Woman behind fight against Washington’s NFL nickname says Chiefs should be on guard

[CWil 30]

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/sam-mellinger/article618354.html

 

The fight took a monumental shift at a protest nine years at Arrowhead Stadium and it’s about to come full circle. No matter what you think of the issue, it will soon be ubiquitous in and around Kansas City’s greatest obsession other than barbecue.

The Chiefs are aware of it, and are preparing accordingly.

Back in 2005, a group calling itself “Not In Our Honor” protested before the Chiefs played Washington. They were predominately Native Americans, united in their anger over what they perceived as offensive stereotypes passed off as nicknames for sports teams. An older woman named Suzan Harjo was one of the leaders of the protest, but met a younger woman named Amanda Blackhorse, then a student at Kansas.

 

They bonded over their passion for the issue, and that’s how the case known as Blackhorse et al v. Pro-Football Inc. came to be, eventually winning a decision by the United States Patent and Trademark Office last week to cancel the trademark of the Washington Redskins.

The case is under appeal, but you should know that the woman who took on and (at least for the moment) defeated the NFL would like to see the same type of case brought against the Chiefs.

 

As she says, the spark that started back in 2005 at Arrowhead has created a fire that will probably soon return.

“What happens there, it’s just insane the things they allow to go on,” Blackhorse says of the Chiefs and Arrowhead. “They are definitely in the group (of offensive teams), for sure.”

For now, the Chiefs are publicly silent on this. But they know the fight is likely coming, and they hope a few things work in their favor — most notably that it’s tough to compare their nickname to the one in Washington that is a dictionary-defined racial slur. Blackhorse’s group has also protested baseball’s Cleveland Indians, and that team has greatly scaled back its use of the cartoonish Chief Wahoo logo.

The Chiefs have similarly scaled back some of their more obvious plays on Native American stereotypes, and they hope they have some other advantages when the fight comes. The team is named after H. Roe Bartle, the old mayor who was key in Kansas City landing the team from Dallas in 1962. Bartle’s nickname was “The Chief.”

The team stopped using a man dressed in traditional headgear as a mascot during pregame festivities many years ago. In the early 1990s, many of the Chiefs’ defensive players posed for a poster that today both looksabsolutely ridiculous and would never be recreated.

The team does, however, play the tomahawk chop during games and welcomes fans in headgear and other stereotypes of Native American dress.

Those are some of the parts of the gameday experience that Blackhorse calls “insane,” and why she expects a fight that’s gaining momentum and support nationally to come to Kansas City.

She knows that the vast majority of Chiefs fans will oppose her, but she also knows that the vast majority of fans in Washington opposed her, as well.

She says there is “no middle ground with this issue,” that once an ethnic group is used as a nickname for a sports team, the people in that ethic group lose control of their identity and humanity.

“I don’t want people to think I’m going around pointing fingers, like, ‘You’re a racist, you’re a racist, you’re a racist,’” she says. “That’s not the point. The point is we’re offended. You can love Native Americans to death. You can have admiration, love what we do, how we are, whatever, and still (hijack) our culture without understanding it that way.”

Wherever you stand on this issue, there is no denying that Blackhorse’s side is making progress. Teams are sensitive to and aware of perpetuating stereotypes so much more than in the past, in response to public sentiment.

The issue is further complicated by context, that this is a fight centered around Native Americans, who make up about one percent of the nation’s population and who, in Blackhorse’s words, “are invisible sometimes to people.”

That makes getting the message out a bit more difficult. A group of people that feels offended by widespread stereotyping isn’t big enough to get critical mass on its own.

That’s why Blackhorse says the movement needs the help of non-Native Americans, and part of why she’s so encouraged by developments in Congress and with the trademark case.

There is a lot of momentum here, which can be dangerous for teams like the Chiefs that will likely soon find themselves directly in the fight.

“I’m not sure there’s anything the (Chiefs) can do at this point other than look for another name,” Blackhorse says. “They could be the team that says, ‘You know what? We understand the issue and we don’t want to be Dan Snyder and fight this in court forever. We want to do the right thing and move forward and avoid this entire battle.’ I’m sure fans will be upset, but still, that’s doing the right thing.

“If they want to be sensitive to Native American people, that’s the thing to do.”

[Wolfscall 204]

Blah, Blah, Blah......

[oldtimer 8,686]

Blah, Blah, Blah......

