Should the Washington Redskins change their name?

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Since adopting a new name (or logo) would provide an opportunity to force fans to buy new merchandise instead of continuing to use what they had (or even better - buy both the old and the new) I seriously doubt loss of merchandising revenue is a reason for refusing to change the name.

[NewYorkExpress]

Really, the NFL should do what the NBA is doing... Force Snyder to sell the team and then work on the new owner to the change the teams name.

[DemPGH]

I saw that this was back in the sports news. Not only does Snyder not want to change it, neither does the NFL, and we know how tuned they are to sensitivity and so forth. Football people largely don't have an issue with the "Washington Redskins," their logo, or their colors. As an epithet, I don't think the name even applies this century. And it's not used that way. But I'm a football guy.

"Cleveland Indians" and their logo is far worse.

In any event, what about the Fighting Irish? Or the Vikings and their logo? The FSU Seminoles and that guy who comes out on a horse and throws a spear into the ground? A university uses that! How about the WVU Mountaineers? You know, at some point this just. . . becomes tedious and a regress.

[traininthedistance]

I saw that this was back in the sports news. Not only does Snyder not want to change it, neither does the NFL, and we know how tuned they are to sensitivity and so forth. Football people largely don't have an issue with the "Washington Redskins," their logo, or their colors. As an epithet, I don't think the name even applies this century. And it's not used that way. But I'm a football guy.

"Cleveland Indians" and their logo is far worse.

In any event, what about the Fighting Irish? Or the Vikings and their logo? The FSU Seminoles and that guy who comes out on a horse and throws a spear into the ground? A university uses that! How about the WVU Mountaineers? You know, at some point this just. . . becomes tedious and a regress.

There's a huge difference in intention, severity, what have you between the R**skins and the Fighting Irish, or really any of those other names. 

Fighting Irish can fairly be compared to "Braves" or "Chiefs".  If you wanted to come up with an equivalent to the R**skins, they'd have to be the "Notre Dame Drunk M**ks" or something like that.

The Washington football team really is offensive in a way that other Native American names, or names of any other ethnicity, aren't.  It's in a class by itself.

[eric82oslo]

Don't see why. This is a pathetic discussion. Really. How can supporting Indian culture for 80 years straight suddenly turn into racism??? This is so low as it can get. Shame on the Democratic Party - a sentence I've probably never uttered before.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

The Washington football team really is offensive in a way that other Native American names, or names of any other ethnicity, aren't.  It's in a class by itself.

How is Redskin any more offensive a term than White, Black, Brown, or Yellow?  I just don't see it being anywhere near the level of n that some opponents of the term would argue it is.  About the only thing beyond beyond "it's offensive because it's offensive" that I've seen opponents of the name bring up is that the term has connotations of savage warriors.  I never realized that American football is such a gentle and peaceful game that any association with savagery or fighting should be shunned.  Now, if the particular depiction of redskins by the Redskins were offensive, then there certainly would be a problem.  But unless one is going to argue for a ban on all team names based on ethnic identity, I just can't see this as being needful.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

The Washington football team really is offensive in a way that other Native American names, or names of any other ethnicity, aren't.  It's in a class by itself.

How is Redskin any more offensive a term than White, Black, Brown, or Yellow?  I just don't see it being anywhere near the level of n that some opponents of the term would argue it is.  About the only thing beyond beyond "it's offensive because it's offensive" that I've seen opponents of the name bring up is that the term has connotations of savage warriors.  I never realized that American football is such a gentle and peaceful game that any association with savagery or fighting should be shunned.  Now, if the particular depiction of redskins by the Redskins were offensive, then there certainly would be a problem.  But unless one is going to argue for a ban on all team names based on ethnic identity, I just can't see this as being needful.

You're right, it's no more offensive than if the team were called the Washington Yellows and they had a mascot with a sedge hat.

[The Free North]

Considering the problems facing many Native American communities today, its both absurd and insulting for white guilt liberals to parade around this issue like its so offensive that these people can't sleep at night.

If we devoted this much time to improving the lives of impoverished and marginalized communities in the plains and southwest instead of bickering over a stupid logo, thousands of people would be in a much better place.....

[Lief 🗽]

Yeah, these white guilt liberals need to shut up, really good point guy.

[King]

The city of Landover, MD should vote to change their town name to Red and then rebrand the team as the Red Skins. One endzone says Red, one endzone says Skins. There's no more slur.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

You're right, it's no more offensive than if the team were called the Washington Yellows and they had a mascot with a sedge hat.

