WASHINGTON, DC – President Donald Trump intervened Monday in the debate over whether sports teams named for Native Americans as the Cleveland Indians baseball team should change their names.
He dismissed moves to rename the teams as efforts to be “politically correct.”
“They name the teams out of STRENGTH, not out of weakness, but now the Washington Redskins and Cleveland Indians, because of their legendary sports franchises, look like they are going to change their names to be politically correct,” Trump said in a Twitter post. . Indians, like Elizabeth Warren, must be very angry right now. “
The Cleveland baseball team released a statement on Twitter Friday night citing “recent social unrest,” declaring that it is committed to finding “the best way forward regarding the team’s name.” His announcement came shortly after Washington Redskins corporate sponsors sought to change the name of the soccer team.
“We are committed to making a positive impact in our community and taking our responsibility to advance social justice and equality,” said the statement from the Cleveland team. “Our organization fully recognizes that the name of our team is among the most visible ways in which we connect with the community. We have had ongoing organizational discussions on these issues. The recent unrest in our community and our country has only underlined the need for us to continue to improve as an organization on social justice issues.
“With that in mind, we are committed to engaging our community and appropriate stakeholders to determine the best path to follow regarding our team name. While the focus of the baseball world shifts to the excitement of an unprecedented 2020 season, we recognize our unique place in the community and are committed to listening, learning, and acting in the way that can best unite and inspire our city and all of those who support our team. “
The Indians decided in 2018 to get rid of their Chief Wahoo logo, after years of complaints, it was a racist cartoon.
Native American groups are still upset with the team’s name, and a coalition of four Native American organizations in Northeast Ohio released a statement Monday that was contrary to Trump’s hypothesis, calling on the team to “end use. of all native themes and images forever. ” . “
“A growing body of scientific research clearly demonstrates that the names and logos of Native American teams reflect and reinforce harmful racial stereotypes about Native Americans,” said a statement by Josh Hunt, Cheyenne and vice chairman of the 500 Year Dignity Committee. and resistance. “These images and team names have been found to contribute to low self-esteem, low community value, increased stress and depression in the natives, especially young natives. In Cleveland, we see these findings reflected in the experiences of members of our community. “
According to the team’s media guide for 2020, in 1915, owner Charles W. Somers invited Cleveland baseball writers to help select the club’s new name. The writers solicited suggestions from their readers. Through this process the name “Cleveland Indians” was selected.
The Cleveland baseball team previously had various names, including the Spiders, Blues, Molly McGuires, and Forest Citys. Named after the allegedly honored former star player of Native American descent, Louis “Chief” Sockalexis.
Team manager Terry Francona told reporters on Sunday that “it is time to move forward” with a name change.
“You don’t want to be too old to learn or realize that, maybe I have ignored some things, and I am ashamed of that, and try to be better,” said Francona. A source within the Indians’ organization told cleveland.com on Friday night that the club will not change its name this year.
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