Lake Erie Native American Council
In President Trump's unsurprisingly racist remarks over the weekend calling for the Cleveland Guardians to revert to its previous team name, he noted that: "Our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen. Their heritage and prestige is systematically being taken away from them. ... OWNERS, GET IT DONE!!!!"
This damaging and thoughtless assertion is wholly untrue.
The Lake Erie Native American Council cannot be clearer in reaffirming that there is no honor for Indigenous people in dehumanizing mascots that reduce us to racist stereotypes. For decades, our community has seen the perilous aftereffects of the desensitization of non-Native people conditioned to see us - consciously and not - as subhuman caricatures rather than as individuals from the strong, thriving, diverse and sovereign tribal Nations from which we come.
The Lake Erie Native American Council commends the team's leadership for committing to build its future as the Cleveland Guardians. Over the past few years, the Guardians have worked to strengthen their relationship with Cleveland's Native community following the changing of its team name and mascot. Prior to the name change, the team met with Cleveland-based and national Indigenous leaders who encouraged them to change the name and shared our private and at-times painful lived experiences to illustrate its necessity.
We look forward to continuing to grow a partnership between Cleveland's Native American community and Cleveland's baseball team as it moves forward as the Cleveland Guardians. Go Guards!
Statement from the Lake Erie Native American Council regarding President Trump's comments about the Cleveland Guardians.
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