A friend of mine invited me to a church camp back around 2000. I think the idea was maybe I might get saved. I didn’t. But I enjoyed cooking for all the church people. So, I was grilling burgers on Saturday night. I was wearing one of my favorite shirts; a Cleveland Indians shirt with Chief Wahoo on it. I loved that shirt.
So I’m grilling burgers and this guy pulls me to the side. Says “I’m Native American, and you shirt is very offensive to some people. I’m not asking that you take it off. I just want you to know.” He was as polite as a person can be while saying something like that.
I didn’t see anything wrong with my shirt.
So a few years later I’m in my closet looking for something to wear and I see my Wahoo shirt. I start to put it on. And I thought about that guy a few years earlier. I took the shirt off, hung it back up and it went to Goodwill a year later. I don’t know what came over me. Its not like I suddenly thought the shirt was offensive. I just decided I didn’t need to have that shirt. Why wear a shirt that might offend anybody?
The Redskins insignia is a little more dignified than ol’ Chief Wahoo. Or, I should say, was.
I guess on another level my spiritual practice, my sacrament, is not wearing that shirt again for a guy I'll never see. I think about him a lot whenever I have a chance to protect someone else's dignity. I don't expect anyone to be able to relate to any of this, its just my story.
So I’m grilling burgers and this guy pulls me to the side. Says “I’m Native American, and you shirt is very offensive to some people. I’m not asking that you take it off. I just want you to know.” He was as polite as a person can be while saying something like that.
I didn’t see anything wrong with my shirt.
So a few years later I’m in my closet looking for something to wear and I see my Wahoo shirt. I start to put it on. And I thought about that guy a few years earlier. I took the shirt off, hung it back up and it went to Goodwill a year later. I don’t know what came over me. Its not like I suddenly thought the shirt was offensive. I just decided I didn’t need to have that shirt. Why wear a shirt that might offend anybody?
The Redskins insignia is a little more dignified than ol’ Chief Wahoo. Or, I should say, was.
I guess on another level my spiritual practice, my sacrament, is not wearing that shirt again for a guy I'll never see. I think about him a lot whenever I have a chance to protect someone else's dignity. I don't expect anyone to be able to relate to any of this, its just my story.
I can see why Chief Wahoo is a little offensive. But he can come to my party anytime!
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