Senators Urge N.F.L. to Act on Redskins’ Name

[NoSaint]

 

If a poll is actually practical, let's say 10,000,000 people qualify. What if 40% respond its offensive to them? Its not a majority but still a large percentage and 4,000,000 people. Still keep the name? What if 90% of the respondents reply its offensive but its only 5% of the available voters? They get to speak for the other 95% who didn't even care enough to vote?

 

ill roll with snyder/the nfl getting to do what they want, but youd hope that theyd be practical and respectful in whatever choices they come to. so far ive seen what strike me as fair arguments to change it, but on the other side "you cant make me" and "but we have had it a long time" arent that compelling.

 

if i were snyder id be looking to make the move proactive, instead of being remembered for being the guy that clawed to hold onto the name "redskins"

[Just in Atlanta]

Because this is clearly a Congressional issue.

[bisonbrigade]

I cant believe that 50 senators agreed to sign anything. LOL Must of been all Demoncrats.

[LB3]

I cant believe that 50 senators agreed to sign anything. LOL Must of been all Demoncrats.

 

It was

[Mr. WEO]

Well, until Sen. "Chief" Jay Strongbow, his brother Sen. Jules Strongbow, Sen. "Chief" from Cukoo's Nest and Sen. Crying Indian from Littering Commercial sign on, I will not put my considerable influence behind this.

[jjmac]

WASHINGTON — Fifty members of the Senate have signed a letter to the N.F.L. to urge its leadership to press the Washington Redskins to change the team name in the aftermath of tough sanctions against the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers for racially charged comments.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/05/22/sports/football/citing-nba-example-senators-urge-nfl-to-act-on-redskins-name.html?_r=1&referrer=

 

Glad to see they're not concerned about small things like the $17,000,000,000,000+ national debt.

[Buftex]

What spurred this, was Donald Sterling offered to change the name of the Clippers to Redskins, at a last ditch efffort to save himself.

[KollegeStudnet]

Washington Thereisalwaysnextyears

[reddogblitz]

I don't care if it's offensive to anyone. The fact that the United States of America has a football team in it's nation's capital named after a race of people it tried to ethnically cleanse, is over the top. Either change the name, or change the mascot to a potato.

[todd]

I'd tell Senate to stick it. This country is over offended and over Sensitive. Rub some dirt on it and get over it. More extremist, butt hurt liberals who are the very loud minority finding something else to be 'Offended' about.

 

I used to feel the way you did, until I had a conversation with a native American. The way he described it changed my mind. They consider it to be the same as having a team called the "n-words", the kikes, or whatever. The "redskin" name makes them feel like they are being made to be inferior to others, which isn't the case.

 

So my question is this: Do you want to make a population of good Americans feel inferior or insulted, or do you want to simply change the name of a team in a silly game? Put that way, I'm not sure why you'd be OK with insulting fellow Americans.

[hondo in seattle]

I get that there's a lot of tradition behind the Redskins name and it was never meant to be pejorative in the first place. However, the National Council of American Indians, the Oneida Nation, the Navajo Nation, the Heart of America Indian Center, and other Indian organizations have condemned the name as offensive.

 

Even Merriam-Webster defines "redskin" as a "usually offensive" word for an American Indian.

 

If you were talking with a group of full-blooded American Indians would you say, "I think American Indians should..." or, "I think Redskins should..." Personally, I wouldn't refer to Indians as "Redskins" for fear of offending them.

 

It's time for the name to be changed.

[sodbuster]

I'm pretty indifferent on this issue, and can see both sides, but I'm uncomfortable with politicians getting involved. Let society influence Snyder through the market, which it will probably succeed in doing in the near future.

Edited May 23, 2014 by sodbuster

[Buftex]

Looks like Snyder has buckled..he is changing the name:

 

 

http://www.theonion.com/articles/washington-redskins-change-their-name-to-the-dc-re,34161/

 

[keepthefaith]

Glad to see they're not concerned about small things like the $17,000,000,000,000+ national debt.

