The singer has refused to participate
Taylor SwiftJason SzenesEFE
Taylor Swift and the Kansas City Chiefs have been accused of contributing towards efforts to erase Native American heritage from modern life after deciding to go back on the team’s traditions.
Swift is one of few who has made a stand at Arrowhead Stadium by refusing to participate in the ‘tomahawk chop’ chant. While some view the practice as racist, there are Native Americans who believe the issue could have major implications for them.
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The Kansas City Chiefs and the Boy Scouts of America both appear to be erasing traces of their Native American heritage, according to activists, and they believe Swift’s boycott of the popular chant is an example of how Native Americans are being marginalized.
Social media influencer, Maurice the Native Patriot, told Fox News Digital: “It’s a woke firing squad looking to tear everything down by telling us that Native Americans and Americans need to be divided. It’s become popular to think that even seeing a Native American image is racist.”
The legacy of popular Kansas City, Missouri mayor and Arapaho tribal member Harold Roe “Chief” Bartle is under threat. Bartle is a founding figure in both organizations – but he could lose his legacy as American Indians fear he will be canceled.
Not in Our Honor, a Kansas City-based group, said it was “hopeful” that Swift would be an “ally” for them as they look to end the practice. It is believed they feel that the ‘Anti-Hero’ singer’s popularity amongst Chiefs fans could see them follow her lead.
Why the Chiefs are being targeted
The Chiefs have been targeted by people who feel they are distancing themselves from their Native American roots, and Swift’s impact has only strengthened those calls.
“Taylor Swift doesn’t do the chop. Be like Taylor,” said Not in Our Honor, who used the Super Bowl to protest the “tomahawk chop” chant popular among Chiefs fans.
And it seems the AFC Championship holders are in full agreement with those telling them to abandon their traditions, as they move further away from their own traditions.
The franchise has made concessions to protesters in the past that appear to distance the team from their Native American fans, and even banned “headdresses and face paint at the stadium on game day.”
