wfn.org | United Methodists denounce 'Chief Wahoo' as demeaning

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

CLEVELAND (UMNS) - Delegates at the United Methodist Church's top
legislative gathering attacked "Chief Wahoo," mascot of the host city's
baseball team, calling the popular caricature demeaning to Native Americans.

With a 610-293 vote and no debate, delegates to the General Conference
approved a resolution  May 9  denouncing any organization or team using
"offensive racist logos."  In particular, they cited the Cleveland Indians'
use of the Chief Wahoo team mascot, saying it demeans and diminishes Native
Americans by denying them recognition as human beings. 

The General Conference is the only body which can speak officially for the
entire church, the second largest Protestant denomination in the United
States. At the 1996 General Conference in Denver delegates denounced teams
that use "offensive racist logos." Delegates at the 2000 conference said the
use of negative and "denigrating images" increases the struggles of young
Native Americans and prohibits development of the strong self-esteem needed
to compete in society.

"The Chief Wahoo mascot increases the isolation, confusion and hostility
which are expressed so graphically by the statistical records of such social
dysfunction as alcoholism, school drop-out rates, teen suicide and violence,
and family disintegration among Native Americans," the approved resolution
stated.  

The controversy about Chief Wahoo has also affected other minority groups in
their struggles for equality and respect for their traditional values and
customs, according to the resolution. The denomination has 8.4 million
members in the United States, including about 19,000 Native Americans.
Thirteen of the 992 delegates to the Cleveland conference are Native
Americans.

Delegates called on the United Methodist Church to direct appropriate church
agencies, in consultation with Native American groups, to engage the
Cleveland Indian community and the baseball team's owners in a dialogue to
increase understanding and sensitivity about demeaning ethnic caricatures
and mascots.

The problem will be highlighted May 11, when local Native Americans and
those attending General Conference join in a protest directed at the
Cleveland Indians. The team plays its next home game that day.

A related petition, which delegates will address before May 12, directs that
the General Conference not be held in cities that have Native Americans as
sports mascots.

In other business, delegates have supported establishing a Native American
forum for the general church. The delegates requested that the General
Council on Ministries, the programming agency of the denomination, maintain
a "common table" to increase the visibility and connect Native American
ministries with churchwide agencies. The delegates hope that a forum of this
sort will provide an opportunity for "spiritual discernment, collegiality
and cooperation" for Native American ministries in the new millennium.
# # #
	
--Linda Green

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United Methodist News Service
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