The Argument Against The Washington Racial Slurs Football Team

We've been discussing this with people recently....and I have more information to share but figure that this was one of those things that I wanted to share with everyone...not just those few individuals.  It's a pretty hot topic after that one episode of the Daily Show and with some of the ads you may or may not have seen.





And some of you know that I'm in a Native American Humanities class where we've been discussing and reading about this over the past few months.  Matthew posted something on the book of face at the beginning of the football season that got a bit of back and forth commenting, but I feel like it needs a little more attention.

red·skin  n.
usually offensive.
-American Indian
-the word 'redskin' is offensive and should be avoided

From wikipedia: In a 2014 interview after the Trademark decision, Amanda Blackhorse the lead petitioner expressed her opinion: "The name itself actually dates back [to] the time when the Native American population was being exterminated, and bounty hunters were hired to kill Native American people... So, in order to show that they made their kill, they had to bring back a scalp or their skin."

From "Just Good Sports" by Suzan Shown Harjo: "The most derogatory name for Native Peoples in the English language is 'redskins'. The term has its origins in the late 1600s, when Europeans introduced commercial bounty-hunting in North America. they first paid fur trappers and other mercenaries for the heads and whole bodies of Native men, women, and children. When that practice proved too cumbersome, bounty-payers accepted the bloody red skins and scalps as proof of 'Indian kill'. From that time and into the 1900s, 'redskins' was the term that was used in newspapers and books when writers wanted to convey the worst impression of Native Peoples. In Hollywood westerns, the term was usually preceded by such adjectives as 'dirty', 'lazy', 'no good' and 'theiving'. The term is despised by most Native Peoples and is seldom used in polite society now, except as a 'Native' sports reference."

So there's all of that.
And with that, I understand that some people are slanting the conversation by thinking that the term is somehow "honoring" the Native American culture.
But please....explain to me how it's supposed to be an honor to remind someone of that term's origin?

There are these defenses:
    "But there are the Celtics and the Vikings....and they aren't all pissed off about logos...."
When was the last time you saw a Celtic or a Viking?

And aren't Irish people kinda done with being likened to leprechauns?
If they aren't, you know why that is?
Because they were white dudes coming up with ideas for a team name and logo.  It was self-appointed.
Because teams like "the fighting Irish" don't mind having a little angry drunk leprechaun as their logo.
And because teams like the "Patriots" don't mind having a brooding white dude as their logo.

"But what about the Buccaneers or the pirates on the Raiders logo?"  Stop.
Those are occupations.
That don't exist anymore.

"The Seminoles signed off on using 'Chief' Osceola as a mascot."
1. The Seminoles have a lot of casino money pumping into the state of Florida.
2. When they signed off on it, they were able to keep more of their casino money instead of getting into a lawsuit.
3. Osceola was never a chief and the "mascot" is a white dude in red face.

Not any less offensive. Just sold.

If you're a team that's completely making up a Native American character or changing who an actual person was in history...how is that honoring anything?

And what the fuck is this about?

Do you think there would ever be a team that would even consider making a banner that said, "Hey Jews, you stink! Head for the showers!!" or "Let's hang those Negroes high!"
Ugh...that's just awful.  Seriously, even just typing that out, I hurt my own feelings and all I can visualize in my head is a bunch of twat cheerleaders standing around all Mean Girls style coming up with that horrible shite above.
I graduated from Apopka and the worst of our banners was just "Pioneers can suck a fatty!!"
I still don't really know if that's a good thing or a bad thing.  Exactly what kind of "fatty" are we talking about here?

"But Dan Snyder started Original Americans Foundation and is giving back to certain tribal communities."....
1. OAF is a dumb name.
     oaf.  n.
          -a clumsy, stupid person; a lout.
-AND-
2. Good.  He should be.

Do I think the Washington football team should change their name?
It's probably not a bad idea and is likely to happen in the near future, but ultimately, I don't care too much because I'm not a fan, I don't buy their merchandise, and am falling out of love (if there ever was any) with the NFL as a whole anyway.
Plus, they suck.

