Political Correctness - How Far Should it Go? Should the Washington Redskins change their name?

[Golfingdad]

:beer:   I think we've reached an agreement, let the Native Americans decide without influence from the special interest groups that do not have any Native American blood in them.

Yup ... This is basically what I said in my first (serious ;)) post.

[dfreuter415]

Seems society is all about political correctness these days.  Terms, jokes. ideas, team nick names in professional sports are suddenly being scrutinized to ensure we're being sensitive to the feelings of every special interest group that exists or might exist some day in this country.   I understand now some high brow media types like Bob Costas are refusing to use the word Redskin in their coverage of the team.  He'll still collect money for covering the Redskins, he just won't say the word, what a hypocrite.

So should the owners of the Washington Redskins, Cleveland Indians, Chicago Blackhawks (only to name a few) be forced to change their team name or do people just need to get over themselves?

I don't think that Washington needs to change their nickname, just their logo....

[Fourputt]

Or this...

[RonTheSavage]

Im not sure if I agree with the part of your post that states "they didnt like Black anymore." African-American was supposed to be a sign of progress when the term was popularized in the late 1980's. Im sorry I dont know if it was Black or White people who came up with it, but Im a Black Man period. I can only speak for myself when I say I never really embraced the term African American. I guess it sounds a little nicer but I agree it's very clumsy. Can you imagine if James Brown would've said Im African American and Im Proud??? Just does not sound right at all LOL. But back to the topic, when you say the old saying sticks and stones worked for you growing up and words cant hurt you, thats awesome. It would be fantastic to have been able to grow up that way. As a minority I've been racially profiled and detained for no reason by the police more than once, I've been called the N-Word more than once. What Im getting at is someone who hasnt walked in my shoes cant tell me what to be offended by. If the term Redskins offends someone then the name should be changed, in my humble humble opinion.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

They are black in most of the rest of the world.  It was a proper appellation in the US up until just 30 years ago, after it was decided inthe 60's that "negro" was offensive.  Then they didn't like black any more so now it's the clumsy "African American".  They aren't called French-Africans in France, or English-Africans in the UK.  And it doesn't seem to bother anyone.

For the OP:  It was reported that it is a relatively small group of native Americans who form the protest group.  A poll of the general native population was overwhelmingly "I don't care."  The only reason they are targeting the Redskins is because they are located in Washington DC.  If they succeed there, then they will turn their sights on Cleveland, Atlanta, Kansas City.

Political correctness is out of control in the US, and getting worse all the time.  Too much offense taken over nothing at all.  Whatever happened the adage I was taught to live by when I was young:  "Sticks and stones can break my bones, but names can never hurt me."

Im not sure if I agree with the part of your post that states "they didnt like Black anymore." African-American was supposed to be a sign of progress when the term was popularized in the late 1980's. Im sorry I dont know if it was Black or White people who came up with it, but Im a Black Man period. I can only speak for myself when I say I never really embraced the term African American. I guess it sounds a little nicer but I agree it's very clumsy. Can you imagine if James Brown would've said Im African American and Im Proud??? Just does not sound right at all LOL.

But back to the topic, when you say the old saying sticks and stones worked for you growing up and words cant hurt you, thats awesome. It would be fantastic to have been able to grow up that way. As a minority I've been racially profiled and detained for no reason by the police more than once, I've been called the N-Word more than once. What Im getting at is someone who hasnt walked in my shoes cant tell me what to be offended by. If the term Redskins offends someone then the name should be changed, in my humble humble opinion.

When I said "they" didn't like black, I was referring to the PC crowd in general, nobody specifically.  And I agree that there are words and usages of words which can be offensive, but that is true regardless of whether you are black, white, or blue.  I've been called quite a few offensive names in the past, and I'm quite white, Minnesota born, half English, half Scandinavian.

