N/S PTO rules that "Redskins" is derogatory (not a case about the NFL team but likely precedent)
It's interesting, Native Americans aren't beating down the door of the football club to change the name....most of it coming from special interest groups and lawyers. A poll by the Annenberg Public Policy Center found that 90% of the Native Americans polled were NOT offended by the term "Redskins".
It's well documented that the former Boston team was given the name "Redskins" in homage to the then (and first) Native American coach of the team, and Native Americans on the squad.
Just as Oklahoma was given it's name in homage to the Native American Choctaw that inhabited that area (Oklahoma means Red People in Choctaw)
The same thing happened with the FSU Seminoles. A minority group of Native Americans (that assumed representation for all of the Seminole tribe) and lawyers pushed to get FSU to drop the traditionally dressed Seminole /w warpaint & on horseback, and the Seminole mascot all together....yet it was the Seminole tribe that came out in support of FSU keeping things as they are....go figure.
And if you think people stop being offended by generalizations at physical appearances, you're sadly wrong. In fact, any cultural reference could be interpreted as a generalization of those that live in the city, and surrounding area.
Again, I point to Atheists in NOLA, potentially being offended that the team that represents the city is named after a religious figure, and sports a the holy trinity on the sides of their helmets.
Check this article out: Redskins name change not as easy as it sounds - ESPN
In many cases, the Native Americans do not want to change the name, and have no problem with it. There are many cases of highschools, with over 90% Native American student body, that take pride in the mascot name "Redskins". So how exactly again is it offensive to Native Americans?
Tell you what, lets just remove all cultural references from team names and just go with all animals.....ops, forgot about PETA.
Redskins is pretty much the only one that's inarguably based on an actual slur with no interpretation other than that. Logos and such (like the Cleveland Indians in MLB), might have issues, but none of the other names are inherently derogatory. Someone might say with pride I'm an Indian, not caring that the name was a goof. No one says "I am a Redskin" with pride or without ironically referring to the racism in the word.
I've never been one to lead the charge that it has to go (maybe I should be or should have been, and am complicit in the racism), but you really can't argue for a good interpretation or the name or say that it's just "hypersensitive" to see it as racist. On the list of things we've done to Native Americans it's hardly the worst, but it is an undeniable slap in the face saying "You don't really have enough cultural power for us to care that you're offended."
I'm pretty sure if San Francisco had gone another way with a reference to the Gold Rush for their team and called themselves the "Yellow Peril" and had a a Chinaman with a queue running with a football on their helmets the name would have been changed long ago.
It's interesting, Native Americans aren't beating down the door of the football club to change the name....most of it coming from special interest groups and lawyers. A poll by the Annenberg Public Policy Center found that 90% of the Native Americans polled were NOT offended by the term "Redskins".
It's well documented that the former Boston team was given the name "Redskins" in homage to the then (and first) Native American coach of the team, and Native Americans on the squad.
Just as Oklahoma was given it's name in homage to the Native American Choctaw that inhabited that area (Oklahoma means Red People in Choctaw)
The same thing happened with the FSU Seminoles. A minority group of Native Americans (that assumed representation for all of the Seminole tribe) and lawyers pushed to get FSU to drop the traditionally dressed Seminole /w warpaint & on horseback, and the Seminole mascot all together....yet it was the Seminole tribe that came out in support of FSU keeping things as they are....go figure.
And if you think people stop being offended by generalizations at physical appearances, you're sadly wrong. In fact, any cultural reference could be interpreted as a generalization of those that live in the city, and surrounding area.
Again, I point to Atheists in NOLA, potentially being offended that the team that represents the city is named after a religious figure, and sports a the holy trinity on the sides of their helmets.
Check this article out: Redskins name change not as easy as it sounds - ESPN
In many cases, the Native Americans do not want to change the name, and have no problem with it. There are many cases of highschools, with over 90% Native American student body, that take pride in the mascot name "Redskins". So how exactly again is it offensive to Native Americans?
Tell you what, lets just remove all cultural references from team names and just go with all animals.....ops, forgot about PETA.