Credit Where Credit is Due – The Name “Redskins” Needs to Go

Filed in National by on May 30, 2014

Some people love the Redskins. A team that seems to hate its fans is loved by many. For them, the Redskins team name is a symbol of pride and excitement. But to many others, including myself, it’s a racial slur and is insulting to the original inhabitants of North America.

Highlighting the actions of Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons, the News Journal posted a brief story on a letter sent to the NFL commissioner by them and many others urging the Redskins to alter their controversial name.

“The letter, signed by 49 senators, says recent action taken by the NBA against Clippers owner Donald Sterling for his racist remarks “opened up a national conversation about race relations.”
“We believe this conversation is an opportunity for the NFL to take action to remove the racial slur from the name of one of its marquee franchises,” the senators wrote in the May 21 letter to Goodell.” The News Journal reported.

The objective of opening up a national conversation on race is one President Obama has even recently supported, and I certainly agree with it. Changing the name of the Redskins is exactly what many of those the slur applies to want, and the United States Senate has finally taken notice. There’s no reason to take pride in a name so many find offensive, and I certainly couldn’t support a team who used such a name.

While I may not always agree with our two Senators, I can say I support their actions in representing an ignored minority and their interests in the Senate.

Editor’s Note: This is the first post by, “Thenewdeal” our newest contributor.

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Comments (38)

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  1. Delaware Dem says:

    To me, the solution is simple: change the name to the Washington Warriors. Then you can keep the Native American theme the team has (i.e. arrowheads, feathers, etc.) See here: http://www.behance.net/gallery/Washington-Warriors-(Redskins-Redesign)/6552585

  2. Jason330 says:

    Snyder is enough of a bastard to use all of that design work and stiff the designer.

  3. pandora says:

    I just don’t understand why some people consider keeping this name a battle worth fighting. Change it.

  4. mediawatch says:

    The issue is at least five years old. 49 senators sign the letter.
    Coons and Carper hardly rushed to get on board, and they sure aren’t near the head of the pack.

  5. Jason330 says:

    Yes but – there maybe a Dixiecrat voter in the deepest darkest recesses of Delmar who is offended. Everything is relative. This is courageous stance for them.

  6. mediawatch says:

    Jason,
    Seems like we’re really lowering the bar here in order to lavish Coons and Carper with some faint praise.

  7. Aint's Taking it Any More says:

    Coons and Carney don’t deserve credit here. There was a bandwagon and they jumped on it. At best, they lent their voice to an already robust choir.

    Not to diminish the concern over the use a derogatory name, but don’t both of our fine senators have better things to do for the State of Delaware and the country?

  8. Geezer says:

    Alternately, we could just name all the other teams after racial stereotypes, too, so the Washington team wouldn’t bear the stigma alone.

  9. Jason330 says:

    The Philadelphia Guidos ?

  10. Geezer says:

    G-U-I-D-O-S Guidos!

  11. Jason330 says:

    Insulting names for all the team:
    Buffalo Drunks
    Miami Spics
    New England Pasty Whites
    New York ‘Ricans
    Baltimore Papist
    Cincinnati Babes
    Cleveland Bitches
    Pittsburgh Dunkers
    Houston Wet Backs
    Indianapolis Dolts
    Jacksonville Brownskins
    Tennessee Slopes
    Denver Losers
    Kansas City Chiefs
    Oakland Chinks
    San Diego Greasers
    Dallas Cowboys
    New York Midgets
    Philadelphia Guidos
    Washington Redskins
    Chicago International Jewish Conspiracy
    Detroit Welfare Queens
    Green Bay Pygmys
    Minnesota Dotheads
    Atlanta Polacks
    Carolina Cousins
    New Orleans Brass Ankles
    Tampa Bay Spades
    Arizona Wops
    St. Louis Douche
    San Francisco Camel Jockeys
    Seattle Yids

  12. Aint's Taking it Any More says:

    Jason330

    Immersion therapy is your only hope

  13. Geezer says:

    Shouldn’t cities adopt mascots specific to their populations? Detroit has lots of Arabs; can’t they be the Camel Jockeys? San Francisco Queens? Shouldn’t Jacksonville be the Crackers or the Rednecks? And so on.

    Under my proposal, the whole league will be out of business within five years.

  14. Jason330 says:

    Geezer, Yes. It was a quick run at it.

    Also, It is unwieldy, but I really like: Chicago International Jewish Conspiracy

  15. Jason330 says:

    #redskinspride twitter campaign backfires…

    Who could have predicted it?

  16. Geezer says:

    I was going to suggest the Elders of Zion instead.

  17. Jason330 says:

    I was thinking about that one.

  18. Jason330 says:

    Derptastic! Snyder is cold calling tribal leaders to ask if they’ll say that the Redskins name is awesome.

    http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/washington-redskins-invite-tribal-leader-declines

    Joseph Holley, chairman of the Battle Mountain Band of Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone Indians, informed the National Congress of American Indians that he declined.

    In a statement provided to USA Today, Holley said that a team representative called him “out of the blue” and asked what he thought of the Redskins name.

  19. Joanne Christian says:

    jason, jason, jason, you know I still think you missed your calling in life as headline writer for the old Philadelphia Daily News

    In all seriousness though, did the Native American refer to himself as a “redskin”? I only ask, because i don’t think of myself as white, but kind of was told I am the white man. Every now and then with some populations I am referred to as the “English”.

    And what about those “Braves”?

    And make that the New England Micks if you’re going all hateful jason. And:
    Tennessee Trailers
    Denver Druggies
    Arizona Aarabs
    Philadelphia Lawyers
    Kansas City Slaughter
    St. Louis Squares
    Pittsburgh Krauts
    Atlanta Arrogant
    San Francisco DotBombs
    Tampa Toothless

    You had me at Carolina Cousins though!!!

