Is Redskins a derogatory term?

[wyo_rose]

Dirty "anything" is very derogatory, and it's terrible that any kids have to put up with bullying. Luckily nowadays, this is taken more seriously by school staff when reported.

And the term REDSKINS is OLD. It would probably be dropped by the wayside, if it weren't perpetuated by this football team.

I vote for changing the team name to Washington Dirty Politicians!!

[muskrat_skull]

Dirty "anything" is very derogatory, and it's terrible that any kids have to put up with bullying. Luckily nowadays, this is taken more seriously by school staff when reported.

And the term REDSKINS is OLD. It would probably be dropped by the wayside, if it weren't perpetuated by this football team.

I vote for changing the team name to Washington Dirty Politicians!!

Yeah or the Washington Congressmen. More people would probably come to their games!

[Zeke]

There are two 'L's in "Malcolm", Zeke. That's twice now.

When the point is unassailably sound, attack the grammar.

Look, it's a stylistic ad hominem!

You really want to die on the metaphorical cross that is Washington Redskins? Personally, I'd rather go to the mat for an issue that means something.

Why? Because, if we all get dressed up and march on The Mall and they pull the plug on the team name? Nothing significant changes.

That's its level of actual importance.

Again, that's not what causes our social ills.

[running_with_buffs]

they wouldnt do this to any other race of people is all im saying zeke.its not a major issue.but they would never think of calling them by the washington n!!!ers or anything like that agianst any other race so why is ok for them to nickname them after a derogatory name towards indians? we all know you dont find it offensive and theres black people that dont find the n word offensive but others do and they would never dream of doing this to another race of people.

[Zeke]

why is ok for them to nickname them after a derogatory name towards indians?

Because the vast majority of Indians don't find it derogatory.

[running_with_buffs]

thats cool zeke i know i dont find it offensive either but there are some that do is all i was trying to say.And they wouldnt do that to any other race of people.

[Zeke]

thats cool zeke i know i dont find it offensive either but there are some that do is all i was trying to say.And they wouldnt do that to any other race of people.

Oh, but they would if they could.

The key is that other races have advanced to the point of critical mass where it is socially unacceptable by virtue of their standing.

We, on the other hand, still have folks residing on what equates to Third World nations because they want to.

It won't be the same until we make it the same. Team names are a symptom, not the disease.

[muskrat_skull]

they wouldnt do this to any other race of people is all im saying zeke.its not a major issue.but they would never think of calling them by the washington n!!!ers or anything like that agianst any other race so why is ok for them to nickname them after a derogatory name towards indians? we all know you dont find it offensive and theres black people that dont find the n word offensive but others do and they would never dream of doing this to another race of people.

Sure they would do it to another race of people.

Boston Celtics
New York Knicks-the name "Knick" is a shortened version of the word "Knickerbocker," a term which comes from a pseudonym used by Washington Irving in his book, A History of New York. The term was used to refer to the descendants of the original Dutch settlers of New York. Later, by extension, the term was used to describe New Yorkers in general.
Northland Taniwha, a rugby team in the ITM Cup named after a being from Māori mythology
The England Saxons
Bethany Swedes
Hope College Flying Dutchmen
Fighting Whites
Maryville College Fighting Scots
Idaho Vandals
Michigan State Spartans
Luther College Norse a/k/a Norsemen
Iona Gaels
Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns
Cleveland State University Vikings
Compton High School Tartars
NJIT Highlanders
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
PBK Rebels
Portland State University Vikings
Presbyterian College Blue Hose
University of Pennsylvania Quakers
University of Southern California Trojans
Susquehanna University Crusaders
UP Fighting Maroons of the University of the Philippines
West Virginia Mountaineers
Whitman Missionaries Refers to founding of the area by white missionaries sent to minister to local native peoples
Sheridan High School Samurai (Japanese)
Western Connecticut State Colonials (Americans)
Verona Hillbillies- (High School in Verona, NJ) and many more

a few defunct teams

Cincinnati Cubans - (Negro League Baseball team)
Atlanta Black Crackers - (Negro League Baseball team)
Oorang Indians, an early NFL entry actually consisting mostly of American Indians
Pekin High School (Pekin, Illinois) Chinks, now the "Dragons"
Wayne State University, formerly "the Tartars", now the Warriors

But this name isn't new. and why just target sports?

Companies

• Indian Motocycle Manufacturing Company
• Mohawk Airlines
• Mohawk Gasoline
• Sioux Chief Manufacturing [1]
• Niagara-Mohawk Power Company, now part of National Grid USA
• Crazy Horse [2] (Liz Claiborne clothing line)

Products

• American Indian herbal cigarettes
• MBDA Apache missile
• Mohawk steam locomotive
• Ticonderoga pencils
• Wamsutta sheets
• Mohawk tile and carpet
• Inca Cola, a soft drink

