Momentum builds for a Redskins name change, and one man can make it happen

[koolaid]

Not a Native American myself, but I can understand why it would be considered offensive.

If the North Dakota Fighting Sioux offends enough people to have the name changed, I would think Redskins would offend even more people.

I know a Native American who gets really upset about the names being racist.

[Risen Star]

Originally Posted by joseephuss

The NFL franchise assigned to Washington, D.C., has a name that is both racist and offensive. Most Americans have become desensitized to that fact. But it is a fact.

So....you may not know it, but you're offended by that term.

I didn't realize something like that could be factual. Who gets to determine what offends everybody?

“I think when people say Redskins we hear cup or bedspread,” Wise said at a Thursday symposium conducted by the National Museum of the American Indian, via WUSA9.com. “The sound is the same, but when you go to the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota that name is equivalent to the ‘N’ word.”

That's their problem. Get over it.

Common sense tells you nobody would name their football team something they find offensive. That is not their intention. Which is all that should really matter.

Enough of appeasing those looking to be a victim of something. The Washington Redskins don't take the field to offend anyone. If their attempt to honor Native Americans rubs you the wrong way, deal with it. Maybe grow up and not give so much power to a word. Maybe the problem is you and not them.

[NIBGoldenchild]

I really wonder what is driving this crusade to get the name changed, because it clearly isn't Native Americans. Here is a comment made on the very article linked to this thread:

"I’ve never met Mr. Florio before, but I wish he would interview Elders from the many Nations across the country. Talk to the members of those Nations and we would tell him like we have told the Supreme Court, newspapers, pollsters, and other surveyors, that we are NOT offended by the name Redskins. Please stop saying its offensive.

I’m one of the people you think is offended by the team’s name or the logo on the helmet. What would anger me more is to see the likeness of the warriors of old removed from the helmet. As a boy it was the team I was drawn to and is the team when presented with the other team helmets. Many Nation members are drawn to it, and to add a bow on top, it’s rival are the Cowboys. It’s sport, its fun, and it’s insulting for you to tell me what I should be insulted over, when the name and logo are held in high regard amongst my friends and family. I understand that some are put out by it, but an overwhelmingly majority love the logo and name.

RG3 please do not come against the name, and please keep that Brave on your helmet!"

[newlander]

Originally Posted by Risen Star

So....you may not know it, but you're offended by that term.

I didn't realize something like that could be factual. Who gets to determine what offends everybody?

That's their problem. Get over it.

Common sense tells you nobody would name their football team something they find offensive. That is not their intention. Which is all that should really matter.

Enough of appeasing those looking to be a victim of something. The Washington Redskins don't take the field to offend anyone. If their attempt to honor Native Americans rubs you the wrong way, deal with it. Maybe grow up and not give so much power to a word. Maybe the problem is you and not them.

.......and your knowledge of football and the Cowboys is excellent IMO. However, you are WAY off base here and I'll tell you why. I have close friends in the Chippewa tribe here in Michigan and we had this exact discussion a while back. They say "redskin" is like the 'N' word to them which I found hard to believe.

So I looked online and it turns out Native American Indians agree. I've attached an article on a symposium that took place on the subject. There is a man that felt the same way you do before he got educated and had a complete change of heart. Read, learn and re-think your position:


http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/89...cots-symposium

[newlander]

Originally Posted by NIBGoldenchild

I really wonder what is driving this crusade to get the name changed, because it clearly isn't Native Americans. Here is a comment made on the very article linked to this thread:

"I’ve never met Mr. Florio before, but I wish he would interview Elders from the many Nations across the country. Talk to the members of those Nations and we would tell him like we have told the Supreme Court, newspapers, pollsters, and other surveyors, that we are NOT offended by the name Redskins. Please stop saying its offensive.

[View Full Quote]I’m one of the people you think is offended by the team’s name or the logo on the helmet. What would anger me more is to see the likeness of the warriors of old removed from the helmet. As a boy it was the team I was drawn to and is the team when presented with the other team helmets. Many Nation members are drawn to it, and to add a bow on top, it’s rival are the Cowboys. It’s sport, its fun, and it’s insulting for you to tell me what I should be insulted over, when the name and logo are held in high regard amongst my friends and family. I understand that some are put out by it, but an overwhelmingly majority love the logo and name.

RG3 please do not come against the name, and please keep that Brave on your helmet!"

......which can be expected from all the washington fan boys. Face reality brah, the name WILL be changed: it isn't a question of if, but when it happens. I think they should go with FORESKINS......the mascot would be a riot......very appropriate for a team owned by Snyder, don't you think?

[ShiningStar]

Originally Posted by joseephuss

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...ake-it-happen/

Momentum builds for a Redskins name change, and one man can make it happen

It was mentioned in today’s one-liners, but the topic demands an article of its own.

The NFL franchise assigned to Washington, D.C., has a name that is both racist and offensive. Most Americans have become desensitized to that fact. But it is a fact.

And the time has come for the name to change.

[View Full Quote]Last Friday, Mike Wise of the Washington Post pressed Commissioner Roger Goodell on the topic, during Goodell’s annual pre-Super Bowl press conference. (It’s often called the “State of the League” press conference, but at any given moment the “State of the League” can be summarized thusly: (1) we’re really rich; (2) we’re really popular; and (3) we do what we want.)

