Redskins

[west]

I was reading something in Sports Illustrated awhile back about Native American team names. SI polled several different groups of people about this issue.

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Pasted from another site:

According to the Sports Illustrated survey, 87 percent of American Indians who lived off Indian reservations did not object to Native American mascots or nicknames. Of the Indians who lived on reservations, 67 percent were not bothered by the nicknames, while 33 percent opposed them.
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This quote was also interesting to me, and I think it can help spark discussion.

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Pasted:

American Indian activists explained the discrepancy in the Sports Illustrated article that accompanied the survey, saying, "Native Americans' self-esteem has fallen so low that they don't even know when they're being insulted."
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How do you feel about Native American team names in sports?

[Tempest]

I look at it this way: If someone were to make a team where the mascot was a caricatured African American, it wouldn't last long before the team would be forced to change it to something less offensive. Why would it be intolerable if it were an black person but not if it's a native American?

[west]

I look at it this way: If someone were to make a team where the mascot was a caricatured African American, it wouldn't last long before the team would be forced to change it to something less offensive. Why would it be intolerable if it were an black person but not if it's a native American?

I think it's a very situational issue.

Just about every sports team name that isn't an animal is based off of an occupation or group of people, many of whom are caucasian. You could even get by with an African themed team name. For example, names like the fighting zulu or ashanti probably wouldn't be considered inappropriate.

However, that doesn't mean all names are necessarily okay. The Washington Redskins and Cleveland Indians (especially the mascot) don't seem appropriate to me. The argument is that they are honoring local Native groups, but I don't see it. The Atlanta Braves on the other hand, are a pro baseball team with a Native American theme that I do not consider offensive.

If a team name is based off of any group of people though, somebody is going to feel offended. I would just tell them to deal with it unless the name is blatantly racially insensitive. Names like the Whiteskins and Blackskins aren't acceptable, so Redskins isn't either.

[Chiron Jackal]

I look at it this way: If someone were to make a team where the mascot was a caricatured African American, it wouldn't last long before the team would be forced to change it to something less offensive. Why would it be intolerable if it were an black person but not if it's a native American?

I think part of it is what the mascots are meant to embody. Precisely what would the African American mascot express? My highschool mascot were the Warriors with a Native American theme, and our associated middle school were the Braves. It was representative of a tough warrior folk, and in that sense wasn't meant to be any different from the Minnesota Vikings. And while not a mascot with the same kind of toughness behind it, there's also the Boston Celtics.

I still don't see why it has to be viewed as offensive, but if it offends the people in question, 86 the name.

[metatron]

I am not a Native American Indian, but I sympathize with them in that I feel that they have been wronged more than anyone else in this country due to the fact that they were nearly eradicated. There are so many things that were suffered by these people in the development of this country that I don't think there will ever be enough reparation. To now add insult to injury in the form of a national sport team named "Red Skins" is unacceptable. I think it should be revised. Unlike other Native American labeled teams "Red Skins" is a direct derogatory label. It is on the same level of injury as Cooley, Nig**r, Wetbacks, etc. I really feel it should not continue.

[Ulfstan]

ThrasherCub, thank you for saying what was already on the tip of my tongue. The people complaining about this need to grow up.