What's In A Name?

Prospect: Seriously, 'Washington Redskins' Really Is Racist

(The American Prospect)  This column was written by Michael Tomasky.

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Though a liberal, I am not and never have been a devotee of political correctness. I think "black" and "Indian" work just fine most of the time and consider "African American" and "Native American" to be superfluous mouthfuls. I think it's more important that disadvantaged schoolchildren memorize their multiplication tables than have their self-esteem preserved.

And I can't quite get behind the idea that people who choose to change their sex should be grouped, rights-securing wise, with people who were born gay.

So I don't usually go in for this sort of thing. But as the new football season approaches, enough is enough: Washington Redskins is a horrendously racist name.

Where do I start? I suppose by saying that this fact should be so obvious to absolutely everyone that the need to change the name at this point, now no longer the "innocent dawn" of the 21st Century, should be beyond debate. I mean … Redskins! Just sit with that word for a while.

These next three paragraphs contain a few offensive words, but using them (or some of them) is the best way to make the point.

Let's start with the mother of all racist pejoratives — you know the word I mean. This one I won't put it in print; it's too lurid. Obviously, no one would name a team the Washington N-----s, and anyway, I don't think Redskins is equivalent to that. We white folk (this includes not just the United States, but pre-U.S. colonialists) may have killed far more native people, but what we did to black people occupies a more prominent place in our national memory, and I think probably rightly so. So the N-word, so fully associated with that history, is a special case, and it has no equal.

But as we know, alas, there are several pejoratives for black people that are one or two ticks down from the big one. And here, we start to see very clear parallels with redskin. The closest one is "spade." Both refer specifically to pigmentation (the latter a metaphor drawn from a deck of cards). Both mock and categorize entire races explicitly because of pigmentation. So if you think Washington Redskins is OK, then you believe that Washington Spades would be fine, too.

And there is more: Because of the nature of the historic conflict between white man and Indian, the word redskin carries another, more implicit meaning — it marks the people described as a different, hence exotic, hence somehow threatening tribe. Here, the equivalency is with Jews. Could we imagine the Washington Hebes?

Obviously, we could not. But Redskin is no better. And an examination of the history of the franchise seals the argument.

The Washington Redskins began life as the Boston Braves. The team played in Braves Field, home of the baseball Boston Braves (later the Milwaukee Braves, today the Atlanta Braves). In 1933, one year after joining the National Football League, the football Braves moved over to Fenway Park. A name change seemed in order. Head Coach William "Lone Star" Dietz was allegedly of part-Sioux descent. Hence, Redskins, in his "honor" (let's consider it a happy accident that Brother Dietz wasn't a quadroon). The team moved to Washington in 1937.

The ignominious roots in the North's most racist city should tell us something. And I just love that notion that the name was meant to honor Dietz. I'm sure it was, but this only reinforces the fact that times and mores change. In 1930s America, it was also an "honor" for Hattie McDaniel to have to act out humiliating mammy stereotypes in order to win her Oscar (after having been pointedly disinvited from Gone With the Wind's world premiere in Atlanta).

[mhclaxton]

Imagine if there was a team called the Blackskins.....there would be riots.

[iedbf]

If there was a team called the Washington N____s, when that name was spoken on CBS it would be bleeped. And when that name appeared on screen, it would be pixelated. Until such time as CBS adopts a policy of doing the same thing for the word R_______n, it is just as guilty of racism as the franchise in question. If all the news media censored the R word the same way they censor the N word, you can bet that team name would be changed by the end of the week. Suggesting that the way we treated African Americans (slavery) is somehow more horrible than the way we treated Native Americans (genocide) only points out how pervasive this kind of racism is, even among liberal commentators.

[southsyde666]

"Native people still have to endure the humiliating halftime spectacle of University of Illinois Chief Illiniwek, the tomahawk chop and chant in Atlanta and the use of the term Redskin in the NFL. "

Why are they offended? It's what they did, it's part of their culture and heritage. I've always had respect for Native American culture, frowing up thats why i liked the Skins. I own several pieces of Native American artifacts and weaponry, if i was truly racist why would i support thier culture with my capital? I suggest this: if someone made a team, for example: Arkansas Whiteskins, i for one would support it. It would be fine with me. Now, why dont we take it a step further and get rid of Affirmative Action so we're all on a level playing field? People complain about being treated differently, but when it comes to getting a leg up in life, you complain your not getting special treatment (ie-getting treated differently). Make up your mind. Do you want "equality" or a crutch so that there can be a percieved equality. So, it's only equal if the minorities get a boost? How so? I for one wouldnt want a free pass, it diminishes my accomplishments to know that the only reason i got there in the first place was because someone made an exception for me. I'm of Viking decent, i see no problem with the Vikings, even though romanticism has made it synonymous with raping, pillaging, and overall horror, not to mention barbarianism and a heathen lifestyle rejecting the Christian "God". Do i find it offensive? Not in one bit. It's what my ancestors did. It's how they lived, how they supported and fended for their land and family. Times truly were simpler back then. Everyone saw everything for what it was at face value. No one whined. And if you had a problem with it you did something about it. Now, in present times, everyone wants to complain about everything and subsequently get handouts. Racism truly disappears when both sides get it right. When the racists see past the flesh AND when the offended stop wanting preferential treatment because of the same flesh they say they get offended about.

