Cliff Note:The following is taken off the comment section from one of my local friends, who identifies himself as WZZP. He is a school teacher who doesn't have a blog, but he does have a heart. WZZP is a teacher of the developmentally disabled in a school district in the same county where I reside and I'm sure that as such he has heard more than his fair share of offensive comments from ignorant people. His comments pertain to Chief Wahoo, the Cleveland Indians mascot. They are very thought provoking and I thought they deserved a post of their own.
I think Chief Wahoo is offensive.
A real Chief receives feathers as a sacred gift that symbolizes his beliefs of the tribe.
Chief Wahoo wears a feather, as part of his depiction. Many Native Americans would view that as degrading towards the sacred meaning of a feather.
Simply put, I would think there would be an outcry if there was a team named the Columbus Christians Their "mascot" is Jesus on the Cross. This Jesus on the Cross mascot has a big "goofy" grin on his face. People bring big crosses to the game and swing them in the air (i.e. the Tomahawk Chop). People come to games nailed to a cross, scream and act crazy cheering for their team. Fans make light of the sacred aspects of all Jesus is meant to be. The concession stand can claim to sell water that by miracle was changed to beer. Drink up! It's all for fun.
Let's say there is a team called the Jersey Jews. And in the end zone you see a big Menorah light up one candle at a time when there is a touchdown. And to pass the time an inflatable dreidel is batted around from fan to fan. Fans come dressed to the football game in all black, with big black flat hats on, and those long curled locks on each side of their ears. Really getting behind the Jersey Jews, go Jew go.
Let's bang a drum in the bleachers. Let's paint our skin red. Hey show up to a local sporting event in black face, and watch the response. Let's all be Al Jolson at the next game. Let's stomp around and do a "war game chant," and smack our hands against our mouths.
Oh my God! Go Columbus Christians! Crucify the Denver Devils! SAVE us from defeat.
I think Chief Wahoo is offensive.
A real Chief receives feathers as a sacred gift that symbolizes his beliefs of the tribe.
Chief Wahoo wears a feather, as part of his depiction. Many Native Americans would view that as degrading towards the sacred meaning of a feather.
Simply put, I would think there would be an outcry if there was a team named the Columbus Christians Their "mascot" is Jesus on the Cross. This Jesus on the Cross mascot has a big "goofy" grin on his face. People bring big crosses to the game and swing them in the air (i.e. the Tomahawk Chop). People come to games nailed to a cross, scream and act crazy cheering for their team. Fans make light of the sacred aspects of all Jesus is meant to be. The concession stand can claim to sell water that by miracle was changed to beer. Drink up! It's all for fun.
Let's say there is a team called the Jersey Jews. And in the end zone you see a big Menorah light up one candle at a time when there is a touchdown. And to pass the time an inflatable dreidel is batted around from fan to fan. Fans come dressed to the football game in all black, with big black flat hats on, and those long curled locks on each side of their ears. Really getting behind the Jersey Jews, go Jew go.
Let's bang a drum in the bleachers. Let's paint our skin red. Hey show up to a local sporting event in black face, and watch the response. Let's all be Al Jolson at the next game. Let's stomp around and do a "war game chant," and smack our hands against our mouths.
Oh my God! Go Columbus Christians! Crucify the Denver Devils! SAVE us from defeat.
Comments
...not exactly an earth-shattering reply, but exactly what I felt reading that post.
That's why I took it from the comment section and made it it's own post.
I don't mind someone with an opinion different from my own when they can educate me as to why they feel this way.
WZZP and I participate on a message board that when you offer a different opinion from theirs your personality and mental state are questioned.
And welcome to my blog. Glad to have you here. Don't be a stranger.
Thank you!
...and to explain so I don't sound totally whacky - I belong to a forum where you can be yourself and no-one disrespects you for being different. Our membership has been closed, to keep that close-knit community vibe, but recently we've been thinking of changing that. Long story short - some members don't realise how lucky we are, including myself, to have a place where we can offer a different opinion and be respected and even listened to... most of the time anyway! :-)
I'll definitely be back to read and chat, when I can. But put me out of my misery... why 74wixygrad? :-\
WIXY/1260 was one of the premier top 40 radio stations in the United States in the late 1960's-early 70's. They also had a broadcasting school at their facilities called the WIXY School of Broadcast Technique, which provided a 10 week broadcast-announcer course. I attended from July-September, 1974. I graduated but never got a job on radio.
I have however, always been somewhat a radio geek, so when I discovered the message boards, I registered with that name. There were those who thought I actually worked in radio.
I kept the branding when I started my blog because I was originally targeting those who knew me on the boards.
The blog name-WIXY's Gone Bananas, was a promotion of WIXY/1260 in fall of 1973. I have made it my own.
If you have not been bored to tears, I thank you for reading this far.