MSNBC’s Reid: Braves’ ‘Racist’ Tomahawk Chop Embodiment of ‘Trumpian’ White Privilege

MSNBC host Joy Reid said Thursday on her show “The ReidOut” that the Atlanta Braves fans’ “racist” tomahawk chop gesture is the embodiment of Trumpian white privilege.

Reid said, “The World Series between the Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros is happening now, shifting to the stadium in Atlanta for the next three games, which means viewers across the country will soon be subjected to a particular show of fandom that has roiled baseball for decades. That’s the Tomahawk Chop, correction, the racist Tomahawk Chop. A synchronized movement of the arm by Atlanta fans at home games. A gesture and chant promoting stereotypes, caricatures, and frankly hatred of Native American people. The chop gets its World Series spotlight starting tomorrow as other teams are retiring such appropriation. The Washington Football team ditched its former name, a racial slur we will not be repeating here. The Cleveland Indians banished their extremely offensive logo and also changed their name to The Guardians.”

She continued, “The National Congress of American Indians responded saying native people are not mascots. ‘Degrading rituals like the Tomahawk Chop that dehumanize and harm us have no place in American society.’ And yet it’s all over American society and will be on TV in 24 hours.”

Reid added, “You have to wonder how on earth is this happening. But we know, don’t we? It’s allowed for the same reason that White parents are allowed to erase centuries of truth from U.S. history, why they get to expunge Toni Morrison books or any mention of Andrew Jackson’s role in exterminating native people from their land. That entitlement, that incredible sense of white privilege, which boils down to complete impunity for them while the rest suffer. Isn’t that what the cult of Trumpism is and what this offensive, gross tomahawk chop embodies? It’s no wonder that Donald Trump is reportedly attending game four in Atlanta. The chop a fitting soundtrack for a wannabe despot who feeds off hate and whose core belief is racists can do whatever they want as others are ridiculed, erased, deduced to the stereotype that justified a genocide. The belief that it’s your right to use team-sanctioned racism to root for the home team, that is the absolute worst.”

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