If werent fortunate enough last night to catch Bobbys latest highly opinionated SNF halftime rant, stay calm! Here it is. #bobcostas #sucks #NBC #SNF #NFL With Washington playing Dallas here tonight, it seems like an appropriate time to acknowledge the ongoing controversy about the name, Redskins. Lets start here: theres no reason to believe that owner Daniel Snyder, or any official or player from his team, harbors animus towards Native Americans, or chooses to disrespect them. This is undoubtedly also true of the vast majority of those who dont think twice about the longstanding moniker. And in fact, as best could be determined, even a majority of Native Americans say they are not offended. But, having stipulated that, theres still a distinction to be made. Objections to names like Braves, Chiefs, Warriors and the like, strike many of us as political correctness run amok. These nicknames honor, rather than demean. Theyre pretty much the same as Vikings, Patriots, or even Cowboys. And names like Blackhawks, Seminoles and Chippewas, while potentially problematic, can still be okay provided the symbols are appropriately respectful. Which is where the Cleveland Indians, with the combination of their name and Chief Wahoo logo, have sometimes run into trouble. A number of teams, mostly in the college ranks, have changed their names in response to objections. The Stanford Cardinal and the Dartmouth Big Green were each once the Indians. The St. Johns Redmen are now the Red Storm. And the Miami of Ohio Redskins, thats right Redskins, are now the RedHawks. Still, the NFL franchise that represents the nations capital, has maintained its name. But think for a moment about the term Redskins, and how it truly differs from all the others. Ask yourself what the equivalent would be if directed towards African Americans, Hispanics, Asians or any other ethnic group. When considered that way, Redskins cant possibly honor a heritage or noble character trait, nor can it possibly be considered a neutral term. Its an insult, a slur, no matter how benign the present day intent. Its fair to say that for a long time now, and certainly in 2013, no offense has been intended. But if you take a step back, isnt it clear to see how offense might legitimately be taken?
Posted on: Tue, 15 Oct 2013 01:27:14 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015