Yesterday, in an interview with Roll Call, Tom Coles (R-OK) said that the Washington Redskins should change their name. Coles, who is a Cherokee, said that he finds the term ‘redskin’ offensive. For a long time, Coles was the only Native American in Congress; in November, another Cherokee was also elected to the House, Markwayne Mullin, (R-OK) also a Cherokee.
According to Coles, “Come on. This is the 21st century. This is the capital of political correctness on the planet. It is very, very, very offensive. This isn’t like warriors or chiefs. It’s not a term of respect, and it’s needlessly offensive to a large part of our population. They just don’t happen to live around Washington, D.C…It’s a great football team with a great football tradition, and it shouldn’t have a name that’s derogatory to Native Americans attached to it.”
I would guess that the Atlanta Braves is more offensive since fans there give the tomahawk chop whenever they manage to get a runner past first base.
About 10 years ago, I was giving an example of something, and a young person told me that Hispanic was an offensive phrase. I was taken aback at this, since it meant that a lot of stuff I had written had suddenly turned archaic. I asked why it was now offensive; he told me that Latinos (the preferred term that decade) was how they liked to refer to themselves.
Even longer ago, in Cleveland there was a similar kerfuffle to this, because of the Cleveland Indians. This confused everyone, since nobody there at that time thought that Indian was a negative term.
The only time I can remember a name change to a professional team for this reason is when the owner of the (then) Capital Bullets changed the name to Wizards after the assassination of somebody. I don’t believe that they’ve made the playoffs since then.
While they’re at it, they should probably get rid of Washington in their name, as well. A lot of Brits are probably offended by this allusion to this rebel.
January 18th, 2013 at 10:56 am
The Cleveland kerfuffle wasn’t over the name Indians but over that awful caricature of an Indian that is their logo.
Truly I’m on the fence on a lot of this PC stuff. I’ve always thought African American to be a weird choice…. what if the person is English? Or Jamaican? And you are correct that many of the terms used are simply the flavor of the day. But “redskins” is and has always been offensive to many. Maybe it’s time for an update? St. John’s University did something similar a few years back – the Red Men became the Red Storm.
January 18th, 2013 at 11:01 am
otoh, TA, when Stanford changed to a cardinal, I assume that a lot of Catholics were upset.
January 18th, 2013 at 1:23 pm
I believe “Cardinal” specifically stands for the color and not the bird and certainly not the guys in funny hats (at least that is the story they are sticking with).
Stanford was, however, known as the Indians until the early 70’s.
I suppose if the name “Redskins” really offends a significant number of people no one is hurt by a change.
I suppose consideration should be give to what the reaction might be if a team was called “the Jews” and that is not even a direct analogy as it would have to be a team called the “Kikes” to be a true connect the dots representation. I think we can all think of a number of derogatory racial and/or ethnic monikers that would certainly offend a specific group.
I suppose there could be some people that might not like the “Fighting Irish” (although I have never heard that complaint), but I think if it was the “Drunken Micks” it would probably elicit some criticism.
Washington has had their share of team names. I suppose one wouldn’t want to call the football team the Senators since that emanates from baseball and no one really thinks of them as fearsome. The Washington (formerly, Baltimore) Bullets changed their name. I don’t suppose Washington Generals would work as that is evocative of the team that had a record of 2 wins (I do think the Globetrotters let them win a couple) and 10,000 losses.
Hmmm…what would be a good name? The “Wafflers”, “the Indecisives”, “the Liars”, “the Carpetbaggers”, “the Spendthrifts”, “the Negotiators”?
I got it. Throw in some alliteration. How about the “Washington Whips”?
January 18th, 2013 at 1:40 pm
If they were smart, the would try to win favor with the dictator by calling them The Obamas. Prolly get a healthcare exemption that way.
But seriously, it’s a private business. None of our biz what they want to call themselves. If people don’t like it, put pressure on them by boycotting instead of whining.
January 18th, 2013 at 2:44 pm
I’ve always wondered how the Black Crows or the Black-Eyed Peas got away with it.
and Just LOOK at How MY PEEPS are charachterised. Drunken Leprechauns HA !
January 18th, 2013 at 8:13 pm
Arriba
Looks like ‘Chocolate City’ Mayor Ray Nagin
will be joining the ‘Big Easy Gang’ in Federal Prison.
‘Cold Cash In Da Freeza’ Congressman ‘Dolla Bill’ Jefferson,his Brotha Mose and three (3) of his Sistas are currently ‘housed’ in Missouri.
Dolla Bill’s Daughter is awaiting indictment.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/WilliamJeffersonFreezerPiecrusts_20-45C.jpg
January 18th, 2013 at 8:28 pm
Yeah,
AOK, that’s my story for tomorrow. It’s always nice to start out the new year with a ray nagin tale. It lends symmetry to my writing.
January 18th, 2013 at 9:54 pm
This Bald Headed Stooge has even made the Tippy Top of THUGREPORT.
http://www.thugreport.com/
January 18th, 2013 at 10:04 pm
ok, I just posted my take, AOK. Let me know your own ray nagin story. I put two of mine in to get the ball rolling.
January 19th, 2013 at 6:03 am
They should change the name of DC’s team to something more appropriate, like the Chalklines or maybe The National Debt Beats.
January 19th, 2013 at 2:20 pm
It’s wierd that addressing these insignificant and contrived issues could be misconstrued as a “job” for someone using public funds to “work” for people who generally don’t give a rat’s tail about the great satan America’s latest inexcusable travesty. I’m tired of these idiots playing us for the fools we are seeming to be. What the hell; I’m the 13th cousin in law, thrice removed from a professional athlete. I’m soo sorry
January 19th, 2013 at 4:10 pm
If someone could translate Craig’s comments into English, I’d appreciate it. OTOH, it’s nice to know that there are still some people who refer to ‘great satan America.’ I thought we had droned the last of them.
January 19th, 2013 at 4:50 pm
Craig is a conservative celebrating our national Talk Like a Liberal day. Note the effective use of multi-syllabic words when simpler words will do, how he brilliantly created a Red Herring, the over-the-topic rhetoric and disdain for America. All done while (pretending to) misunderstand the topic. Brilliantly done!
January 25th, 2013 at 12:40 pm
Craig is just trying to say there are real problems to worry about. As for someones racial heritage… who cares. Don’t be so thin skinned, it was God’s call. On the other hand, global warming is an easily verifiable and easier to fix problem, just like the impending ice age my “science” teachers tried to sodomize our minds with in the 80s. Just ignore it and it never existed.