Posted on 08/09/2013 8:16:00 AM PDT by Clint N. Suhks
This is the last Slate article that will refer to the Washington NFL team as the Redskins.
For decades, American Indian activists and others have been asking, urging, and haranguing the Washington Redskins to ditch their nickname, calling it a racist slur and an insult to Indians. They have collected historical and cultural examples of the use of redskin as a pejorative and twice sued to void the Redskins trademark, arguing that the name cannot be legally protected because it’s a slur. (A ruling on the second suit is expected soon; the first failed for technical reasons.) A group in the House of Representatives also recently introduced a bill to void the trademark. The team has been criticized from every different direction, by every kind of person. More than 20 years ago, Washington Post columnist Tony Kornheiser, no politically correct squish, urged the team to abandon the name. Today, the mayor of Washington, D.C.—the mayor!—goes out of his way to avoid saying the team’s name.
Why, then, has nothing changed? Because the choice of the team’s name belongs to one person, Washington owner Daniel Snyder. He has brushed off the controversy with arm waves at “tradition,” “competitiveness,” and “honor.” He recently told USA Today, “We’ll never change the name. It’s that simple. NEVER—you can use caps.” Earlier this year, some Redskins flunky was assigned the job of locating high school teams around the country called Redskins, and found 70 of them, which proved very little except that the Redskins are capable of spreading a bad example to the young. (A Google search of “Redskins” “nickname” and “high school” turns up story after story of schools dropping the nickname.) And this May, the team pathetically trotted out a guy named Chief Dodson to explain that his people were “quite honored” ...
(Excerpt) Read more at slate.com ...
Imagine if Paul Brown’s name was Paul White? The Cleveland Whites? Pass the popcorn.
Who reads The Slate? Who cares what they think or want?
I recommend the Redskins change their name to Foreskins.
Who cares? Really?
At some point, protests will be lodged against the New England Patriots for their offensive name.
They were always here.
Risking the wrath of many here in Dallas, I might just have to become a Redskins fans.
The team chose the name “Redskins” because it’s wimpy?
I think Giants is an offensive term to shorter people. /sarc.
Well they already got rid of the "Bullets". And what about the "Nationals", doesn't that endorse Nationalism and Jingoism? Can't have that.
Some of my ancestors were redskins (Huron), and the Washington team name is OK by me!
I like to eat redskin peanuts. I guess I’m racist.
The 49ers were racist miners abusing celestials in Old California!
Change the name to the Washington Thin-Skinned Panty-Wastes.
The Cleveland Indians, meanwhile, have an inoffensive nickname but are targeted because they use a silly caricature of an American Indian for their logo.
Man, this is getting tiresome. Will the last whining Injun please turn out the lights when you leave the room?
Liberalism is a mental disease.
Of at least subject their tax filings to extra scrutiny and audits.
As a Dallas resident, I may have to join you
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