Take into account too: black people use the word n__er more now, than most white people in the same urban areas. Why? Why do they insist on calling each other something that they deem so offensive? If they truly wanted it to go away and the handouts to go away, they wouldnt be making the word more prevalent within their own society themselves! It has to work both ways. Stop picking stupid things to fight over, imagine if everyone who complained about this tried to fight world hunger instead?!

[notaslickfan]

Why does Tomasky bring GWB into this story? This is a publicly owned business. Does Tomasky and supporters think the government should dictate business names? Talk about a socialist state! If party affiliation is an issue then where were the Dems back in 1933, 1940,'50,'80, '92, 96'? The Democrats were in charge of Congress through most the 30's through part of the 90's. 'Ol Slick was in charge for eight years before GW and did he fight to change the name? This is just more of the same Bush/Republican bashing blame game by the moonbats of the left. What a fool Tomasky is.

[mazy05]

For every person who thinks the Native American community is whining let me pose a question to you.

Have any of you ever felt belittled? Have any of you ever been objectified just for being you, a native? Do you see a false stereotype of you and your people displayed around the country as %u2018REDSKINS%u2019? It's easy to make a comment on the outside looking in, but when you see injustice it is imperative you look closely at both sides. To some on lookers it may seem a cry for some silly name to be changed, to others it may be seen as fight for the rights insured to every American citizen. It%u2019s a fight to make things right and until you know the full story of why Native Americans like Suzan Harjo and company are specking out, Please refrain from commenting. Ignorance can only take you so far.

[mazy05]

For every person who thinks the Native American community is whining let me pose a question to you.

Have any of you ever felt belittled? Have any of you ever been objectified just for being you, a native? Do you see a false stereotype of you and your people displayed around the country as %u2018REDSKINS%u2019? It's easy to make a comment on the outside looking in, but when you see injustice it is imperative you look closely at both sides. To some on lookers it may seem a cry for some silly name to be changed, to others it may be seen as fight for the rights insured to every American citizen. It%u2019s a fight to make things right and until you know the full story of why Native Americans like Suzan Harjo and company are specking out, Please refrain from commenting. Ignorance can only take you so far.

[mazy05]

For every person who thinks the Native American community is whining let me pose a question to you.

Have any of you ever felt belittled? Have any of you ever been objectified just for being you, a native? Do you see a false stereotype of you and your people displayed around the country as %u2018REDSKINS%u2019? It's easy to make a comment on the outside looking in, but when you see injustice it is imperative you look closely at both sides. To some on lookers it may seem a cry for some silly name to be changed, to others it may be seen as fight for the rights insured to every American citizen. It%u2019s a fight to make things right and until you know the full story of why Native Americans like Suzan Harjo and company are specking out, Please refrain from commenting. Ignorance can only take you so far.

[mazy05]

For every person who thinks the Native American community is whining let me pose a question to you.

Have any of you ever felt belittled? Have any of you ever been objectified just for being you, a native? Do you see a false stereotype of you and your people displayed around the country as %u2018REDSKINS%u2019? It's easy to make a comment on the outside looking in, but when you see injustice it is imperative you look closely at both sides. To some on lookers it may seem a cry for some silly name to be changed, to others it may be seen as fight for the rights insured to every American citizen. It%u2019s a fight to make things right and until you know the full story of why Native Americans like Suzan Harjo and company are specking out, Please refrain from commenting. Ignorance can only take you so far.

[billthepill]

Racial stereotypes and use of racial slurs continue from an ignorant time in American history. Racial stereotypes %u201Ccolor%u201D the way that people perceive minorities. Other races and cultures have succeeded in preventing negative or demeaning versions of them. Blacks were able to compel the majority to do away with the %u201CAmos and Andy Show%u201D, Latinos eliminated the %u201CFrito Bandito%u201D. Words referring to Black people,Latinos, Asians and Jews are accepted as offensive and are not used except by hard core bigots. Native people still have to endure the humiliating halftime spectacle of University of Illinois Chief Illiniwek, the tomahawk chop and chant in Atlanta and the use of the term Redskin in the NFL. The word redskin was never a term of endearment or honor and always had dirty or stinking in front of it. Our demand for respect falls on deaf ears because of the continued acceptance of negative stereotypes as sports mascots. Non-native people express peculiar attitudes when they are informed by Native people that the use of these stereotypes are offensive, ranging from threats of violence to their curious assertion that they are %u201Chonoring%u201D Native people with their continued use of the stereotype. America, we die in wars along side our Black, Hispanic, Asian and White brothers. We just want respect.