I was raised to be color blind - my grandmother (100% English descent) spent most of her teaching career in an all black elementary school in the black ghetto in St. Paul, not because it was all she could get, but because she chose to devote herself to giving those kids the best that she could offer, and she was a very good teacher.  She felt that they deserved better than the poor opportunity they were given by birth.  That was back in the 1950's, when it was still politically and socially correct to approve of discrimination and segregation.

[Lihu]

I voted no issue. I grew up as a "fan" of the Redskins, but most people ask me if I saw the "Skins" game.

They can just change it to "Skins" like when we were kids playing "shirts" and "skins".

[LaffertyDaniel]

Meh

[Golfingdad]

I haven't been reading him much this year because his columns are loooooooooooooooooooooooong, and they have a lot of repeat stuff but, regardless, I really like Gregg Easterbrook on ESPN.  The "Tuesday Morning Quarterback" is his column.  I forget which day it comes out though.

He has a nerdy sense of humor and has a few funny nicknames for a lot of the pro teams.  He calls the Patriots the "Flying Elvii" because their logo sort of resembles Elvis Presley with wings.  He calls the Titans the "Flaming Thumbtacks" also because of their logo.

Anyways ...  What does everybody think of the Redskins chaning their name to the:

POTOMAC DRAINAGE BASIN INDIGINEOUS PERSONS ?????

hehehe!!!

[Lihu]

POTOMAC DRAINAGE BASIN INDIGINEOUS PERSONS ?????

hehehe!!!

Very funny, Drew.

What was your favorite team again?

[Golfingdad]

Very funny, Drew.

What was your favorite team again?

Just to reiterate ... not my joke, relayed from ESPN.

And my team is the Chargers.  The team with, by far, the BEST theme song in the league:

And if that is not enough to sway you, maybe this will:

[Lihu]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

And if that is not enough to sway you, maybe this will:

I'm swaying, I'm swaying.

[Fourputt]

And if that is not enough to sway you, maybe this will:

Like the Dolts are the only team with cheerleaders?  (I bleed orange through and through - Go Broncs!!!!)

[David in FL]

Just to reiterate ... not my joke, relayed from ESPN. And my team is the Chargers.  The team with, by far, the BEST theme song in the league:

Wow..... That really sucks!

[Harmonious]

And my team is the Chargers.  The team with, by far, the BEST theme song in the league:

I hadn't heard that "song" since we lived in SD in the mid 80's (Air Coryell). I'm surprised it's still being used.  Sounds kind of like the late stages of disco.

[dsc123]

I think its offensive and they should change it.  All this complaining about the "vocal minority" misses the point.  There are people who are seriously, and legitimately offended by the term. Nobody disputes that its derogatory.  The fact that some American Indians don't care doesn't change that.

I also think its an odd place to take a stand against political correctness.  Native Americans were killed, had their land stolen, and were swindled by the US Gov't.  What the US Gov't did to them is horrific in a historic sense.  What makes you want to take a stand to support the use of a derogatory term that many of them feel is offensive?

[Valleygolfer]

[Valleygolfer]

I think its offensive and they should change it.  All this complaining about the "vocal minority" misses the point.  There are people who are seriously, and legitimately offended by the term. Nobody disputes that its derogatory.  The fact that some American Indians don't care doesn't change that.

I also think its an odd place to take a stand against political correctness.  Native Americans were killed, had their land stolen, and were swindled by the US Gov't.  What the US Gov't did to them is horrific in a historic sense.  What makes you want to take a stand to support the use of a derogatory term that many of them feel is offensive?

Don't worry, the gobment is working on swindling the rest of us....

[Golfingdad]

Wow..... That really sucks!

You shut your mouth, David!!! That song is golden! I want to get up and dance every time I hear it!! ;) On topic: I'm with dsc ... Just change the name already. There are fights worth fighting but this ain't one of them. Isn't Snyder best buds with Ton Cruise?? Change the name to the DC Mavericks! Or go the Scientology route and create the DC Thetas!!