 

 

yup

[AZ~ 15]

One can only hope the sports teams starting with Dan Snyder hold their ground and tell those trying to change the face of American sports to go fuck off.

 

I'm sensitive to the plight of the American Indian but changing the name of a few football teams isn't going to improve their lot in life.

[KC Warpaint 3,234]

BREAKING NEWS:

 

After this lunatic takes on the Chiefs and fails, she is going to attack the US Navy and demand they stop calling senior NCO's CHIEF Petty Officers

 

what's next? animal rights activists going after the bears, broncos, colts, seahawks, eagles

[Wolfscall 204]

Yep and then we'll have the KC Reds, Denver Oranges, Indy Blues, Seattle Teals and the Philly Greens. 

[Bilyous2 884]

The Chiefs are named after the nickname for Mayor H. Roe Bartle, who was mayor when he got the team to move here. His nickname was "Chief".  Everyone called him "Chief".  That group that  protested nine years ago were just plain ignorant.  Anyway, even in the context of Native Americans, it is obviously the leader of the tribe.  I think it honors Native Americans, even when interpreted in that way.  People still call the head person in a bureau or company the "chief" of this or that.   This is just nuts.  Not an epithet in any way shape or form, even for those who think it refers to Native Americans.

[Bilyous2 884]

Yep and then we'll have the KC Reds, Denver Oranges, Indy Blues, Seattle Teals and the Philly Greens. 

If they call us the KC Reds, will some group protest that they are debasing communists?

[dhitter 1,424]

It's funny...if you follow the Redskins you know they are currently at the epicenter of this fight. I read the letter that Bruce Allen sent to Senator Harry Reid. Seems the Redskins originally got permission from native americans to use the name and 81 years ago it was far from a "racial slur". Their logo was designed by a native american. We live in an era where people want attention and get butt hurt over any little thing. Now the trademark office has withdrawn their support of the name for the football team. Of course they did it once before and got overturned in court. However, the times are different now. I believe the day may be coming where a judge tells the Redskins "you have to change the name". If that happens there could be a domino effect.

[Mr Ev 332]

It's funny...if you follow the Redskins you know they are currently at the epicenter of this fight. I read the letter that Bruce Allen sent to Senator Harry Reid. Seems the Redskins originally got permission from native americans to use the name and 81 years ago it was far from a "racial slur". Their logo was designed by a native american. We live in an era where people want attention and get butt hurt over any little thing. Now the trademark office has withdrawn their support of the name for the football team. Of course they did it once before and got overturned in court. However, the times are different now. I believe the day may be coming where a judge tells the Redskins "you have to change the name". If that happens there could be a domino effect.

I guess the only validity that I can find in any of this is that it brings attention to the struggles that natives have pertaining to racism etc. In the end though, the struggles that Native Americans face will not be changed by any of this, especially the name, "Chiefs." Just go to a reservation like Ship Rock and see for yourself, it's very sad and quite scary. I feel like this is more spiritual, or should be, instead of political. I'm really holding back though because where does it stop now. If I am so inclined to where face paint to a Chiefs game, then that's my god given AMERICAN right. Shove it up you peace pipe and smoke it, Ms. Blackhorse...

[jetlord 10,209]

The Chiefs are named after the nickname for Mayor H. Roe Bartle, who was mayor when he got the team to move here. His nickname was "Chief".  Everyone called him "Chief".  That group that  protested nine years ago were just plain ignorant.  Anyway, even in the context of Native Americans, it is obviously the leader of the tribe.  I think it honors Native Americans, even when interpreted in that way.  People still call the head person in a bureau or company the "chief" of this or that.   This is just nuts.  Not an epithet in any way shape or form, even for those who think it refers to Native Americans.

There's big bucks to be made in being offended these days.  That pretty much explains this whole thing to me.

[Bilyous2 884]

There's big bucks to be made in being offended these days.  That pretty much explains this whole thing to me.

Yep.  That's true about most things.  And people also just seem frustrated by everything and are "rarin' to fight" about anything.  And the press loves a good fight because...well... it sells, and that comes back to money like you say.

 

Sometimes I wonder whether the electronic age of instant communications makes people too informed, gives them too much information to be riled about.  People have enough struggle in their own lives without adding every little thing around the world that doesn't effect them directly.  People may be just going crazy because their brains are dealing with too much information.  Do you think that might be part of it?