  20. Geezer says:

    Another thought: If a tribe with enough gambling revenue purchased the team, do you think it would change the name? How about just to the name of the tribe?

    That is, if (just picking an example) the Mohawk tribe owned the team, would it be OK for it to go by the Mohawks? Because that’s the only circumstance I can think of where any variation of this might be defensible.

    And I still don’t get why Jeep gets to use Cherokee without, as far as I’m aware, any contribution to that tribe. Shouldn’t they at least get a fee for the use of the name?

  21. Geezer says:

    Jason: I’m also thinking mascots. The Guidos could have a race like the DC presidents race, but it would be mobster heads of DeNiro, Pacino, Pesci and Gandolfini.

  22. Mmmm says:

    Coons-offensive slang used as a disparaging term for a black person.

    Coon- a racial slur , used pejoratively to refer to a black person, especially an African American.

    Somebody needs to change their name. It is offensive to some people……..

    People who live in class houses should not throw stones…..

  23. Aoine says:

    Sigh….. There is a significant differene between the name of a tribe and a a racial slur that is also a pejorative term

    Check your dictionaries please …..

    Imagine calling the Clippers the “Nig***” – but the “Ashantis “would not be pejorative. That’s the difference.

    It is NOT the same thing- and one is being either stupid, ignorant or disingenuous to believe otherwise

  24. Aoine says:

    And Joanne- the slur is “COON”

    the Senators name is “COONS”

    QUITE DIFFERENT – I would expect more out of you than to play the fool

  25. Joanne Christian says:

    Uh…Aoine, I said nothing about any coon(s). As to playing the fool….how about I just try to go all Christian on you, realize you made a simple mistake in “calling me out”, and forgive you.

    Peace.

    I do think the Maine Coon Cat is beautiful though.

  26. Aint's Taking it Any More says:

    NOT DIFFERENT – more than one slur.

    Laugh more, bite less

  27. Geezer says:

    “Sigh….. There is a significant differene between the name of a tribe and a a racial slur that is also a pejorative term”

    Can’t discuss it on the ground? You have to get on your high horse?

  28. Aoine says:

    SMH. I don’t come here for advice on how to live my life- or fellowship or harmony.

    I can get that in church or the shrinks office – or any good bar

    I’ll bite when I please and smile when I do it – and as I give no quarter I expect none. I certainly don’t need condescension on my style .

    But hey- if grinning works for you have at it- it’s not everyone else’s choice- at least I don’t look down my lofty sights upon others and dare to presume they need my advice . Think on that.

    Peace out 😉

  29. Aoine says:

    Geezer- when was the last time you were on a horse? Please tell us not recently unless it was a Percheron

    Out of this group I’m the least likely to suffer from nose bleeds.

    Seems a lot of patrician noses are out if shape here lately

  30. cassandra_m says:

    Aoine, you attributed a comment to Joanne that she didn’t make, then proceeded to take her to task for that comment she didn’t make.

  31. Aoine says:

    Apologies

  32. Geezer says:

    Your “significant difference” may be less significant, or more significant, than others.

    I, for one, fail to see how appropriating the name of a tribe without compensation to that tribe is somehow better than using, for example, “Braves” as the mascot of a baseball team.

    On a literal level, I love horses, but I won’t ride them. And if I somehow sometimes sound like I’m claiming the moral high ground, my apologies. I think my comments over the years have been base enough to dispel any notion that I somehow think myself above you or anyone else on a moral level.

    And if you ever saw my nose, the last word you would use for it is “patrician.” “Enormous” would be closer to the truth.

  33. Aoine says:

    My Native Friends- all of them- find it offensive …..

    That is good enough for me- for like Pandora says- to paraphrase her-
    ( please correct me Pandora if I got this wrong)

    -While everyone has a right to their opinion- the opinions that matter most will be the opinions of those directly affected –

    At least that’s what I get from what she says re: mysogny

    And I don’t think it’s a bad position

    The Native Peoples by and large have decried this word and it’s usage – therefore, stop using it

    I don’t think it’s any simpler than that

    I mean would you call a team – Mick’s , Spics , Wops, Nig*** , slant eyes, etc as already has been posted ? Or any other name deemed by the dictionary as a racial slur?
    Nope- and when the BULLETS was decried they changed it and it wasn’t even a slur

    So why can’t we do the same for the Native People ???? Haven’t they suffered enough already?

    I really don’t get the issue- just change the freaking name .

    Geezer- I’m glad you are not riding horses – and Patrician was used figuratively. 😉

  34. Geezer says:

    Of course they should change the name. Sorry if that wasn’t clear. I’m saying I don’t understand why Jeep gets away with it, either. I think the Cherokees ought to tell them to knock it off. We don’t have any cars called the French or the Italian or the Hungarian; why should we have the Cherokee?

  35. Aoine says:

    Well, the way I see it – if the Cherokee people are not offended or the Tahoe or the Navajo – frankly why should I be? It’s not enough of my heritage to be concerned.

    And the name of the tribe is not in anyway a slur

    I think the native peoples have been very good about sharing their culture and their names – all they want is the name REDSKIN removed…..
    And for the Braves to stop the tomahawk chop…..

    I don’t think that’s too much to ask for a people whom we tried to ethnically cleanse out if existence and steal their land.

  36. Geezer says:

    I think we owe them a lot more than changing those team names, which does nothing at all for groups of people who have barely been given even the shit end of the stick.

  37. Dana says:

    Please note that I am highly offended by the proposed name, Oakland Chinks. It’s not that I have anything against Chinks as a team name, but, please, there are a lot more Spics than Chinks in the city of my birth! Can we please get that right?