Goodell provided a non-answer that produced the faint sound of tap shoes. “I don’t think anybody wants to offend anybody,” Goodell ultimately said.

Nobody may want to offend anybody, but the name offends plenty. Even if few notice.

“I think when people say Redskins we hear cup or bedspread,” Wise said at a Thursday symposium conducted by the National Museum of the American Indian, via WUSA9.com. “The sound is the same, but when you go to the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota that name is equivalent to the ‘N’ word.”

Wise, with whom we’ve disagreed a time or two in the past, is right on this one. It’s an offensive name. And we’re all numb to it.

who gets to decide what is racist and declare it as fact?

[BringBackThatOleTimeBoys]

Originally Posted by newlander

...I think they should go with FORESKINS......the mascot would be a riot......very appropriate for a team owned by Snyder, don't you think?

Offensive on a couple of levels - all their games would be blacked out.

[BringBackThatOleTimeBoys]

Is part of this the constantly-changing politically-correct name for a group of people.

For example, the Intuit were know as the Eskimo....there were several other names for African-Americans that are no longer proper.

So is "Redskins" one of those names that was political-correct, but not now?

[REDVOLUTION]

In New York. The St. John's Red Men was changed to Red Storm.

[Stryker44]

Originally Posted by ABQCOWBOY

It's interesting. Over the years, I have asked a lot of Native American Indians local to this part of the country about this. Lot's of Native Americans are Redskin fans and I've had conversations with them on this. I've found very few, at least around here, who were offended. Maybe it is offensive but I, personally, have not seen a great deal of support to that point.

IDK

To me some people just look for reasons to be offended/slighted, and other's don't.

[bklyn1028]

Originally Posted by Stryker44

To me some people just look for reasons to be offended/slighted, and other's don't.

You are absolutely correct. I truly believe some people just want their faces in the limelight.

This is tantamount to that superbowl VW commercial the guy talking like a Jamaican. Some moron wanted to get it banned, thank God VW, and Coke (the arab guy on a camel) stuck to their guns.
Anyway.....the Jamaican minister said he wasn't offended in the slightest..in fact he welcomed it, said everyone should be jamaican when they visit....

[DallasJ7]

It's long past time to change the Redskins, and I wouldn't consider myself politically correct at all. It's not about that - it's about decency and getting rid of a double standard. It is more or less the equivalent of calling a team the Wetbacks (I hope that's okay in context, mods) or being generous, the Negroes (for many Native Americans, it is as offensive as the n-word). I've spoken with a number of Native Americans about this, and while a couple didn't have much of a problem, most of them were definitely bothered by it.

And if even you feel the term redskin isn't an offensive epithet, another thing about this issue that really bothers many Natives is that they are the only ethnic group for which it is considered acceptable to have a mascot. You'd never have a team called the African-Americans/Jews/Pacific-Islanders, or some equivalent. The closest I can think of is the Fighting Irish, which is kind of a special case, and more of a nationality than ethnicity.

[NickZepp]

How is the Chiefs not offensive too? What is next? animal activists going after teams like the Eagles and Cardinals and Falcons because their logos look too mean?

[burmafrd]

Originally Posted by DallasJ7

It's long past time to change the Redskins, and I wouldn't consider myself politically correct at all. It's not about that - it's about decency and getting rid of a double standard. It is more or less the equivalent of calling a team the Wetbacks (I hope that's okay in context, mods) or being generous, the Negroes (for many Native Americans, it is as offensive as the n-word). I've spoken with a number of Native Americans about this, and while a couple didn't have much of a problem, most of them were definitely bothered by it.

And if even you feel the term redskin isn't an offensive epithet, another thing about this issue that really bothers many Natives is that they are the only ethnic group for which it is considered acceptable to have a mascot. You'd never have a team called the African-Americans/Jews/Pacific-Islanders, or some equivalent. The closest I can think of is the Fighting Irish, which is kind of a special case, and more of a nationality than ethnicity.

you are politically correct. Your whole post shows that

[slaga]

Originally Posted by DallasJ7

It's long past time to change the Redskins, and I wouldn't consider myself politically correct at all. It's not about that - it's about decency and getting rid of a double standard. It is more or less the equivalent of calling a team the Wetbacks (I hope that's okay in context, mods) or being generous, the Negroes (for many Native Americans, it is as offensive as the n-word). I've spoken with a number of Native Americans about this, and while a couple didn't have much of a problem, most of them were definitely bothered by it.

And if even you feel the term redskin isn't an offensive epithet, another thing about this issue that really bothers many Natives is that they are the only ethnic group for which it is considered acceptable to have a mascot. You'd never have a team called the African-Americans/Jews/Pacific-Islanders, or some equivalent. The closest I can think of is the Fighting Irish, which is kind of a special case, and more of a nationality than ethnicity.

There are the Vikings, Celtics, Chiefs, Braves, Indians, Warriors, Edmonton Eskimos, Brooklyn Redmen, Seminoles, Choctaws, etc.

There is a whole list of them here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...genous_peoples

If you look at high schools, you have the Mohicans, Aztecs, among others.