Douchebag of the Month: Chief Wahoo

There’s no doubt in my mind that Native Americans are the most oppressed minority in the history of these United States. Think about it.

Africans were brought here in chains, but they were eventually freed at no small cost of the blood of white Northerners.

Sure Japanese-Americans were put into internment camps during World War II. But they were probably safer there than in the streets. And America admitted it was wrong to lock them up and paid reparations in the 1980s.

Think Catholics are a repressed minority? Consider that this year’s Republican presidential ticket doesn’t have a single Protestant – sorry, Mormons are not Christian and they don’t count as Protestants.

Even homosexuals, which some people call America’s last oppressed group, have it easy compared to most Native Americans.

None of the above groups had their land taken from them, were the victims of an almost wholesale genocide, then herded to live on small “reservations” of undesirable land for generations – with the only way out being the betrayal of their historic culture. The closest any group came to this level of suffering was the Jews during the Holocaust, and even they were given Israel in recompense. The recently dead John Demjanjuk is symbolic of the continuing pursuit of justice on the behalf of Holocaust victims. Those who’ve read our blog know we have no patience with anti-Semitism. But how much time and expense has been dedicated to pursuing those who slaughtered and stole from the first Americans?

As if that weren’t enough, they are used as a corporate logo for two baseball teams. No corporation whether sports related or not would EVER consider using any of the other groups listed in a way that disparages their culture. I can’t believe that in this day & age people still fall for the press office’s bunko story that Chief Wahoo and the Indians name is a “tribute” to Louis Sockalexis. But I guess nothing should surprise me, including the fact that people who should know better have no qualms about picking on another minority. So let’s take a look at a few alternative stereotypes for different kind of Cleveland team and see how it feels to walk in their shoes.

Introducing our new baseball team, THE CLEVELAND GUIDOS! And their new mascot: DON WOP

How about our new baseball team, THE CLEVELAND MICKS And their new mascot: PADDY THE DRUNK

Let’s win with, THE CLEVELAND DARKIES And their mascot: SAMBO

Here’s one sure to please the east siders: THE CLEVELAND HEBES And their mascot: SHYLOCK

For the west siders, we can’t lose with THE CLEVELAND FAIRIES And their mascot: LIBERACE

Of couse, we could keep the Cleveland Indians and just change the mascot.

Anyone who’s offended by any of the above needs to look in their hearts and ask why it’s okay to continue to a name and logo which is so offensive to the people depicted.

This month’s Douchebag is not just Chief Wahoo. If you support this kind of racism, you’re a douchebag too.