Comments on: Is the Cleveland Indians Logo, Chief Wahoo, A Racist Symbol? http://paneech.com/2009/03/is-the-cleveland-indians-logo-chief-wahoo-a-racist-symbol/ Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:31:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: WeirdFish http://paneech.com/2009/03/is-the-cleveland-indians-logo-chief-wahoo-a-racist-symbol/#comment-3342 WeirdFish Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:15:51 +0000 http://paneech.com/?p=67#comment-3342 @Evan: that's just rationalization and is ultimately empty -- a sort of "ends justifies the means" argument. Your rationale essentially says to those who are offended at the logo's antiquated view of a people and a culture that they should merely "get over it" just because YOU don't find it offensive. Ultimately, both the name and the logo marginalize an entire culture, just as the name "Washington Redskins" and "Atlanta Braves," among countless other sports teams that use Native cultures as mascots. How quickly do you think a sports team named the Montgomery Negroes or the Savannah Darkies would be shut down, especially if their logos featured blackfaced Sambos? Pretty DAMN fast, I would imagine. The underlying issue is that Native symbology in sports team names and mascots continue because those who are left to protest are dwindling. I suspect that similarly, a team named the San Francisco Chinks would be immediately shut down by local Asian-Americans. Just because YOU don't find it offensive doesn't mean it isn't, and this applies to the original author of this old article as well. A lack of instances of correction does not automatically make something "correct." Correlation does not equal causation. @Evan: that’s just rationalization and is ultimately empty — a sort of “ends justifies the means” argument. Your rationale essentially says to those who are offended at the logo’s antiquated view of a people and a culture that they should merely “get over it” just because YOU don’t find it offensive.

Ultimately, both the name and the logo marginalize an entire culture, just as the name “Washington Redskins” and “Atlanta Braves,” among countless other sports teams that use Native cultures as mascots.

How quickly do you think a sports team named the Montgomery Negroes or the Savannah Darkies would be shut down, especially if their logos featured blackfaced Sambos? Pretty DAMN fast, I would imagine.

The underlying issue is that Native symbology in sports team names and mascots continue because those who are left to protest are dwindling.

I suspect that similarly, a team named the San Francisco Chinks would be immediately shut down by local Asian-Americans. Just because YOU don’t find it offensive doesn’t mean it isn’t, and this applies to the original author of this old article as well.

A lack of instances of correction does not automatically make something “correct.” Correlation does not equal causation.

]]> By: Evan http://paneech.com/2009/03/is-the-cleveland-indians-logo-chief-wahoo-a-racist-symbol/#comment-3240 Evan Tue, 29 Nov 2011 02:10:48 +0000 http://paneech.com/?p=67#comment-3240 I personally believe that Chief Wahoo is not a racist symbol. I say that Chief Wahoo is being taken out of context as a simple caricature meant to represent a MLB team whose name happens to be the Indians. This caricature exemplifies a proud United States by sporting the national colors. And, by definition, a caricature is meant to accentuation certain things. Instead of making just one thing stand out, they may the whole symbol obtuse with the red face and large facial features. In the end Chief Wahoo is not a part of racism but reverse racism. I personally believe that Chief Wahoo is not a racist symbol. I say that Chief Wahoo is being taken out of context as a simple caricature meant to represent a MLB team whose name happens to be the Indians. This caricature exemplifies a proud United States by sporting the national colors. And, by definition, a caricature is meant to accentuation certain things. Instead of making just one thing stand out, they may the whole symbol obtuse with the red face and large facial features. In the end Chief Wahoo is not a part of racism but reverse racism.

]]> By: Stellwagen http://paneech.com/2009/03/is-the-cleveland-indians-logo-chief-wahoo-a-racist-symbol/#comment-2106 Stellwagen Fri, 23 Jul 2010 18:29:32 +0000 http://paneech.com/?p=67#comment-2106 You have so much unconscious racism embedded in your rationale that you will probably never grasp why the Cleveland symbol is offensive. The fact that you think Cleveland is in Oklahoma explains a lot. You have so much unconscious racism embedded in your rationale that you will probably never grasp why the Cleveland symbol is offensive. The fact that you think Cleveland is in Oklahoma explains a lot.

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