By Arturo R. García
The campaign against derogatory team names “honoring” Native American communities saw another flashpoint over the weekend, as a group of protesters in Cleveland encountered one local baseball fan who saw fit to paint his face red and wear a “headdress” before the hometown team’s 2014 home opener.
As Indian Country Today Media Network reported, the protest was led by Robert Roche, a member of the Cleveland Native American Movement. At one point, he was approached by the other man, who identified himself as “Rodriguez” and insisted his attire was not racist.
Instead, he reportedly claimed it was “Cleveland pride.”
“My children are not mascots,” Roche told WEWS-TV. “Why is it okay to be racist, derogatory or stereotyping us as a race of people here?”
However, CleveScene reported that fans attending the game took the low road:
It’s actually a shame for the civil Wahoo supporters that their comrades put on such an embarrassing and primitive display this afternoon. Only twice in three hours did Pro-Wahoo folks talk politely with the protesters about the root of their opposition and try to explain their own difficulties with the dehumanizing logo. (One man turned his Wahoo hat around as a little peace offering).
For the most part, though, passers-by hurled insults. A handful of boozy risk-takers sporting “Keep the Chief” tees walked directly in front of those holding signs, to taunt. Others distributed individual middle-fingers to each protester while inviting them to fuck themselves. Others launched the familiar hate speech — “Go back to the reservation,” etc.
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