Exactly, altho it would be stupid because that wouldn't exactly be a very impressive mascot unless it was for a competitive gardening team.

However there is a existing pro team name that is more obnoxious than the Redskins, yet no one is proposing that we rename the damn Yankees.

[7,052,770]

They probably should, but the free market can and will take care of this issue in its own time.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Considering the problems facing many Native American communities today, its both absurd and insulting for white guilt liberals to parade around this issue like its so offensive that these people can't sleep at night.

If we devoted this much time to improving the lives of impoverished and marginalized communities in the plains and southwest instead of bickering over a stupid logo, thousands of people would be in a much better place.....

Ah, yes, the old 'worse problems exist, therefore this one doesn't deserve any attention' argument. Brilliant and convincing as ever.

[TNF]

Not sure how anyone who isn't a ing racist could argue that they shouldn't change the name. It's disgraceful, disgusting, and shameful that a major sports team in this country, in the 21st Century, shares its name with a racial slur. There's literally no justification for this state of affairs. If the team won't change it's name willingly, it should be seized by the city and owned and operated by it as is done in Green Bay. Without a cent of compensation, either. Offer that as an ultimatum and I think you'd have the moronic owners come around on this issue once and for all.

[t_host1]

There is no reason this name should have existed for the last 50 years.

Here's some good food for thought:

http://www.theonion.com/articles/redskins-kike-owner-refuses-to-change-teams-offens,34292/

Speaking of food for thought, I support the potato mascot idea.

The "Big Wing" of the radio 2nd this motion today, so...

[Torie]

No. It's PC run wild and out of control. Enough already.

[LeBron]

I strongly support changing there's and plenty of other sport's leagues names. If we lived in the early 1900s then they may have seemed fine then, but a lot of progress has been made in expanding rights and equality to everyone and the team was even founded the same year FDR and Eleanor became known and strove against racism in more ways than one. This team in 1933 had no idea what diversity even meant let alone have it on their team. I'm sure most people would find a team with the name of the derogatory "F" term for LGBT as terrible just as others would find a team with the name of the "B" word as offensive to women and the "N" word for African Americans and the "C" word for whites and so on. And changing their name is only getting started. Their logo is offensive to in implying that all Native Americans have dark skin colors and completely ignoring those light-skinned, tanned, golden or in-between. It really does vary among several different tribes such as the Cheyenne out West or the Navajo's in the Southwest. I'm not sure they appreciate either one of the colors of the team being red which is another common fallacy people have about Native Americans skin color especially among Cherokee's. Bruce Allen, Dan Snyder, and Roger Goodell are just terrible, terrible people and same with all of the other owners and their lackey commissioners in America who let this stuff slide by and then lie about what they, as whites, think the names infer. I wouldn't be one to blame Lawrence O'Donnell for comparing these guys to George Wallace or perhaps a better comparison than that, Bull(y) Connor who all had different, awful intentions, but Snyder, like Wallace and Connor, is corrupt with power. I really don't want to believe that Senators Pryor, Manchin, Donnelly, Kaine and Warner are defending these guys, but they are and all of them are in the wrong time period. Even Miami University of Ohio had the heart to change their name from "Redskins" to Redhawks. If they continue to refuse to change the name and continue these petty games, then it might be time to take action by following in Costa's footsteps with threats by NBC to never air a "Redskins" game or the DC City Council passing further legislation and restrictions. It might even be best if we just nationalized sports leagues and got rid of those derogatory names that way.

Cleveland is another terrible city when it comes to racist names. When the Browns were created, they literally plagiarized an old baseball team name held by an African American league even though the NFL wasn't even integrated yet. Even recently, the Browns fired our only African American Quarterback Jason Campbell while they kept Brian Hoyer, a white, who sat at home and lounged off of compensation for most of the season. Someone could argue that the Cleveland Cavaliers name is incredibly unpatriotic to our country, to simply because it's a Parliamentary, British English term used for people against King Charles I. And then don't even get me started on the Cleveland Indians and their completely racist logo, but we at least have the Cleveland City Council led by Councilman Zack Reed, Council President Kevin Kelley and Mayor Frank Jackson at work on trying to force Larry Dolan to abolish the logo by refusing permits to any banners downtown with the chief logo on there. It's a great sign that if our state legislature won't take action, we have to for the sake of all offended Native Americans who know that Indians never smile all the time. Heck, when the Indians were first formed, it was an all white team and Indians at this time were getting killed and abused by the federal government. The problem is not only do these billionaires have all the power and they'll threaten to leave with our tax dollars if local/state governments try to make a stand, but this country is just so freaking brainwashed by the sports leagues that it's not even funny.