Automobiles

• Ford Thunderbird
• Jeep Cherokee
• Jeep Grand Cherokee
• Jeep Comanche
• Pontiac (brand)
• Pontiac Aztek
• Winnebago
• Volkswagen Touareg (North African desert tribe)
• [edit]Aviation
• AH-56 Cheyenne
• AH-64 Apache
• C-12 Huron
• CH-21 Shawnee
• H-13 Sioux
• H-34 Choctaw
• OH-58 Kiowa
• OV-1 Mohawk
• Piper PA-44 Seminole
• Piper Cherokee
• Piper Aztec
• U-8 Seminole
• UH-1 Iroquois

Computing

• Apache Geronimo
• Apache HTTP Server
• Aztec C
• Cherokee HTTP Server
• Hiawatha HTTP Server

Services
Railroad

• Super Chief, a former (and famous) passenger run on the Santa Fe Railroad
• Southwest Chief, an indirect descendant of the Super Chief, a run operated by Amtrak

Baking Supplies

• Calumet, a brand of baking powder taken from the word for peace pipe

[muskrat_skull]

Oh, but they would if they could.

In fact "they" do.

Team names are meant to manifest the best (from a competitive standpoint) qualities, to ensure defeat. It is a backhanded complement in many cases, as the superiority of ndns is often reduced to "cleverness" implying stupid wit, "sneakiness" implying dishonesty, and "savagery", implying sick psychosis.

These "traits" are equally revered in other ethnic groups like the fighting Irish, the Rebels, the Ragin' Cajun.

And when teams are called "whites" or "rebels", seems sort of white supremecist. I guess a team could call themselves the "Klansmen" but that would be pretty offensive, which is why more teams don't call themselves stuff like that I imagine. Except maybe where I live.

[running_with_buffs]

thats neat and a great list but how many spartans consider spartans offensive? cause there are indians who find redskins offensive

[Zeke]

there are indians who find redskins offensive

Not enough and they're being ridiculous in terms of focus.

Every dollar or hour spent on the national stage regarding this topic is one NOT spent on the actual issues that Native people need to address.

Feral cats on Rosebud are more important than Native-themed mascots...

[running_with_buffs]

ok thats cool so give a real issue to talk about then.somthing thats important to you.or is feral cats in rosebud it? cause i do this for info and to pass the day and maybe even argue a lil bit ha.so put somthing out there that you wanna talk about.that be cool if ya did

[RestlessN8iv]

When the point is unassailably sound, attack the grammar.

Look, it's a stylistic ad hominem!

You really want to die on the metaphorical cross that is Washington Redskins? Personally, I'd rather go to the mat for an issue that means something.

Why? Because, if we all get dressed up and march on The Mall and they pull the plug on the team name? Nothing significant changes.

That's its level of actual importance.

Again, that's not what causes our social ills.

1) I did not attack your grammar, I corrected your spelling. intellectual that you purport to be I'd have thought you'd at least have enough sense to learn to spell a historical figure's name before invoking it. besides I like to think of myself as more of a juranimoe.

2) You have to have a point for me to attack. "It's a DC issue" (which as far as I can tell translates into "It's not MY problem" doesn't qualify.)

[Zeke]

1) I did not attack your grammar, I corrected your spelling. intellectual that you purport to be I'd have thought you'd at least have enough sense to learn to spell a historical figure's name before invoking it. besides I like to think of myself as more of a juranimoe.

2) You have to have a point for me to attack. "It's a DC issue" (which as far as I can tell translates into "It's not MY problem" doesn't qualify.)

A little touchy, huh? I'm not offended.

As for my point, everyone else seemed to perceive it. Perhaps a re-read?

[muskrat_skull]

thats neat and a great list but how many spartans consider spartans offensive? cause there are indians who find redskins offensive

What about the name Sioux? Or Huron? Or Cherokee? Aren't these names an issue? They are still being used in textbooks and all in schools.

Its all bad, and we all should stop and refer to everyone exactly as they should be referred to, and we all need to learn all that and let everyone else know too, if we manage to learn all that before we die.

Yeah, its no doubt offensive and if some kid came up to another in the playground, calling them that, they'd likely get socked. But if you don't like it, don't support it, and don't support anything connected with it. Not all southerners like to be called Rebels, the Irish cartoon mascots are pretty goofy and racist, like all Irish people are leprechauns, all Scottish people wear kilts all the time and play bagpipes, the whole savage viking thing, I mean, all these "symbolic" references to ethnicity are going to be messed up because they are trying to refer to an ethnicity in a single picture. A cowboy symbol would have boots, hats and ropes. Thats the way symbols work.

Some of these teams were Indian and called themselves "the Indians" or "the Braves", one Maori team calls themselves "the Maori". Maybe the Maori want to make sure that the teams they defeat KNOW they are defeated by the Maori.

Yeah, Redskins is bad by white standards, but in alot of languages people are referred to as white skin, red skin, black skin, etc. and these are accepted names for people in their culture. so why would something like redskins bother people? People have no problem calling people black or white. what's the difference? People don't get offended by that.

Its the white connotation of the term that is bad, because it is used in a derogatory way most of the time. Yeah, they should probably change it. But I think it gets ridiculous when a team called the Moccassins (after Water Moccassin, the snake) feels obligated to change their name not to offend. That's a pretty good team name.