Ok, I just read yet another commentary article insisting that the Washington Redskins need to change their name because the term redskin is a slur. Allow me to offer my point of view, based on my personal experience. I grew up surrounded (almost literally - look at a reservation map of NM) by Native Americans. I went to elementary school with, went to middle school with, went to high school with, worked for 10+ years with, and was friends with people who were Navajo, Jicarilla Apache, Mescalero Apache, or any one of a dozen Pueblo tribes. So with that in mind, here is my experience: 1. In all my time there, I never ONCE heard the term redskin used as a slur. Dont get me wrong, I did hear plenty of derogatory terms and slurs about Native Americans, but Redskin was never one of them. It was so ingrained as a football term that if anyone ever said it, it was ALWAYS referring to the football team (one guy from Acoma Pueblo used to refer to himself and his people collectively as the Red Man, but that was as close as it got, and it wasnt a slur). 2. I knew quite a few Native Americans who were FANS of the Washington Redskins simply BECAUSE of the name, and proudly wore Redskins gear. The interactions at work between them and those who were Dallas Cowboy fans was... entertaining. I remember one guy jokingly calling another a traitor to his people for supporting the Cowboys over the Indians (yes, most of them do still refer to themselves as Indians rather than Native Americans). 3. Never once did I hear any of them personally complaining about the name of the Redskins, Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians (one guy at work from Laguna Pueblo wore a Cleveland Indians hat almost every day), or any other team. The only people I ever heard speak out about it were either white, or a few vocal national representatives (ie. politicians) on TV. At the grass roots level, it didnt seem to be a problem at all. Im not sure if attitudes among the general Native American population has changed drastically in the few years since I left New Mexico, or if Native Americans in the Southwest feel differently than those elsewhere, or if this debate is just a case of white people trying to assuage guilty consciences for atrocities of the past, but most of the Native Americans I knew didnt seem to care about it one way or the other. Also, even if well-intentioned, it must be kept in mind that there is no surer way to beget animosity than to force people to change that which they hold dear - and The Washington Redskins are such a part of American culture that the name is held dear by most football fans - without a VERY valid reason. I dont believe that Political Correctness is a valid reason (ironically, many of the Native Americans I knew were among the least PC people I ever met). As a result, people trying to do something well-intentioned on behalf of Native Americans, may end up inadvertently vilifying them instead. So I dont think the name needs to be changed. Many of you might disagree, but as I said, this is just from my own personal experience. If yours is different, you may have equally valid reasons to the contrary, but thats my two cents anyway.
Posted on: Tue, 15 Oct 2013 17:38:41 +0000
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