Tim_Tex wrote:
roronoa79 wrote:
Mountain Goat wrote:
Don't they respect Indians any more? What have Indians done to them that they have decided to change the name?
Most Native Americans would rather sports teams such as the Indians change their names out of deference to the native community. Sports team names that don't have to do with where the team is (eg: Brewers (Wisconsin), Senators (Washington), Arsenal F.C. (the Royal Arsenal in London)) are often meant to seem fierce, intimidating, warlike (wildcats, eagles, bears, vikings). Indians in this case is used as the name not so much out of respect so much as so they could have a vaguely intimidating name. This is considered in poor taste as it frames the natives as warlike. Arguments that these names are used out of respect fall flat when one considers Native condemnation of these names, and the fact that Natives would rather we show our respect in more meaningful ways, like working to preserve their culture and improve their standards of living.
As far as visual depictions go, it’s similar to Muhammad?
I'm not sure what aspect of that you're getting at exactly. The visual depiction of Chief Wahoo is a fairly offensive caricature with his exaggerated smile, feather, and cherry-red skin.
Muhammad is generally not meant to be visually depicted out of a theological precaution against idolatry (the opposite of what the Orthodox Christians do, I suppose). It's not emphatically forbidden 100% of the time--you can still find images of him in certain Muslim books, films about his life, documentaries, etc., but when one is not a Muslim it is better to err on the side of deference and not portray him visually. This is to say nothing of how offensive it is when cartoonists portray him as a terrorist with a bomb under his turban, for example. It's a sort of double insult where the desire to have him not depicted is ignored and the depiction is meant to actively insult.
Chief Wahoo isn't meant to insult, but he remains insulting nonetheless. I imagine that the logo for the Chicago Blackhawks, for example, is considered less offensive because it is not a cartoon caricature, but it's obviously still not ideal just because the team name is in poor taste.
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Diagnoses: AS, Depression, General & Social Anxiety
I guess I just wasn't made for these times.
- Brian Wilson
Δυνατὰ δὲ οἱ προύχοντες πράσσουσι καὶ οἱ ἀσθενεῖς ξυγχωροῦσιν.
Those with power do what their power permits, and the weak can only acquiesce.
- Thucydides
23 Jul 2021, 9:29 am
