Felonious Punk’s Name Game: When a President Plays King with Indigenous Heritage

Just when you thought Felonious Punk couldn’t possibly find a new way to demonstrate his profound ignorance and insufferable arrogance, he’s back, demanding that Washington’s football franchise and Cleveland’s baseball team revert to their former, racially charged names. This isn’t just another one of his deluded pronouncements, like his fantasy about Coca-Cola changing its recipe; this time, the stakes are far higher, touching on decades of Indigenous struggle, corporate responsibility, and the very definition of respect in America.

Felonious Punk, acting like a self-appointed king of private enterprise, took to his Truth Social site with a truly breathtaking display of hubris. “The Washington ‘Whatever’s’ should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team. There is a big clamor for this. Likewise, the Cleveland Indians, one of the six original baseball teams, with a storied past. Our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen. Their heritage and prestige are systematically being taken away from them. Times are different now than they were three or four years ago. We are a Country of passion and common sense. OWNERS, GET IT DONE!!!”

Let’s be unequivocally clear: Felonious Punk doesn’t have a fucking clue what he’s talking about. His claim that “Our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen” is a bald-faced lie, a grotesque twisting of reality that spits in the face of generations of Indigenous activism. This isn’t about “heritage and prestige” being “taken away”; it’s about the decades-long fight by Indigenous tribes to shed racist caricatures and names that dehumanize them.

The King’s Decree vs. Corporate Reality: A Delusional Command

Felonious Punk’s demand is not merely offensive; it’s absurdly out of touch with corporate and league realities. He believes he can simply command private businesses to bend to his will, much like his fantastical belief that he single-handedly convinced Coca-Cola to change its formula. But unlike a soda company, which merely had to issue a politely evasive statement, these two professional sports franchises operate within complex league structures where name changes are monumental undertakings, not presidential whims.

Both teams made these changes after years of intense public pressure and internal deliberation. Washington dropped “Redskins” after the 2019 season, operating as the Washington Football Team for two years before becoming the Commanders in 2022. Cleveland announced its decision to drop “Indians” in December 2020, officially becoming the Guardians in July 2021, having already phased out the notoriously racist “Chief Wahoo” logo in 2018. These were not arbitrary decisions; they were the culmination of a national reckoning with racial injustice and the undeniable harm caused by such team names.

And the teams themselves aren’t falling for Felonious Punk’s bluster. Josh Harris, whose group bought the Commanders in 2023, already “quieted speculation about going back to Redskins, saying that would not happen.” Cleveland Guardians president Chris Antonetti indicated there were “no plans to revisit the name change,” expressing excitement about building the “Guardians” brand. This isn’t just a simple board meeting decision; it requires league approval, impacts massive merchandising revenue, and involves a complete rebranding effort that no team or league would undertake lightly, let alone reverse on the whim of a politician. The owners of the Kansas City Chiefs and the Chicago Blackhawks, who have retained their names, have faced similar, ongoing pressure, demonstrating that this issue is far from settled, despite Felonious Punk’s attempts to decree otherwise.

The True History: Beyond “Heritage and Prestige”

Felonious Punk’s claim that the names “Redskins” and “Indians” represent “heritage and prestige” for “Our great Indian people” is a disgusting falsehood. For decades, Indigenous tribes and activists have tirelessly fought against these very names, labeling them as racist, dehumanizing, and perpetuating harmful stereotypes. These names are not a celebration; they are a painful reminder of historical oppression and cultural appropriation. The changes were part of a broader national discussion about institutions shedding logos and names considered racist, a conversation long overdue.

The Washington “Redskins” name, originating in 1933, is a derogatory term for Native Americans. The Cleveland “Indians” name, adopted in 1915, also carried deeply offensive connotations, particularly through its “Chief Wahoo” logo, which was widely condemned as a racist caricature. These were not symbols of honor but relics of a bygone era of casual racism that the teams, to their credit, eventually recognized they could no longer defend.

Felonious Punk’s intervention here is not about supporting Indigenous communities; it’s about stoking a culture war, appealing to a segment of his base that clings to outdated notions of “tradition” at the expense of human dignity. He is weaponizing a sensitive issue for political gain, demonstrating a profound disrespect for the very people he claims to champion.

The Stakes: More Than Just a Name

While the name changes were a flashpoint for some fans, triggering debates about tradition versus progress, the core issue extends far beyond fan sentiment or even merchandising revenue. Merchandising, which accounts for a significant portion of a team’s revenue, would indeed be affected by another reversal, creating a major headache for the leagues and owners who have invested heavily in new branding. But the real stakes are symbolic and cultural.

These names, and the fight to change them, represent a broader struggle for recognition, respect, and equity for Indigenous peoples. To revert to them would be a colossal step backward, a public endorsement of racial insensitivity, and a betrayal of the progress made in fostering a more inclusive society. It would send a chilling message that political expediency can override moral imperative and that the voices of marginalized communities can be silenced by a presidential decree.

An Unwanted Command – The President Should NEVER Decide

Felonious Punk’s demand for these name changes is a prime example of a leader who believes he is above the law, above corporate autonomy, and above the basic tenets of human decency. It’s right up there with him trying to dictate Coca-Cola’s recipe, but with far more severe implications for racial justice and cultural respect. He is acting like a king, trying to make private corporations do his bidding, regardless of the historical context, the ethical implications, or the complex realities of their operations.

This is critical, not because of the teams themselves, but because this is now the second instance (following the CBS/Colbert debacle) where a major private entity appears to be targeted by the President for perceived opposition or to further his political agenda. This needs to be stopped at the source: The President should NEVER get to decide who talks about him and who doesn’t, or what names private entities choose for their brands. This is an egregious attack on free speech, on corporate autonomy, and on the hard-won progress of civil rights in America. The response here, taken with that of the earlier piece on public media, has to be loud and severe. The names of our sports teams, and the respect they embody, should be decided by communities, by conscience, and by the principles of justice, not by the bluster of a man who believes his word is law.