Mascot Issue (AGAIN)

[Rajmahal33]

Originally Posted by memphisskin

The Seminole tribe being ok with Florida State's usage of the Seminole name and images is not a blanket exemption for all sports teams to continue to use potentially slanderous monikers with impunity. It was based on a specific relationship that FSU shares, promotes, and respects with the Seminole tribe in Florida and Seminole Nation in Oklahoma.

It seems very American for anyone to tell someone else what should and shouldn't be offended, right in line with us telling Iraq what kind of government they should have and declaring an "axis of evil" or labeling other gov'ts as "rogue" govt's. In that vein, of course we should keep the Redskins (tongue firmly planted in cheek).

The whole PC movement is not about not telling the truth, its about respecting the power of words. Freedom of speech does not include protection of inflammatory language, much like you can't yell "Fire" in a crowded movie theater. By continually marginalizing the only indigenous people of North America under the guise of "respect" is asanine and disrespectful. Has being a Redskins fan caused anyone to do any research on the Indian tribes that once called this region home? When was the last time anyone used the word Redskin in a context that didn't involve the team?

To paraphrase Shakespeare, that which we call the Skins, by any other name, would have stunk just as much last year.

U make a VERY good point here. I love the skins as much as anyone else but I am not gonna be ignorant enough to say that our team's name is derived out of respect and with the intent to honor the native americans which inspired it. When the name was changed to the redskins we lived in a non-PC age and ppl didn't care (or at least pay as much attention) about being sensitive. I guess its hard for some ppl to understand why others are getting so worked up over something as insignificant as a football teams name (one way or the other), but i think its more about the principle. Personally, I am not that caught up in the issue and I do NOT favor the name being changed because I am not native american and it doesn't offend me. But rather, the name invokes a sense of pride for a franchise that I have grown up watching. However, if it were changed I wouldn't stop cheering for the Washington franchise and I certainly wouldnt try to be stubborn and continue to call them the redskins.

The Bottom Line is that if Native Americans can somehow come to a true consensus about their feelings on the subject (not some misguided study), and they feel strongly enough to put pressure on the franchise to change the name, then it would be insensitive to not change the name. Since they have yet to put forth that kind of effort, there should be no reason to change the status quo. So until then HAIL TO THE REDSKINS!