Quote:
Originally Posted by BigHairedAristocrat
I wouldn't walk up to a fat man and call him Giant to his face or a gay man and call him a Packer. Does that mean those team names are offensive too?
Just because a word could bee twisted by a bad person to deride someone else, doesn't mean the word itself is inherently offensive. The word itself is not offensive, was not created to be offensive, and was not viewed as offensive when the name was chosen for the team. If it was, no one would have wanted to play for the team because the players would be associating themselves with something they looked down upon.
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Good point. Many have tried to put the word Redskin on equal footing with the N word, but if another team called themselves that in 1933 would it have even been tolerated? Even 1933? Not saying Native Americans shouldn't be offended by the word Redskin, because who's to tell anyone what should or shouldn't offend them, but the word has become far more associated with the football team than as a slur. And don't polls show that most Native Americans aren't offended by the Redskins use of the term?
Although it originated as a derogatory word intended to inflict harm, isn't it possible that the word has evolved into something positive? Or that the use of the word altogether has ceased except in this one particular case?
Someone, some group or society as a whole decided to use the word as a slur. Isn't it possible for another generation's someone, some group or society as a whole to decide it no longer has any application whatsoever as a derogatory word?
I'd hate to see the name changed, but I'm all for eliminating the Indian head logo. I like the R helmet anyway.
I just feel like fans adore the name, because it's associated with the team they love. The negative connotation no longer exists.