GO BUCS!!

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Sunday, November 16, 1:00 PM

FedEx Field, Landover, Maryland

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-8)

27 - 7

Final

Washington Redskins (3-7)

YouTubesday - Fresh Perspectives

As Typed on iPad at Dulles on 2/21

I totally forgot this was on here.
Easier than trying to fit my writing into the lines on penultimate.

Sitting at the Dulles airport, at Max & Erma's. Just finished my chicken & 1st beer...listening to other people on their phones & conversations with each other.
There's a girl sitting at the corner of the bar who (just left) reminded me of Melissa. Same voice & laugh....similar in the face but had big brunette hair.
Still about 45 mins til my flight starts boarding.
This woman next to me is talking to family about her dinner & pie crust recipes.
The English blokes just left.
Apparently one of them had a bum knee & a lovely chat with a chap at some loud party. He also said something about the BBC...like maybe he worked there.
There was a couple earlier that was sitting where the pie crust lady is sitting now. She had face piercings & was in a very animated conversation about child support with her travel companion guy who just kept nodding & saying, "yeah" and "I know". As they left, I silently wished him luck.
At the same time and sitting at the table between us, another couple of older Ft Lauderdale women kept talking about cutting hair (the profession of) & took cell phone pics of each other.
Now the bartender is giving folks the wrong drinks & talking about how he's going senile.

It's weird being in an airport without Matt.
Been so long since I had to travel for work, forgot what this was like.
Now about 30 mins til boarding.

We had a great trip here in DC.
Met some folks & a great bartender at a joint called Rumors the first night we got in. Danced our asses off. The next day we would wonder if we actually took over the dance floor because we were so badass or if we just scared everyone off. Except that old black dude we were dancin' next to, mimicking his moves.
Afterwards got McDonalds crap & drunkenly stumbled back to the room to happily eat our crappy food only to pass out a little while later & sleep in til 10 the next morning.
Upon waking, showering, & getting ready for the day....we ventured off to find some monuments & grub. We walked down Pennsylvania Ave to the White House & grabbed a pretzel & coke from some Chinese roach coach folks after stopping to gawk at the crowd protesting Qaddafi in front of Barry O's hizzy. We walked toward the Washington monument. There were kite flyers out....it was a blustery clear blue sky day. Perfect for kite flying.
Walked through the WWII monument to the Vietnam wall & onto the Lincoln memorial.
Grabbed a cab after who dropped us off at Harry's, said to be a local spot (if only for the fact that it was open late & had beer & crappy food). Their high top chairs were really uncomfortable so we didn't stay very long after eating giant sammiches & enjoying a pitcher.
Grabbed another cab shortly after leaving.
This cabbie told us how lucky we were & said Matt looked like a Muslim & regaled us with tales of religion & his family. Was the chattiest cabbie we had, but totally cool.
Got back to the hotel & took an epic nap.
When we woke up, I tried to get us to Georgetown to stop by Commander Salammander (cuz Thomas told us to). We ended up walking an hour in the wrong direction before grabbing yet another cab who took us to where we wanted to go only to find the damn store out of business. We walked a little ways through the Mall of Millenia type of shops & found a spot to have dinner. It was loud & crowded & I don't remember the name of it. The NBA allstar contest was on so we watched that & ate & people watched. Then this DJ set up this badass table full of tech toys & flashing lights....
And started his set with a stupid ass country song.
WTF??
Not exactly what we were expecting.
Followed by High Stepper with a horrible transition to Safety Dance which bled into Sunday Bloody Sunday & the St. Elmo's Fire song.
He had NO idea what songs went together or how to transition.
He was the worst DJ ever.
He stood back there lookin' miserable with a grumpy face.
And apparently, I'm a DJ snob.
_________________________________________________________
I stopped here and got on my flight.