If the Washington Redskins ever want to return to the city of D.C., the team will need to seriously consider changing its name.
That was the message sent by D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray, following a press conference Wednesday. Gray said that the team, which lost to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC wild-card game Sunday, must consider a name change if it is serious about moving from FedEx Field in Landover, Md., to a stadium inside D.C. proper, according to Yahoo! Sports.
“I think that if they get serious with the team coming back to Washington, there’s no doubt there’s going to have to be a discussion about that,” Gray said, according to the Washington Post. "I think it has become a lightning rod, and I would be love to be able to sit down with the team … and see if a change should be made. There’s a precedent for this, and I think there needs to be a dispassionate discussion about this, and do the right thing.”
For decades, the team name has been a controversial issue. Some call the "Redskins" moniker nothing short of a racial slur. Others argue that the team's name, which dates back to the 1930s, is tradition and does not need to be changed. In 1992, a quarter century after the name was formally trademarked, a group of Native Americans filed a disparagement lawsuit against the brand, reports the Christian Science Monitor. The suit was dismissed in 2009, when the Supreme Court declined to hear the case, but calls have continued for the team's current owner, Dan Snyder, to approve a name change.
In October, the D.C.'s alternative weekly, the Washington City Paper, announced it would no longer print the team's official name, which the publication said was a "pejorative term for Native Americans." After an online reader poll, the City Paper began referring to the team as the Washington Pigskins.
Snyder, however, remains unswayed.
If the pro football team were to change its name, the organization would join a growing list of sports teams that have already ditched the name. For example, The Monitor reports that between 1991 and 2008, 11 high schools and two colleges stopped using the name Redskins for their teams.
Source
What do you think? Extreme political correctness or justified discussion considering many think the name is derogatory toward Native Americans?
That was the message sent by D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray, following a press conference Wednesday. Gray said that the team, which lost to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC wild-card game Sunday, must consider a name change if it is serious about moving from FedEx Field in Landover, Md., to a stadium inside D.C. proper, according to Yahoo! Sports.
“I think that if they get serious with the team coming back to Washington, there’s no doubt there’s going to have to be a discussion about that,” Gray said, according to the Washington Post. "I think it has become a lightning rod, and I would be love to be able to sit down with the team … and see if a change should be made. There’s a precedent for this, and I think there needs to be a dispassionate discussion about this, and do the right thing.”
For decades, the team name has been a controversial issue. Some call the "Redskins" moniker nothing short of a racial slur. Others argue that the team's name, which dates back to the 1930s, is tradition and does not need to be changed. In 1992, a quarter century after the name was formally trademarked, a group of Native Americans filed a disparagement lawsuit against the brand, reports the Christian Science Monitor. The suit was dismissed in 2009, when the Supreme Court declined to hear the case, but calls have continued for the team's current owner, Dan Snyder, to approve a name change.
In October, the D.C.'s alternative weekly, the Washington City Paper, announced it would no longer print the team's official name, which the publication said was a "pejorative term for Native Americans." After an online reader poll, the City Paper began referring to the team as the Washington Pigskins.
Snyder, however, remains unswayed.
If the pro football team were to change its name, the organization would join a growing list of sports teams that have already ditched the name. For example, The Monitor reports that between 1991 and 2008, 11 high schools and two colleges stopped using the name Redskins for their teams.
Source
What do you think? Extreme political correctness or justified discussion considering many think the name is derogatory toward Native Americans?
This argument doesn't even make sense. Just because it's old (which is really what they mean by tradition) doesn't mean it's okay. In 1930 it was also tradition to lynch black people at barbecues and deny women admission into universities and jobs.
They should just suck it up and do it. Its been coming, so they gotta get it over with.
Edited at 2013-01-11 03:29 am (UTC)
I do think they could have picked a better name than the Red Storm though....
The reason why we don't have the "Washington Negroes/Negros" is because white people saw nothing honorable about black people. In white peoples' twisted, disgusting, racist minds, black people were lazy, drunks, sexually promiscuous, intellectually inferior and basically subhuman. Hence, we don't really have sports teams named after black people.
On the other hand, white people saw Native Americans as warriors, with a never-ending fighting spirit. Native Americans were simplistically aggressive, powerful foes. These fucked-up stereotypes led to many white sports teams naming themselves after the very people they tried so hard to subjugate/eradicate.
Instead of making teams like the Washington Negroes, white people decided to humor themselves by naming various places after black people. Hence, we still have places affectionately referred to as Niggerhead/Nigger Creek/Nigger Lake and actual places called Negrotown and Negro Bill Canyon (I'm guessing these names were changed from "nigger" to reflect U.S. policy in the 1960s.)
So when you say it's "obvious" that no one would accept the "Washington Negros" I agree with you. But it's not for the point that you think you're making.
TL;DR: Don't use the situation of black people to illustrate why racism against Native Americans is not okay.
I do like there's a section of Skins fans who refer as the Pigskins, which IMO, would be a perfect name change considering.
In all seriousness, though, yeah, this is ridiculous and should definitely be changed. Besides, a name change could be a huge publicity boost for the team, especially coming off of one of their best seasons in quite a few years.
sorry, clarification time LOL @ the Yo Is This Racist solution. I <3 Yo Is This Racist.
Edited at 2013-01-11 04:54 am (UTC)
My brother and mother don't see a problem with the name. I was trying to tell them how just because they don't think it's offensive doesn't mean that it isn't offensive. My dad hates the name and thinks it should be changed. We live in DC btw.
ps: I hate the term politically correct sfm.
Edited at 2013-01-11 04:41 am (UTC)
But the real say is with those who are hurt by these images.
Ah here we go- From Wikipedia-
"The name, "Chiefs" is not only derived from a fan contest, but also from Mayor Bartle, who 35 years prior, founded the Native American-based honor society known as The Tribe of Mic-O-Say within the Boy Scouts of America organization, which earned him the nickname, "The Chief."[2]"
They have abolished the original NA on Horseback mascot they had, replaced by 'KC Wolf'
It's 2013. Time to change that shit.
Also I had to explain to a friend over Christmas that this was, in fact, a super offensive name. So let's get to changin'.
I side-eyed the Thanksgiving Day Game: Redskins vs. Cowboys. 99% probability it was accidental, but seriously y'all?
[insert something about the Fighting Irish here]
Edited at 2013-01-11 04:35 pm (UTC)