[greencharm]

Why not name them the Washington Whiteys in my honor. I would be honored. Or the Washington Christians in honor of Joe Gibbs. He should be honored to coach a team with that name.
No! I really do understand what you are saying, but those who spend time in the mire in order to find what is wrong there also find it hard to define enjoyment in life which has no mire.
I know where you are coming from however, I would probably find you to be a dull conversationallist when discussing the things that I enjoy. I like the Redskins name and there was a time when all teams were racist but there are none now and the coach certainly isn't.
I vote to keep the name "Washington Redskins". Those who live and think in the mire, please go crawl back in your hole.

[ancharles]

i love this story it is very interesting

[tbaker2k]

Absolutely!
There are SO many more important things that a name. So change it. If you feel it's not important change it.

Because while you feel it's not important, there are others who feel it is.

So be the bigger person.

[getalife7]

What is a name you ask, it's a name, get over it. There's a lot more importand issuses right now than names of a sports team.

[getalife7]

It seems like as time moves on more and more things become offensives and people begin sueing each other because of a name or because of some words on a wall. Get over it. It's a name that has been there a long time. You have too much time on your hands to worry about things like this. Wow, it seems like anything now can offend someone, better not say a word to anyone, might make them upset and they might sue you. Get a life, GO REDSKINS

[shquanebin]

I am very happy that person's are starting to listen to Native people and letting us as a whole decide what is good for us, and what is not good for us. I am happy the person's see Native people as intelligent enough to decide for ourselves what is best for us, what we consider to be offensive and always have but only in the past few decades have we been able to speak out against the wrong doing and not fear murder. I am happy that we are growing as a people.


FYI, The Washington Bullets was changed to the Wizards because it was "promoting violence".

[tbaker2k]

Part 2

In all actuality, I have been pretty neutral on this. I hadn't thought of Redskins as being pejorative. Even now, I'm not 100% sure I believe it is. What I can't do is say that what they feel is silly or foolish. I wouldn't expect anyone to tell me that my feelings aren't valid when I feel racially insulted. What I do believe is if we take the opportunity to talk about our cultural identities and other issues we have interacting with each other, we increase the chances of us having the %u201CPEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE%u201D written about above.

Casting aside the thoughts, feelings and values of others as whining or inconsequential will only create and/or widen rifts between us.

Just a few of my pearls... I welcome all swine :)

[tbaker2k]

Part 1

The problem is that as long as people feel slighted, de-valued or disenfranchised you seriously compromise your chances of having %u201CPEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE%u201D. What you may see as hyper-sensitivity on the part of someone taking umbrage with the portrayal of their identity may be for that group a serious slight. The fact that other peoples, cultures, groups, etc. have also been slighted, believe it or not, doesn't help to soothe the sting nor does it excuse or justify knowingly insulting and slurring.

And while I appreciate that one particular Cherokee may not find Redskins offensive or that one particular Italian may not find Wap offensive, I shudder to think of the number of times I hear the word n----r casually tossed around in my own community as though it is acceptable. By the way it's used (and over used) it would be easy to conclude that it is no longer a particularly offensive term, and I would vehemently disagree with that conclusion.

I agree that in the times that we live in where terrorists are threatening to bomb American planes while in flight and we sit on the verge of an energy crisis, maybe this isn't the most important topic. Agreed. So change the name and let's move on. This is such a minor point. Here's a group of people that say they feel the historic and current use of this name is a slur against them. Change the name. It becomes a non-issue.

[larry7774]

What's in a name. The author states "Though a liberal, I am not and never have been a devotee of political correctness." Well, thank God - sorry, Supreme Being. "Political Correctness" comes from the golden era of Stalinist Russia in the 1930s where the ever charming man by the name of Beria would tell you - you are politically incorrect and your next stop - if lucky, was the Gulag as a slave laborer or if unlucky to the basement of Lubianka Prison where your brains were blown out in the shower room. (Mr. Tomasky tell your liberal friends the meaning of this word and it is a bad thing) So, the Redskins are bad. Animal Rights groups would probably protest the Lions, and Bengals, and Bears - oh my. Let's make everyone happy and call them "Team A", and Team B", etc. Yes , when asked I could say, "I am a Team D fan. You know, the former Redskins." Yes, this will make everything better.

[ubiquitous2]

geez, i guess any stupid person can be an editor nowadays.

[kathywathy-2009]

yep it is a load of ****!