It’s time to embrace the change

It’s time. Like it or not, change likely is coming to the Braves name, and it doesn’t have to be a bad thing. The criticisms of the Braves name, the tomahawk logo and the chop chant over the years have been founded and certainly carry significance. It’s time we listen.

This wave of change that has emerged recently has been the result of looking at things with a new perspective and the ultimate goal of holding ourselves to a higher social standard. If we are able to change a name and image of something as trivial as a sports team to better reflect our values as a society, it is our responsibility to do so. Using Native American imagery in this way to appropriate a group of people by reducing them to a caricature is outdated and inappropriate.

Steps have already begun to remove the Tomahawk Chop from the team’s identity, and local Native American leaders have been outspoken on their disapproval of this chant. Last year in Game 5 of the NLDS, the team scaled back the playing of the accompanying music and didn’t pass out the usual foam tomahawks to fans in attendance. This move was met with frustration from fans, but this is the kind of progress that needs to be made. The Braves name is the logical next step, as it is synonymous with the outdated chant, and addressing one but not the other is an ineffective half measure. Changing the name of the team doesn’t have to have a negative effect on your memories as a sports fan; these along with the history of the organization can be preserved. This is only a new chapter to the story.

So now the fun part. I’ve heard the common ideas going around like the Atlanta Peaches, which is fine, but let’s think outside the box. How about the Atlanta Appalachians as a nod to the mountain range that runs from North Georgia throughout Braves country here in the Southeast? Or the Atlanta Aliens as a homage to the city’s native OutKast and their popular ATLien moniker? Here’s a dark-horse idea: the Atlanta

Smoke. This could serve as a tribute to the burning of Atlanta being a critical turning point in the Civil War, plus it’s just a really cool name. I even have a tagline ready to go: “Atlanta Smoke — Where there’s Smoke, there’s fire.” My favorite, however, is a name that Atlanta already is familiar with: the Thrashers, the name of the city’s former NHL team that comes from the state bird of Georgia. I always thought that name had a menacing sound to it and could lend itself to some sharp looking jerseys.

Whatever the name ends up being, I know the great fans of Atlanta will rally around it and continue to support this organization as it carries on its tradition of success. It’s a great time to be an Atlanta baseball fan, with this young and exciting team establishing itself as a force to be reckoned with for years to come. This is the perfect opportunity to turn the page on our history and begin a new era. The future is extremely bright regardless of what it says on the front of the jersey.