In just some hours, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs will probably be inside Raymond James Stadium to play the Tampa Bay Bucs in Tremendous Bowl LV.
Outdoors the stadium, there will probably be a ton of individuals gathered as much as protest the group as a deliberate protest is urging the group to not solely retire the group’s title, however to cease their fan base from utilizing an in-game tomahawk chop forward of Tremendous Bowl LV in Tampa.
Alicia Norris, co-founder of the Florida Indigenous Rights and Environmental Equality (FIREE), informed CBS News that using the title and chop are “dishonorable and disrespectful.”
“The Indigenous folks of this land have already had a mass genocide method with regard to their tradition and way of life,” she stated. “And once you additional dehumanize them and objectify them, it simply form of falls in keeping with that extinction of who they’re.”
Many followers in Arrowhead stadium escape in “conflict chants” whereas making a hand chop movement, imitating the Native American tomahawk.
The strain on the Chiefs comes on the heels of the Washington Soccer Workforce having to retire the ‘Redskins’ nickname and imagery. The Cleveland Indians introduced they’re eliminating their nickname and two years in the past, they dropped their controversial Chief Wahoo brand.
As of this writing, solely 33 folks from the created Facebook event have stated they will protest, whereas 175 are focused on doing it.
“As we transfer by the twenty first century it’s time America started to respect the Indigenous Peoples. No different group of human beings suffers the weekly indignity of each racial and religious stereotypes trivializing and degrading their tradition in a circus like environment.
No different teams are racially trivialized right into a mascot. There isn’t any Kansas Metropolis Sambo’s, no Kansas Metropolis Chicanos, No Kansas Metropolis Crackers. There isn’t any Kansas Metropolis Catholics the place the mascot Pope does the lambada with mascot Nuns whereas tossing communion wafers on the sphere because the followers whoop it up in a pseudo-Gregorian chant whereas doing the crucifix chop, and bear in mind that is honoring Catholicism, proper?
If the Kansas Metropolis genuinely desires to honor folks utilizing the phrase “chief” they might readily work with the army and provide you with an acceptable approach in session with them to honor them. As a substitute, the Kansas Metropolis group makes use of face paint, headdresses and weird Hollywood impressed chants that mock Indigenous cultures and spirituality.
As we enter the 529th 12 months of interplay between the dominant society and Indigenous peoples fundamental human respect shouldn’t be an excessive amount of to anticipate. The US Civil Rights Fee famous in 2001 that killing a canine or Moose out of season is extra of against the law than killing an Indian.
The disaster of Lacking and Murdered Indigenous Ladies continues to extend with over 5,000 lacking and murdered Native ladies in 2019. COVID-19 has uncovered that many reservations together with Pine Ridge (SD) and Navajo Nation have a big share of homes with no pipes for working water or electrical energy. It appears America solely desires to look at sports activities groups degrade, trivialize, dehumanize Indian folks on weekends and turns a blind eye to the truth of Indigenous peoples within the America’s.
It’s time for this follow to cease. We ask all human being to acknowledge that American Indians are Human Beings not sports activities group mascots for America’s enjoyable and video games. And be a part of or assist us on February seventh at 4PM at Raymond James Stadium.”
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