August 27, 2008
APB for Chief Zee's Tomahawk
Our favorite tight-end-turned-blogger, Chris Cooley, fills us in on some terrible news. Chief Zee, legendary Redskins super fan, was signing autographs at the preseason game against the Buffalo Bills a couple of weeks ago when somebody stole his tomahawk. A foot-long wooden-handled accessory, the tomahawk has belonged to Chief Zee for a quarter century. Chief Zee is a fan that gives a huge part of himself to supporting our city's football team. This petty act, in all likelihood perpetrated by a drunk passerby who probably lost the tomahawk before the game was over, is pretty lame. As the chief told the Washington Post:
"I had that thing for 25 years. Anytime you saw me, I had my little tomahawk. [...] I don't see what they would do with it, but I'm sure whoever took it was playing a trick. I sat in the parking lot long after the game was over thinking someone would come out with it."
Sadly, the tomahawk didn't turn up. On his own site Cooley added, "I know that the Chief has been harassed countless times over the years for being one of the truest of fans, but this is my first witnessed account since becoming a Redskin. I am disgusted that someone would stoop so low as to steal from such a great man. This tomahawk is to be carried in honor of fallen super fans."
And guys, we know — you all have very strong feelings on the topic of the team's name and their use of American Indian culture. This might even seem like the perfect segue into that line of hyper-commenting. But for now let's all take it easy, remember that some actual Native Americans don't seem to find the name offensive, and focus that energy on wild accusations of why the Buffalo Bills are backward thinking bigots, and hatch Scooby-Doo-worthy plots to retrieve the tomahawk. We know you've got it in you. Cooley's sweetening the deal by throwing in a prize for its return: a free autographed jersey.
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The perpetrator of this crime should be slowly hacked to death with said tiny tomahawk
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What a loser. They'd probably steal Tiny Tim's crutch and use it as a buttstick.
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i'll bet it was a bitter Dallas fan.
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It was probably just some little kid who just wanted a tomahawk. A little pale faced theivy bastard child from the icy north, a worthless low-life, grave-robbing, good for nothing Buffalo kid who will grow up to be unemployed and have to move to a place with a real, non-snow based, economy.
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Your three links that show why "actual Native Americans" don't find the name/mascot offensive all refer back to the same Sports Illustrated poll, and the last link questions whether the study even polled "actual Native Americans." If Zee wants to appropriate Native American culture he better get used to having his shit stolen and never getting it back.
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may the fiend who perpetrated this act be tomahawk chopped into a thousand pieces and fed to the dog pound.
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If Zee wants to appropriate Native American culture he better get used to having his shit stolen and never getting it back.
I dunno whether it was the tears from my eyes or the spume of Diet Coke from my nose, but you owe me a new keyboard.
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I was gonna say something snarky about stealing from fake indians but Amanda beat me to it.
I will tel you this. Chris Cooley's autographed jerseys are knock off bootlegs...!
UPSET THE SETUP.
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Comment of the week..
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thank you amanda hess! perfectly put!
you know, i'm sure we could find a few people of arab decent who enjoy being racially profiled too, if we went looking.
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Um, chance for an upgrade?
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AIM stole it.
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i'll put it up on Ebay shortly and we'll see how badly he wants it back.
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Maybe someone sick to death of those cheezy Eastern Motors commercials stole it.
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It was probably an Eagles fan.
http://galleyslaves.blogspot.com/2005/01/philadelphia-sports-fans-often-get.html
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Since Amanda Mattos brought up the team name/mascot issue and elected to highlight that there are some Native peoples who do not take exception to being used as mascots or having their heritage and spiritual beliefs trivialized, it must be noted that she simultaneously disregards any number of related resolutions, scholarly papers, and well-reasoned concerns voiced about this matter by numerous respected American Indian organizations and individuals.
A significant number of Native peoples as well as virtually every major organization in the country that represents American Indian people and their interests have repeatedly for many years expressed opposition to these practices.
Among many other organizations that have expressed opposition but do not exclusively represent American Indian peoples include the United States Commission on Civil Rights; the NAACP; the National Education Association; American Psychological Association; the Council of the American Sociological Association; and the United Methodist Church, American Jewish Committee, and Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).