C'mon JH. Keep it civil. There is disagreement in this thread but so far we have managed to keep it on an even keel.
Printable View
It's the reality. White-folk nearly succeeded in killing their entire race of people. I guess there are so few of them that using slurs against native people sounds kind of cute and funny -vs- saying nigger in public where a black man might punch you in your stupid face. Just because they're mostly dead and silent doesn't mean the reality of how they feel should be ignored.
I get it. I just think we're so immune to slurs against native people, it would help to bring in some other slurs we're not so immune to. Nigger was a common word once upon a time. That word is just a matter of personal feelings too. All words are. Good for the black people in our country, there were enough to stand up and make it so it's a word nobody dares say anymore. Now it's the natives turn. It's the name of a football team not his fucking child. Change it.
I only have a problem with the ones that are racial slurs. It might be worth noting that George Preston Marshall, who changed the name of the team from Braves to Redskins, did not have a great record on racial policy. His was the last NFL team to integrate, and by more than a decade. In fact, it wasn't until the Kennedy administration threatened to disallow them from playing in the new Washington stadium, which was paid for by tax dollars, that he signed a black player. So it's certainly possible the name Redskins was chosen because it was a racial slur, not despite it. You can have a team name that honors native American heritage without having a controversy like this. They should change it.
My thoughts have changed over the years. I probably wouldnt have cared three years ago, but i was listening to a black guy on the radio say the native americans felt it was a slur and I thought, "why fight so hard to keep a name people feel slurred by."
If you're so in love with the native culture, bring in a native ownership party and name it something that group feels honors its people or at least ask first. They don't care. Theyd change it if they cared about the native culture. This is about a powerful man wanting to do what he wants to do and a group of people using the power in their numbers to establish respect. Im rooting for the natives, and honestly, haha to the people who, despite their mpney, are still ruled by the power of people. Get in line. iIf you dont like our society, go somewhere you like better.
If Schneider gets away with it, good for him, but Im rooting for the natives and Ill get a laugh if Schneider throws a little hissy fit and sells his team :)
As a hint to ideological aspect, without going FYI on you, consider that sometimes - not necessarily in this particular case - the will of the people is wrong and the people with mpney are right, so that the best thing is to be ruled by consistent eternal principles as far as possible.
Sure you can do both. I wonder just what the actual harm is in the name of the franchise. How many people are having their lives destroyed by the negative image of the Redskins versus the joy it elicits. Can we measure that? Or should a single offended voice, or two , three, sixty or five hundred be the standard? And should that same principle of offense extend to other areas of social life? After all, it's just a sports team, right?
I suppose Joe kind of hit the nail on the head. When the team name was created, was Redskin considered a racial slur? We can all look at it today and go Oh sure, of course it was. It's obvious!
But it's not.
Back in the day, for all I know, Redskin was akin to saying Negro. Close but no cigar.
What if in 100 years, Packer is considered a homophobic slur? Should the packers have to change their name? Even though Packer never really was a homophobic slur, it was close. Close enough to where all "the gays" are up in arms over this obviously insulting name. "You know what the packers used to do to opponents? They used to fuck them right in the ass. How is this name still around? Hell, the Vikings fans still call them fudge packers! This is an outrage!"
We can get into ideology, principle or anything else. I understand the natives not wanting a professional football team called the "Redskins" and I find it funny to see Schneider wiggle while he tries to get his way.
What's he going to do? Go to the grave fighting these stupid little fights? He has enough money to just live life, but here he is, all bent out of shape over doing a decent thing for a group of people. He seems like a miserable, pathetic old man. He's proof you can have everything and nothing at all at the same time.
I'd be all about the Brooklyn Kikes:
http://kissingsuzykolber.uproxx.com/...eam-names.html