Chief Wahoo PC BS

By f11photo @ Shutterstock.com

The Cleveland Indians have decided to retire the Chief Wahoo logo after succumbing to pressure from activists for political correctness. Jared Diamond writes in The Wall Street Journal:

After decades of criticism, Chief Wahoo, a cartoonish caricature of a stereotypical Native American, received a renewed round of scrutiny in 2016, when the Indians appeared in the World Series. During that postseason, Douglas Cardinal, an advocate for indigenous people, sought an injunction from a Canadian court to block the Indians from using the logo while playing in Toronto, further fueling the negative attention.

Following the season, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred opened a dialogue with Indians owner Paul Dolan about phasing out Chief Wahoo.

“During our constructive conversations, Paul Dolan made clear that there are fans who have a longstanding attachment to the logo and its place in the history of the team,” said Manfred, who had previously expressed his desire for the Indians to eliminate Wahoo. “Nonetheless, the club ultimately agreed with my position that the logo is no longer appropriate for on-field use in Major League Baseball.”