[KCTech 125]

My grandpa on my mom's side was 100% Sioux and my grandma was 50% Sioux. We are direct descendants of Chief Red Cloud. I don't appear Native American (although I almost never sunburn and tan easily) and neither does my mom. No one in my family has ever shown or uttered offense at anything of these names. My grandpa was a Chiefs fan. This is nothing more than a select few trying to get in the limelight and make some profit while doing so. True Native Americans that still live with the tribes on reservations have far bigger issues than worrying about a sports team's name. They are poor, have very high percentages of their population with addiction problems, and their illiteracy is off the charts. If these people truly cared about Native Americans they would be doing something to change that situation, not squabbling over teams that tried to honor the Native American by naming their team after them. Imitation is the truest form of flattery, is it not?

 

Get a life Amanda Blackhorse and take up a cause that's worthwhile and will benefit someone.

[DieHard 2,061]

I think the Redskins and the Chiefs are a night and day difference. Maybe something could even be cried about the Indians, but the Chiefs, the Braves, the Semines, ect. I just don't get it.

 

Also, beware of someone who claims to represent an entire group of people. They may be crazy.

[Bilyous2 884]

Also, beware of someone who claims to represent an entire group of people. They may be crazy.

That is about as profound and absolute a truth as anyone can find.  History bears that out.

[Pete 0]

She'll have a much more difficult time proving her case against the Chiefs. Chief isn't exclusively Native American. Perhaps, the Chiefs should do away with the tomahawk chop.

[oldtimer 8,686]

She'll have a much more difficult time proving her case against the Chiefs. Chief isn't exclusively Native American. Perhaps, the Chiefs should do away with the tomahawk chop.

 right after Florida State Does oh yea & lets get rid of the Arrowhead too so we take away any & all refernces to American Indians.

 

 Great first post PETE

[Pete 0]

Arrowheads are not exclusively Native American either.  

[Bilyous2 884]

"Arrowhead" was a moniker one of my friends used to call me when I was in high school.  It had nothing to do with the Chiefs.  Apparently it had something to do with the shape of my head.  I haven't thought about it for years.

[Chiefsfan1963 1,101]

Why are they called Native Americans? If anything they should be called Asian Americans. Why are Eskimos called Eskimos and not Native Americans. What happened to just being an American?

 

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/860226/posts

[Bilyous2 884]

Well, of course they are not "native".    They came over from Asia across the Bearing Strait during the previous ice age, when it was all ice.  But they are about 15,000 years more "native" than we are, so it is a pretty good name IMO. 

[DieHard 2,061]

For the native people in Canada, they aren't Native Americans. The two exceptable terms are First Nations or aboriginal people. Not sure the history behind Native American or First Nations.

[Chiefsfan1963 1,101]

Well, of course they are not "native". They came over from Asia across the Bearing Strait during the previous ice age, when it was all ice. But they are about 15,000 years more "native" than we are, so it is a pretty good name IMO.

Main Entry: 2native

 

Function: noun

 

Date: 1535

 

1 :  one born or reared in a particular place 2 a :  an original or indigenous inhabitant b :  something indigenous to a particular locality 3 :  a local resident ;especially :  a person who has always lived in a place as distinguished from a visitor or a temporary resident

 

I am just as much a Native American as they are but you don't see me getting free education, free land, and various other bennies.

[Bilyous2 884]

Main Entry: 2native

 

Function: noun

 

Date: 1535

 

1 :  one born or reared in a particular place 2 a :  an original or indigenous inhabitant b :  something indigenous to a particular locality 3 :  a local resident ;especially :  a person who has always lived in a place as distinguished from a visitor or a temporary resident

 

I am just as much a Native American as they are but you don't see me getting free education, free land, and various other bennies.

Well, they are 15,000 years more native than you are, and their land was taken by them in a pretty heavy handed way that involved a lot of atrocities.  They deserve that help.  At least that is what people who are kind and generous and compassionate do according to their moral and religious teachings.  Do you feel that does not apply to you, even though you enjoy your home and land and food you are able to work for and keep, things that are reverberations through time to some extent from the things taken from those indigenous people?

[Pete 0]

I guess we are all African Americans. Geez. They are separate from the rest of us in history, race and culture. Give them whatever name you wish so that I know who you are talking about.