Unfortunately, most names had little thought put into them and some are okay and pretty generic (Patriots, Packers, Bills, Chargers etc.), but others go too far. We have to keep in mind to that these names were formed pre-civil rights movement/pre-American Indian Movement/pre-MLK when whites were still dominant and segregation still existed back when a lot of these owners like Snyder were young and beyond ignorant. Someone could easily argue that the Indianapolis Colts have a sexist team name which they do (a "colt" is a male horse) and the cheerleaders are just as much of a part of the team as the players. Someone could argue that the Tennessee Titans are really stretching it by comparing themselves to ancient gods and religiously promoting polytheism. Someone could argue the Philadelphia Eagles shouldn't deserve to have the team name of our nation's liberty bird. Someone could easily argue how offensive the Chiefs name is to the Plains Indians. When it comes to Ohio's state bird and Arizona's NFL team, it's also kind of questionable on who really owns the "cardinal" name given the Cardinals didn't move to Phoenix until 1988 and Ohio established it's state bird in 1933.  The New York Yankees are another major controversial name for the total lack of consideration to the cultural and Civil War aspect of the word. I also usually have a problem in some teams always having to rely on picking the name of a powerful or fast animal and treating the animal's mascot as merely a second tier prop. All are true, but "the land of the free" chooses to prefer entertainment by still attending games over preferring a national movement and that unfortunately will never change.

[Oakvale]

:words:

 the derogatory "F" term for LGBT as terrible just as others would find a team with the name of the "B" word as offensive to women and the "N" word for African Americans and the "C" word for whites and so on.

:words:

You're absolutely wrong, I for one would welcome a team called the Alabama Crackers or whatever.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

:words:

 the derogatory "F" term for LGBT as terrible just as others would find a team with the name of the "B" word as offensive to women and the "N" word for African Americans and the "C" word for whites and so on.

:words:

You're absolutely wrong, I for one would welcome a team called the Alabama Crackers or whatever.

I wouldn't.  Crackers are from Florida and Georgia not Alabama, and the Atlanta Crackers were the city's minor league team until the Braves moved there from Milwaukee in 1966. If for any reason Atlanta needs to drop the Braves moniker, I hope they adopt the Crackers name.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

LOL who gets offended by "cracker"?

Hell Cracker Barrel exists...

I should do a demographic analysis write up sometime using "cracker" in place of "white", ex. "District 3 is 85% cracker"

[Hatman 🍁]

Yes, it's a racist term. Also, the Cleveland Indians need a new logo.

Naming teams after ethnicities is fine in my books, but you cross the line when you use racial slurs like "Redskins" or racial caricatures as logos (like with the Indians).

If the Redskins adopted a name like "Braves", they could keep the logo and it would be less offensive. The Cleveland Indians should also adopt a more tasteful logo like the Redskins logo or the Chicago Blackhawks logo.

[Simfan34]

Not sure how anyone who isn't a ing racist could argue that they shouldn't change the name. It's disgraceful, disgusting, and shameful that a major sports team in this country, in the 21st Century, shares its name with a racial slur. There's literally no justification for this state of affairs. If the team won't change it's name willingly, it should be seized by the city and owned and operated by it as is done in Green Bay. Without a cent of compensation, either. Offer that as an ultimatum and I think you'd have the moronic owners come around on this issue once and for all.

Everything is an excuse to nationalise for you, isn't it?

[Rooney]

The team needs to change their name. Time marches on and what is politically correct changes. There is nothing noble or independent about being a little man screaming "no" as the bend of history changes. The "Redskins" may very well have been an okay name when the team was started but history is a forward progression. It is only appropriate for the name to be changed as what is PC now must be respected. We cannot cling to the past forever.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Yes, it's a racist term. Also, the Cleveland Indians need a new logo.

Naming teams after ethnicities is fine in my books, but you cross the line when you use racial slurs like "Redskins" or racial caricatures as logos (like with the Indians).

If the Redskins adopted a name like "Braves", they could keep the logo and it would be less offensive. The Cleveland Indians should also adopt a more tasteful logo like the Redskins logo or the Chicago Blackhawks logo.

Agree with this.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

They should move to Buffalo and call themselves the Buffalo Nickels.