The 2021 World Series Champion Atlanta Braves visited The White House on Monday on an invitation from President Joe Biden and the team’s presence in Washington reignited a debate about the controversial “Braves.” While it sounds like the Biden administration is open to a conversation about changing the name, former Georgia Bulldogs star and Georgia senate candidate Herschel Walker is not.
During an appearance on Fox News on Monday night, Walker made it clear that he does not think that the Braves should change their name or logo, citing apparent conversations he’s had with some Native Americans. And he wants to know the stance of his contestant, sitting Democratic senator Raphael Warnock.
"I've asked some Native Americans, and they're okay with it" — Herschel Walker on the Atlanta Braves team name and logo pic.twitter.com/OXlNGrG4Z0
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 27, 2022
“I want to ask Senator Warnock,” Walker said. “And he need to come out and say do he believe they should change the name. Well, I don’t. And you know what’s so funny? I’ve asked some Native Americans and they were okay with it.”
The Atlanta Braves and Major League Baseball have long maintained that they had the support of local Indigenous communities for both the team name and the Tomahawk Chop chant. However, Native Americans have pushed back against those claims in recent years, suggesting that Native Americans are not universally accepting of the team’s moniker or the controversial chant.
But it sounds like Walker is ready to let a couple of conversations speak for the entire Indigenous community, and chastize his opponent for not doing the same.
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