 

Exactly. The Redskin story is a nice diversion and one that the mostly leftist media will jump on. Anything that steals page space from real issues is a good thing.

Edited May 23, 2014 by keepthefaith

[Drop Kick Flutie]

 

 

I used to feel the way you did, until I had a conversation with a native American. The way he described it changed my mind. They consider it to be the same as having a team called the "n-words", the kikes, or whatever. The "redskin" name makes them feel like they are being made to be inferior to others, which isn't the case.

 

So my question is this: Do you want to make a population of good Americans feel inferior or insulted, or do you want to simply change the name of a team in a silly game? Put that way, I'm not sure why you'd be OK with insulting fellow Americans.

 

I used to feel the way you did till I talked with an American Indian and he told me he grew up on a reservation and their high school mascot was the redskins and none of them found it offensive, interestingly enough a lot of them find the term natives offensive because it makes them sound primitive.

[boyst]

Yeah, it's not a pretty name, who cares.

 

Easy solution - poll the major tribes - let them decide if it is offensive. If it is, then change it.

What about the other minorities offended by this!?

 

I'm offended at those who are offended.

I am offended that you're offended at their offenses.

 

#forward

[SBUffalo]

I'd tell Senate to stick it. This country is over offended and over Sensitive. Rub some dirt on it and get over it. More extremist, butt hurt liberals who are the very loud minority finding something else to be 'Offended' about.

 

Seriously, this is ridiculous. It's easy to be ignorant to a racist term that the nation's capital team has used for years, but it doesn't make it right. The name should be changed. End of story.

 

I love these "but only 10% of Native Americans find it offensive." Those polls are slanted, and why not choose a name that offends 0% of people instead of offending people at all?

 

 

 

I used to feel the way you did till I talked with an American Indian and he told me he grew up on a reservation and their high school mascot was the redskins and none of them found it offensive, interestingly enough a lot of them find the term natives offensive because it makes them sound primitive.

 

This is akin to "I have friends that are gay" or "I have black relatives." You know one small group that isn't offended, yet I know a small group that is. Experiences will differ, but if it's offensive or reminding of worse times for any then it should be changed. The "r-word" is on the same level as the "n-word." It's just easier to ignore since we don't interact with as many Native Americans on a daily basis.

[boyst]

Seriously, this is ridiculous. It's easy to be ignorant to a racist term that the nation's capital team has used for years, but it doesn't make it right. The name should be changed. End of story.

 

I love these "but only 10% of Native Americans find it offensive." Those polls are slanted, and why not choose a name that offends 0% of people instead of offending people at all?

I don't care if 100% of Native Americans are offended by it, or 100% of the entire population. I don't care if the team is named the Richmond N-words. I don't give one whirlygig what a name says and no one else should, either. It's when you believe the name means something and holds something to it...yeah.

 

#hypocrisyisawesome.

[TheZone78]

I don't care if it's offensive to anyone. The fact that the United States of America has a football team in it's nation's capital named after a race of people it tried to ethnically cleanse, is over the top. Either change the name, or change the mascot to a potato.

 

Do you use the word blitz?

[SBUffalo]

I get that there's a lot of tradition behind the Redskins name and it was never meant to be pejorative in the first place. However, the National Council of American Indians, the Oneida Nation, the Navajo Nation, the Heart of America Indian Center, and other Indian organizations have condemned the name as offensive.

 

Even Merriam-Webster defines "redskin" as a "usually offensive" word for an American Indian.

 

If you were talking with a group of full-blooded American Indians would you say, "I think American Indians should..." or, "I think Redskins should..." Personally, I wouldn't refer to Indians as "Redskins" for fear of offending them.

 

It's time for the name to be changed.

 

Agreed on all accounts EXCEPT the notion that its original use wasn't meant to be offensive. The team's original owner is an all-time bigot who hated all things non-white.