Commanders fans on Daily Show

[Fritsch_the_cat]

awe, you mad bro? I stated my opinion and I don't believe it to be racist or negative in connotation....if you feel this strongly, would the chiefs also need to change their name? Isn't the "chief" the person in charge? but, if you get upset with Commander, then you had better take offense to chief, brave, indian, etc....

"I am a red man. If the Great Spirit had desired me to be a white man he would have made me so in the first place. He put in your heart certain wishes and plans, in my heart he put other and different desires. Each man is good in his sight. It is not necessary for Eagles to be Crows. We are poor... but we are free. No white man controls our footsteps. If we must die...we die defending our rights." – Sitting Bull

One thing I can guarantee you is, those exact words never came out of Tantanka Iyotake's (Sitting Bull to you) mouth.

For one thing, he barely spoke English, so that is a translation of something he said, as close to how it would be said in english as possible. But it is hard to translate Native American language to English. Native American's didn't really have words to differentiate race. They had never needed them until Europeans arrived. So he would not have said "white man". He would have said "wasichu", which translates to "greedy", black men were also called "wasichu". Native Americans thought them just as odd. He would not have referred to himself as a red man either. He would have referred to himself as "Lakota", which like almost all Native American names, translated as best can be done, simply means "the people".

 

[BAZ]

not the same thing (at all), but I am Irish and a staunch Notre Dame fan...their mascot is a pissed off little dude running around in a stupid little outfit like he is ready to fight someone at the end of the rainbow...I wouldn't change a thing

That is offensive, and the reason I boycotted the game when they played here.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

I can guarantee you that I would not get knocked out. Commanders is a complimentary term used to express an Indian warrior.

lol.

 

[Nova]

Why would anyone be opposed to the name change?

Seriously. How does it hurt or affect you personally? Real arguments... None of that 'give an inch, take a mile' stuff.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

As a Canadian living near native lands, i can guarantee you that if you went and called someone a Commander you'd get your lights knocked out.

As a person who works with many, many Native Americans, I can tell you right now that I can go out in the parking lot of my workplace and find a healthy majority of well over 50% of Native American Football Fans with Washington Commanders stickers on their cars. On Fridays, it looks like a tailgate party at the old RFK around here.

I'm less then convinced that Native Americans are in support of a name change. I see a lot of polls that suggest this but I have to wonder how valid they are, seriously.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Why would anyone be opposed to the name change?

Seriously. How does it hurt or affect you personally? Real arguments... None of that 'give an inch, take a mile' stuff.

Many, many are apposed. The question you ask is not really a good one for this forum to answer. We are not Commander Fans so we don't share the same opinions. You would have to ask this question to a Commanders board in order to get an honest answer IMO.

 

[NIBGoldenchild]

Excuse me. I guess its perfectly fine for team names to be "usually offensive" or "disparaging" or "insulting". I've got a newsflash for you. It's defined as those words because it is so widely viewed as racist. Please tell me you didn't need me to point that out to you.

Widely viewed as racist? Yet not a single poll supports such a ridiculous claim. It's no wonder to me that people who support a name change also suffer from extreme cases of hyperbole.

 

[NIBGoldenchild]

Those officially censuring and/or demanding the name be changed include 23 Native American tribes and more than 50 organizations that represent various groups of Native Americans.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Redskins_name_controversy

Sigh...should I go list the numerous Native American tribes and groups who do support the name. These threads and these arguments lead no where and go no where new.

 

[NIBGoldenchild]

The Washington Warriors.....very simple and allows them to keep the logo if they choose.

Nope, resident racist Susan Harjo, one of the few NAs who's taken on this issue, has stated numerous times she would not be happy with the name changing to "Warriors". She wants all Native imagery and names to be removed from all Sports.

 

[Fritsch_the_cat]

Sigh...should I go list the numerous Native American tribes and groups who do support the name.

Yes please. I'd be interested in seeing that.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Someone has already been benched for bringing politics into the discussion.

Hint Hint...Don't bring politics into the discussion.

 

[Fritsch_the_cat]

Umm, I'm going to go out on a limb here and mention politics only to say it isn't a political issue, however some have made it one since politicians became involved and many people chose sides based on political lines.

But I don't believe it is a racial issue either, I don't think most who defend the name do so to be racists or hurtful. I think they just don't know any better.

To me, as a Native American, it's like this. You can call me a Commander, I don't care. I've been called much worse that had nothing to do with being a Native American. I've had people all my life refer to me as Tonto or Sitting Bull, etc. but they didn't mean to be hurtful or insulting.

So bottom line for me, it's not a political or racial issue, it's a simple issue of showing respect to fellow human beings. Anyway you cut it, Commander is not a respectful term. Case in point, call me a Commander, I don't care. Call my Grandmother a Commanders, we'll have a problem.

 

[BAZ]

, one of the few NAs who's taken on this issue

This level of disillusionment is comical.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

Nope, resident racist Susan Harjo, one of the few NAs who's taken on this issue, has stated numerous times she would not be happy with the name changing to "Warriors". She wants all Native imagery and names to be removed from all Sports.

While I disagree with her, how does this make her a racist?

 

[Doomsday]

Anyone who is offended by a word needs to have their head examined.

 

[NIBGoldenchild]

While I disagree with her, how does this make her a racist?

She's a racist because she has referred to white people as "The Disease."

 

[Manwiththeplan]

Anyone who is offended by a word needs to have their head examined.

using this logic, no one should be offended by anything

 

[Manwiththeplan]

She's a racist because she has referred to white people as "The Disease."

fair enough

edit: just to be clear, calling her a racist if she said that is fair enough, not what she said

 

[NIBGoldenchild]

fair enough

edit: just to be clear, calling her a racist if she said that is fair enough, not what she said

Don't worry, I understood your meaning.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

Don't worry, I understood your meaning.

once I actually what I posted, I figured I should make it more clear, just in case