REDSKIN - (Red-skin) n. (contemptuous) a North American Indian.
Straight from the 'Oxford American' dictionary, a single word in the definition of the word "redskin" tells the reader all he needs to know about the name of Washington, D.C.'s football team.
CONTEMPTUOUS.
That means used with a lack of respect, a sense of loathing and to despise.
The powers that be would never allow an anti-black, anti-gay or anti-white term to be used in a sports team name, but when it comes to Native Americans, the regular rules of civility and common decency don't seem to apply.
The U.S. Supreme Court again refused to do the right thing by knocking down a lawsuit brought by Native American activists, claiming the Washington Redskins' team name is so offensive that it does not deserve trademark protection.
So the team keeps its racist name, and Native American activists will continue to sit in silence because no one listens to them.
The sad truth is that Native Americans have neither the numbers, financial clout nor the political pull to force the name change that other ethnic groups would be able to get with the mere threat of protests or boycotts.
I first got involved in this issue while working as a minority affairs reporter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer during the 1990s. There, a group of Native Indian protesters began to challenge Richard Jacobs, owner of the Cleveland Indians baseball team. They wanted to know why the team had to use the name "Indians," and more urgently, employ a goofy logo of an Indian that looked a lot like the old Sambo drawing of blacks that were popular decades ago.
I wrote several stories on the topic, and I guess some were a little too "sympathetic" to the protesters. I got a lot of mail from readers angry that I gave the Native Americans any voice. Baseball fans called the protesters "outsiders," "rabble-rousers," "overly sensitive complainers" and much worse.
But one thing they couldn't say was why it would be so bad to change the team name or at least kill the logo. Professional teams can change their names at anytime.
Here in Washington, D.C., Abe Pollin, the owner of the then-Bullets basketball team, held a public contest to change his team's name in 1997, because he was uncomfortable with the violent overtone of the name and the assassination of his personal friend Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.
The team was renamed the Wizards.
Why Redskins owner Daniel Snyder couldn't do the same thing is beyond me. Yes, he is busy trying, without success, to field a winning team. That should be job number one. But why not give Native Americans a break and get rid of the contemptuous name of your team?
Comments: (19)
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By: not rightbut on 11/16/2009 6:49PM
I want to side with the Natives but what about the Notre Dame "fighting Irish" or NBA Celtics no Irish people are suing them. And the Natives are foul anyway because I have a biracial tie to being Native American but because I'm Black I'm excluded from their culture smh it's not right
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By: Jenifer on 11/17/2009 1:02PM
@not rightbut, oh SHUT UP! Fighting Irish and NBA Celtics is far from racial. Now if they were called the Peckerwood and White Trash then I guess that would be offensive. I'm Black and Native America. Your biracial tie has nothing to do with it, just fill out the paperwork for a roll number. Then again, you might not get a roll number because all the white people are claiming they're Native American now, just so they can get benefits. What was there identity 30 years ago? I bet you it wasn't Native American. No, you're FOUL! Change the Redskins name or remove the Native American as their mascot.
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By: lovehealsforever on 11/17/2009 7:34PM
I would like to see issues that pertain to Native Americans, or any
other group stand on there own, leave Blacks out of it. I am not
saying they are doing this yet the author of the article is. State
their case without using Blacks as an example. Additionally, this is their problem. I certainly can understand that this is an issue that they feel sensitive about. Based on that, I feel their request should be honored. However I am not about to lend any support beyond this. Native Americans have shown to much contempt and disdain towards Blacks for me to involve myself further for their causes. I will state their request should be requested and that's all.
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By: lovehealsforever on 11/17/2009 7:36PM
Correction: I will state their request should be respected and that's all.
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By: Mike on 11/17/2009 8:56PM
I'm African American and have knowledge of the Cherokee Nation. These nation Americans fought the settlers and lost and signed a treaty granting them full autonomy from the USA. This Cherokee Nation about the anti-black white supremist notion of slavery for Africans and held Africans as slaves till 1900 - 35 yrs after the Emanicipation Proclamation.
I do give the Cherokee Nation credit for giving EVERY former slave a parcel of land after freedom, which is more than the USA did for it's slaves.
Sorry Cherokee Nation - this black man has no sympathy for slavers of my people.
PS: When I see my race being used in this manner - I'll fight. I'm not Jesus Christ - forgiving those that do me wrong is something I fail at most times.
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By: GaryBrackett on 11/18/2009 7:51AM
you're a real idiot... nobody alive today had anything to do with 'your people' being held slaves... u do realize it was your continent (Africa) that sold the US its Slaves... your descendants of criminals, child molestors, bottom line- Bad People, makes sense that u are that way unless ur fresh off the boat... Real issue at hand, washington's football team blows- they should change their name and use it to unite as a better team.
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By: Solution5050 on 11/18/2009 8:52AM
GaryBrackett, certainly nobody alive today had enslaved blacks, but EVERY white today STILL benefit socially and economically from black slavery. ou have no idea how many wealthy white families are STILL living off their slavery money! And when the Africans sold slaves, they were selling their rival tribal members captured during battle. So it was all political. Think about it, if there was a mass establishment of white slavery, the English would have eagerly sold off their Irish captives.
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By: rasool on 11/18/2009 9:21AM
The native-american shouldnt even make this an issue. They have bigger problems than being called "Redskin". Who has the #1 rate of alcoholism and suicide in North America. Its not blacks, whites, yellow or brown people. As for the sports team, they are cursed until they change that insult of a name. Do have to mention that whites dont respect anything but power. If you have no power you get no respect in the USA.
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By: Manny on 11/18/2009 9:55AM
Well said.
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By: Letitia Joyner on 11/18/2009 10:13AM
The city where I live was built by the native Americans. Every school here had some type of Indian name. The native Americans came through and wanting those names changed, many of the schools complied. One school was able to keep the name of an Indian after they seen what it was standing for. That was Pontiac Central High School, the mascot was Chief Pontiac. The school showed the positive, the higher learning, the respect for one another, and the peace that was generated. Theywere able to keep theirs but the rest had to change.
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