As NBC's departed PC legend and opponent of Indian nicknames Bob Costas fades into the sunset, the network's baseball writer Craig Calcaterra promptly renewed his attack on Indian nicknames and imagery in sports.
Calcaterra, who in 2017 complained that giant flags on baseball diamonds are too political, this week relayed how Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred may have recently indicated a desire to put an end to the Atlanta Braves' tomahawk chop.
While receiving the National Congress of American Indians' Public Sector Leadership Award for convincing the Cleveland Indians to get rid of their 70-year-old "Chief Wahoo" logo, Manfred said the Braves should get credit for removing their Native American imagery and rituals, too.
To Calcaterra's chagrin, the commish had mis-spoken. In 1986, Atlanta had previously retired "Chief Noc-A-Ho-Ma," an Indian man who, upon home runs hit by Braves' batters, emerged from a teepee to do a celebratory dance. Alas, at the upcoming regular season opener, the Braves will give away foam tomahawks and continue their “Chop Fest” fan event. Atlanta's social media accounts will continue to use a “chop on” signature hashtag.
Calcaterra isn't giving up though. He believes the tomahawk chop is unfortunate, problematic, offensive and racist. He demanded an accounting from the MLB commissioner:
"So . . . if Manfred thinks getting rid of one unfortunate bit of Braves Native American iconography — Noc-A-Ho-Ma — is good he must, to be consistent, support getting rid of other unfortunate bits of Braves Native American iconography, right? Which means that he either (a) supports getting rid of the Tomahawk Chop too; or (b) does not take issue with the Tomahawk Chop or find it to be an unfortunate bit of Native American iconography.
"Which is it? Does Manfred think the Tomahawk Chop is OK or does he want it gone? It has to be one or the other. He has affirmatively ceded the non-committal middle ground on this topic."
Calcaterra has asked MLB for a response to his inquiry, but hasn't received one yet. He's just following his own standard operating procedure on this topic. He did the same thing when the Cleveland Indians played in the 2016 World Series.
Declaring MLB was "obligated to state its convictions on the matter," he offered to help guide baseball to find its convictions. He asked if Major League Baseball believes that Chief Wahoo is a racist caricature? If not, why? If MLB does think Wahoo is racist, does it think it's appropriate for a club to have a racist caricature as its logo? "Based on baseball's commitment to diversity, inclusion and open-mindedness, it cannot answer this question in the affirmative if it believes Wahoo to be racist." Also, if Wahoo is a racist caricature and that is inappropriate, what does MLB plan to do about Chief Wahoo?
In 2016, Calcaterra wrote that, in view of the Indians' refusal to act, MLB should force its hand. His own history indicated he believes MLB should force its hand with the Braves and ban their politically incorrect chopping behavior and Indian imagery. Back then he concluded: "But it would be the right thing to do. I suspect Major League Baseball already knows this."
Contrary to Calcaterra's assertions, it seems that sports teams throughout the United States are promoting diversity and inclusiveness by including Native American imagery in sport and culture.
Oh and one more thing: good luck, Mr. Commissioner, with preventing 41,000 Braves' fans from doing the tomahawk chop!
