The Zulu Cannibal Giants

Someone posted this item on Facebook:



Buchanan's argument is silly. According to him and his ilk, no one ever meant to insult someone with a joke about a dumb blonde or a dumb Polack. No one meant to insult someone with a skit about Uncle Toms or wetbacks or Chinamen. They were all meant in "good fun," to recognize and "celebrate" the subjects.

Indian mascots are the same thing.

The person responded to my comments with these:







Who are the Zulu Cannibal Giants:

Zulu Cannibal GiantsThe Zulu Cannibal Giants were an African American baseball team (they referred to themselves as a Baseball "Zulu Tribe," based on a concept inspired by the war in Ethiopia) formed in 1934 by Charlie Henry in Louisville, Kentucky.

The Zulu Cannibal Giants gained notoriety for their propensity to turn a baseball game into a comedy performance, much in the same way that the Harlem Globetrotters did with basketball many years later. The Zulu Cannibal Giants decorated their faces and bodies with African tribal paint, went shirtless, wore only grass skirts, used special custom-made baseball bats crafted to supposedly resemble Ethiopian war clubs, and always played barefoot.

Although the team was extremely popular with the public, some black athletes disapproved of the Cannibals because of the stereotype.I've suggested teams should name themselves the Zulu something-or-others before. I usually go with Spearchuckers because it's more warrior-like. But I never knew a team actually had such a name.

I'm sure the team would argue it was innocently celebrating and honoring Zulus with no intent to offend them. Again, same as any Indian mascot.