Given the ruling today to lift the trademark of the Redskins
team name, despite the native lineage on both sides of my family, I have a few
thoughts:
- Being politically correct is such a slippery, slippery slope. If you're not offended by something, don't worry: there are enough people to feel offended on your behalf. Then there's others who will tourment you because you don't agree with them, and they believe you should (even though we're all entitled to our own opinions anyway). That's why the majority of the stuff I hear about the name being changed, I generally shrug it off. The entire world has gotten so that it doesn't matter what it is; if one person feels like something is wrong, without ration, the bandwagon gets full. QUICKLY. I've gotten kind of numb to the excessive PC activity, quite honestly. Hard to say what's really important anymore when everyone makes such a big deal about EVERYTHING.
- What team is next? Weren't they supposed to change the Cleveland Indians logo? A bunch of people are offended by the "Colts" team name because the organization was stolen from Baltimore. The Colts got their name because years ago because of Baltimore's history of horse racing. What does it have to do with the city of Indianapolis? What about the New England Patriots???? There's a Caucasian dude on the logo but we all know they weren't even here first (to hell with Columbus -- he didn't discover jack). A patriot is defined as someone who loves, defends and fights for their country with devotion (I guess if you steal something away from someone else, it's yours to fight defend smh)... Is the Kansas City Chiefs logo next??? No one cares about the name, apparently, but many Natives are offended by people dressing up in war paint, chicken feathers and what-not on Sunday doing the tomahawk chop in the stands... While we're on the "chop", how bout the 'Noles and the Braves? Are we going to stop people from using the song/arm movement everywhere? FSU has put the song in commercials to invite people to attend school there. What about the Tri-City Blackhawks? Oh my bad, the I meant the Atlanta Hawks... But since we mention the Blackhawks, are they going to change their name and logo like the Hawks did? Because they're offending people too.
- To add to the list of things people are offended by, here are some things that offend me: potholes (well, they offend my car, but I paid for my car); sagging pants in public (I don't want to see your undies, neither does anyone else); people who walk up to me and ask me where I get my tracks from (just because my skin looks a certain way doesn't mean everyone that tone has the same type of hair -- beyond popular belief, it DOES grow from my scalp. All cliches aside, I really do have Indian in my family); people who don't take women and/or people of color seriously (get a clue, we matter); ashy feet (it's gross to me -- especially when so much lotion is available); people who try to tell me how I should feel (no explanation necessary). Anyone want to go to Change.org and start a petition on behalf of any of these things? Inbox me, I've got more things that I'm offended by.
- Are they going to change the name of the state of Oklahoma, which means "red people?" Oh I guess you can't do that; the government has 33 federally recognized tribes there... Let's move on... (Just for fun, "The Sooner State" was nicknamed after the non-natives who President Cleveland allowed to settle in on unclaimed land prior to the Indian Appropriations Act of 1889.)
- Why wasn't this much press started to abolish the n-word? I guess Redskins is more offensive to the big wigs in office. Maybe people should research how and why that word formed. The Africans kidnapped from their own land didn't call each other "black" to describe their own skin color; it was a characterization bestowed on them by the shanghaiers that removed them unwillingly from their own land (n-word is derived from the word "niger" which means black... multiple slave trade records show derivations of the word in the description of the captive Africans). Somehow the FCC still allows it to be used loosely in movies, music, etc because someone considers it "art." (freedom of speech, right?) People buy tickets to movies, people's concerts, some still buy cds/mp3s of "artwork" containing the n-word; no one says a thing.
- I guess the financial and social struggles of Native Americans are less important things to fight for (meanwhile Snyder started a foundation to help fight those issues... I didn't really see anyone else trying to attack what the vast majority of natives consider to be the "real" problem in their culture). We'll continue to let Natives be culturally oppressed with poor job, housing, education, etc situations so other people with money can continue to thrive. God Bless America!
- Everyone can conclude that the ORIGIN of the name is BENIGN. Everyone also concludes that Europeans tried to kill them off in an attempt to take over America. While the latter prevailed, the prior did not. They tried to eliminate an entire people and use their scalps as trophies but they are STILL HERE. That says a lot. So I can definitely see why there are so many Natives proud of the name and would be upset if it changed. For many, It DOES stand for something to them. It represents for strength and resiliency. It says to the Europeans who in essence did take over the country, "Nice try, we're still here."
- Alas, thought #7 doesn't matter because Amanda Blackhorse and Ray Halbritter have rallied up a small group of natives to speak for the 500+ tribes across America. (Meanwhile it's still under debate whether or not Halbritter is legitimately part of the Oneida Nation.)
- Wonder who would get paid off of the name change... certainly wouldn't be these politicians on the PC bandwagon or the school systems on the reservations... and it doesn't directly help Natives get jobs or better housing... undoubtedly the money would go to the NFL -- a multi-billion dollar organization. Meanwhile Roger Goodell still made $35M last year and Halbritter is still making lots of duckets being a casino tycoon and paying pennies to his tribe members... (Just putting that out there...)
- Whatever happens, there will still be 91,000 fans in FedEx on Sunday wearing the colors and the logo singing "Hail to the Redskins." That my friends, is a fact. Whether or not we (people and/or Americans) will start prioritizing our battles to fight for what's really important, has yet to be seen.
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