I also love Demolition Derby, and boxing when it was only slightly crooked and Heavyweights were really fighters (1970s and earlier).
Anyway, in a discussion about Stephen Graham Jones (I know, this seems like a leap, but stick with me), the subject of his Indian-ness came up. For the uninitiated, SGJ is a promising young author, and an Indian. Blackfeet. This has put him in some impossible positions: he likes to have fun with it in his fiction, remarking on the way Indian 'papers' feel like a dog pedigree, and how the Indians have started dressing like cowboys, etc. Jones isn't negative about Indian culture, he just isn't hyper-serious about it. Which is cool, because people who define themselves by race or gender or sexual preference, etc., are damned irritating.
So anyway, the occasional protestor at Arrowhead Stadium who says the Chiefs are defaming Native Americans, I've always felt like those guys should go hang out with guys like Fred Phelps (who has gone from heckling funerals for homosexuals to heckling funerals of Iraq war casualties, saying that they're going straight to hell for participating in a war on behalf of the evil Federal Government). In fact, the Indian protestors should get with the Queer Nation blood throwers, the Earth First! tree spikers, PETA guys in badly fashioned lobster suits. They can form a human shield around Phelps and his asshole disciples before someone makes a martyr out of him. Because shouting damnation and carrying defamatory signs at a soldier's funeral is a pretty good way to get your ass killed. Personally, I hope he continues to live, because if you shoot a Fred Phelps, he gets out of waking up ever day knowing he's Fred Phelps.
But my friend, who I generally agree with about quite a few things, he said something about sports franchises belittling Indians (presumably including my hometown favorite). He likened it to having a team called the Jigaboos.
So I had to think, am I off base? I can see where the tire shop I saw in Tulsa, 'Ugh, You Needum Tires?' is a fair comparison to having a baseball team called, for instance, the Atlanta Niggers. Actually, I always thought 'Tarheel' was slang for a black man, so I thought there was an example, but Dictionary.com says I'm wrong.
But while the Chiefs' cigar-shop Indian appropriations might be in bad taste, I never found them patently offensive. Liberal scolds like to try and ban the 'Tomahawk Chop' as hate speech, but that dog won't hunt in my opinion.
The one regular season game I ever got to attend, Green Bay was visiting. This was the last game were Bono looked like a legit quarterback. The opening play was a 70 yard pass (Martyball proscribed this, but it happened anyway). And we blasted the Packers on our own frozen tundra (it was 1ºF at kickoff if memory serves).
And we did the Chop. Of course. And there were cheeseheads mixed with the sea of red, and a costume I thought was clever: a cheesehead with arrows sticking out all over him. More cigar-shop Indian stuff, right? Not to mention the 'arrowhead' hats that were sold to compete with the 'cheeseheads.'
But the 77,000 fans at the game, they aren't thinking about the Trail of Tears.
So am I wrong? Should I be ashamed of the Indian imagery the Chiefs use? Would they be allowed to play ball in the NCAA under its new Racially Senstive policy?
And, being part Irish, should I be pissed that they still call a police van a 'paddy wagon' on account of the large number of Irish cops who've driven them (probably driven them full of drunk Irish relatives when the term was coined)? And there's German (or Dutch or Austrian, who knows?) in there too, and I'm sure if you looked you could find a racial slur or stereotype in that area. Should I be embarrassed by the Governor of California, even though I've never even been there?
Anyway, I thought I should start the ball rolling on this debate, since in the coming months the Chiefs are going to not only have an awesome record, but will advance to the post season and win their second SuperBowl. I guarantee it, to use Namath's quote (see above).
2 comments:
But my friend, who I generally agree with about quite a few things, he said something about sports franchises belittling Indians (presumably including my hometown favorite). He likened it to having a team called the Jigaboos.
Hmmm. Actually I forgot about the Chiefs.
I _did_ cite the Redskins and the Indians though. The Indians, a name that still rubs some Native Americans the wrong way - although it seemingly is more and more accepted with their noun-proper in front of it (Cherokee, Apache, etc), and whose mascot and logo, up until very recently (the mascot may still be used at games – I dunno- and I’d imagine the caps, while officially changed, are still sold (for, you know, those that like to ‘kick it old school’)) is basically the equivalent to an Amos and Andy type of send-up. Not much more different that a buck-toothed, slant-eyed, chopstick wielding “gook” being a proper team mascot.
Especially in light of the false history and pure evil past inflicted I do cringe a bit at these things.
And the irony of a team called the Redskins being in the Nation’s capitol is just far too rich.
As for the Chiefs, and now the Braves comes to mind, this is not really on the same level. The “tomahawk chop” is a bit…weird and all but then again I’d guess 80% of people living in Masa…Massash…Massachusetts can’t spell it.
I'm not sure how I'd feel about it if I were Indian. The 'chop' has nothing to do with Indians or history, its strictly an exercise in mass hysteria. Like the 'wave' or any other silly thing at a sporting event.
I'm a hard core Chiefs fan, and after home game touch downs they play 'Rock & Roll Part II' and itends with the crowd chanting something I've never been able to make out. I don't think half the people in the stadium know the words, they just know the cadence.
Like the Order of Red Men, the Chiefs references tend to be less mocking (I hope) than 'Redskins,' though it is hokey.
I'm torn, not so much because of team loyalty, but because on the one hand I despise American attitudes about the genocide of the Indians and slavery, but on the other, I can't stand the humorless. Kind of like how I like non-smoking jazz clubs for my own comfort, but detest no-smoking laws.
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