I’d like to preface this by saying that I am biologically 100% European. However, I have two moms, and my non-bio mom is of Cherokee descent. Our lineage has been traced back to Cherokee Nation members before Arkansas became a state. My great-grandparents were born, raised, married, and started a family in rural, northern Arkansas, and were our first Bay Area emigrants as they escaped the Dust Bowl. Naturally, I have been raised in a very loving family of people with Cherokee blood. While I do not identify as Native American, I am outraged at the continuation of the Chop program.
Established in 1932, the former Washington Redskins of the NFL became the Washington Football Team prior to the 2020 season and a permanent name is to be decided upon in early 2022.
Established in 1894 and under the name Cleveland Indians since 1915, the MLB team did away with their “Chief Wahoo” logo prior to the 2019 season and plans to change their name to the Cleveland Guardians for the 2022 season, although the Cleveland Guardians men’s roller derby team is suing them, so who knows what’ll happen over there.
It’s certainly promising to see such storied franchises willing to make such drastic change. However, the Atlanta Braves remain persistent with their depiction of Native American culture, as shown in their team name, logo, and fascination with the word “Chop.”
Brief background: The Braves, formerly of Boston (1871-1952) and Milwaukee (1953-65), sported a logo that featured a screaming Native American chief UNTIL 1989. In 1990, the logo was changed to today’s “Braves” text with a tomahawk beneath it.
But the Braves sure do love their tomahawks. And now that they’re in their first World Series since 1999, it’s on a national scale. Their constant “Tomahawk Chop” chant for postseason games is overtly and inherently racist, as Cardinals reliever Ryan Helsley illustrated. I’m not here to restate his points; they were extremely well-said and I highly recommend reading that article if you’re reading this one.
Additionally, one of their official Twitter hashtags is #ChopOn, and beyond the right-field bleachers is a restaurant called the Chop House.
Of course, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred couldn’t care less about literal racism, and only cares about money and ratings. In case that wasn’t glaringly obvious before, read this disgusting quote:
I’m hard-pressed to find words for how disgusting and demeaning it is for the Commissioner to make such a factually incorrect blanket statement with zero evidence and terrible logic.
If Manfred were alive during the Civil War, his logic could be applied to produce the statement, “The Confederate community in that region is wholly supportive of the slavery program, including the war. For me, that’s kind of the end of the story. In that market, we’re taking into account the Confederate community.” Is the Braves controversy equivalent to the Civil War? No. Does Manfred have terrible logic? Yes.
Manfred’s basis of “markets” not only re-re-re-cements what we already knew about him, but shows that he is so ignorant that he’s unwilling to field claims of racism from Native Americans who have been claiming it for over a century. Not only is said basis on “markets” a terrible stance to take, it’s just plain incorrect.
I have no doubt that Manfred remembers what Helsley said; he just does not care.
I’ve tweeted about the Braves and the Chop a few times recently, and each time, I’ve gotten replies to the tune of “this is being blown out of proportion,” “Native Americans support the program,” etc. Nobody who disagreed with me stated that they have Native American blood, and most seemed to be Braves fans.
So, what I think this boils down to is MLB’s faults as a league. The Commissioner couldn’t care less, but that’s nothing new. The fans refute valid claims of racism. The Braves have stuck with every aspect of their Tomahawk Chop program after very strong and recent claims of racism and haven’t shown any intentions of change.
Literally hours before I finished this, the legendary Jeff Passan of ESPN posted a very informative and correct article on the Chop. I highly recommend you check that out as well.
Articles featured in this were by Jesus Jiménez of the New York Times, Stephanie Apstein of Sports Illustrated, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and Jeff Passan of ESPN.
Oracle Outsider 