their knees about everything else
as a lifelong braves fan i still miss chief noka-homa at braves games. when they would hit a homerun he would come out of his tee pee and do a war dance . it was great fun and everyone would cheer and holler . but in our pc wold we have no room for such fun .MAGA
I grew up in Cleveland. Big laugh if you think Chief Wahoo has been shoved into the great wigwam in the sky. Chief Wahoo will reside in the front yards of thousands of tribe fans throughout the greater Cleveland area. Chief Wahoo will be brought into the Jake (I can’t call it progressive field as that business entity actually is the reason that the chief is toast). Will the mlb Nazis demand that the Chief be banned from the Jake? Will tribe fans send a message to the Indians politically correct management and boycott the home games this season?
It’s time for the fans of all professional sports to dictate their disgust of political correctness to the ignorant management of these teams. We are already seeing this transpire in the current nfl season, as attendance and viewing are way down. Let’s redouble our efforts and remind them that they have no product if they have no audience.
I would certainly hope enough fans out there, are disgusted at this caving into PCnesss, to boycott games, so SHOW their disgust..
Cleveland take a ‘knee’ with the NFL. You lose !
Political-correctness not only kills team mascots. It contributes to the deaths of many innocent Americans because of the Democrat’s support of unrestricted illegal immigration and sanctuary cities as well as their unwillingness to take the threat our citizens face from domestic Islamic terrorists seriously. Accepting the death of a mascot because of PC is unfortunate but it pales in comparison to the many lives that are lost each year as a result of the left’s blind adherence to PC.
How ’bout the Cleveland Pablum, will not offend anyone…am I right?
The suppression of Chief Wahoo may seem a fairly minor point, but it is indicative of the battle being waged to steal our freedom of choice and suppress our right to voice an opinion. Do you want to send your child to a school that has high academic standards and stresses student safety – you are called a racist. Do you want to run your business in a moral and ethical manner – you will be arrested. Do you want your elected representative to expose criminal behavior in government – you will be called deplorable.