having said that you know they are going to go after Indians as well.

I'm always going to call the NFL team from Washington the " redskins " . The Dallas Cowboys .. If the Cowboys complain are we going to change their name too ? a small group might think its offensive .

Cowboys thing is different, now the Vikings that is the same thing.

I wonder what other minorities we can celebrate with otherwise demeaning terms as mascots?

Minnesota Vikings

IF .. IF Cowboys can be used in a negative way ( as RJS suggested) then what number do we assign needs to be offended before we drag Jerry Jones into court and outlaw his trademark ? 1 ? 100 ? 25k ? Who decides ?

 

I don't know. I think what it comes down to is doing the right thing. I get it, there may always be that lone outlier, or tiny group of people that don't like something. You can't ever, and will never be able to please anybody. But this situation is much bigger. As PP92 mentioned, would you feel comfortable using the term "Redskin" freely or waving a Chief Wahoo flag in a room full of Native Americans?? I'm guessing most reasonable people wouldn't. And that in itself says a lot. Forget that it's been around for 70 or 80 years, and that it's been trademarked. None of that changes the situation or makes it right. And do we really know how many Native Americans really find the "Redskin" and "Chief Wahoo" derogatory? Why do we assume it is just a small group?? Is it just because it's existed for so long? Remember, this is a group of people that for the most part keep to themselves, many of which have lived on reservation and are dealing with much bigger problems, and really haven't had much of a voice at any point in time in history. Let's not cloak this issue in things like trademark law, and slippery slopes. I think all the small group is asking for is a little respect for the Native American and their culture. The Redskins, their logo, Chief Wahoo, are all caricatures and not indicative of Native Americans, their culture or their history. However, many people believe them to be true, and the use of these mascots help entrench those inaccuracies. Go to reservation, or even a Pow Wow....i can guarantee you won't find anyone that looks like like Chief Wahoo or the Redskins Logo, or any of the fans that play Halloween every Sunday at Fedex Field.

I think Peter, Paul, James, John, etc. are fine with the New Orleans football mascot.

They celebrate the Natave American while being racist, kind of a euphemism if you ask me. Being called the Indians celebrates their culture, identifying them with the color of their skin does not.

 

And I would agree with you, except, that the term Indian is so generic. There are literally thousands of tribes across the country, all with different cultures, traditions, etc. The term Indian (and later American Indian, and now currently Native American) was created to lump them together as a group and give them a label. Most Native Americans prefer to be identified by their tribe, not as Native American, or Indian.

Dallas Cowboys???? Come on now.

 

Dallas Rednecks? Offensive.

 

I think Dallas Rednecks is a cool name .

 

But in all seriousness again its obvious "Redskins" is racist . As much as it stinks in a free society racism is legal. It's one of the downsides of Freedom have to take the good with the bad . Appropriate way to handle this is boycotts and let the money talk. You would think eventually the fan base would wake up.

 

But in no way shape or form can I side with the federal government strong arming a private business.

And I would agree with you, except, that the term Indian is so generic. There are literally thousands of tribes across the country, all with different cultures, traditions, etc. The term Indian (and later American Indian, and now currently Native American) was created to lump them together as a group and give them a label. Most Native Americans prefer to be identified by their tribe, not as Native American, or Indian.

Didn't the commercial that aired during the NBA Finals say that they call themselves Indians?

Minnesota Vikings

 

Vikings isn't even quite in the same ballpark. I'm not aware of any Viking communities or reservations, or of any paperwork asking for race, having "Viking" as an option. The term "Viking" has often been romanticised and popularized in literature. And I can't remember ever hearing the term Viking used in a derogatory way or as a slur.

If there was a team name called the Black Skins, and the mascot was a guy in blackface? Come on, the Native Americans are no different, chief Wahoo and the Redskins are so racist it's kind of ridiculous. I think it's stupid it's was there in the first place.

 

The Reds, that is what I always refer to as the communist, I can't believe so many support that communist team. Should they change their name to the Cinn no color team

Vikings isn't even quite in the same ballpark. I'm not aware of any Viking communities or reservations, or of any paperwork asking for race, having "Viking" as an option. The term "Viking" has often been romanticised and popularized in literature. And I can't remember ever hearing the term Viking used in a derogatory way or as a slur.

 

I agree Redskins is a racial slur . I'm not buying Indians or Native Americans as racist.

The Reds, that is what I always refer to as the communist, I can't believe so many support that communist team. Should they change their name to the Cinn no color team

 

It's short for Redlegs, which comes from their original team name the Red Stockings.

Didn't the commercial that aired during the NBA Finals say that they call themselves Indians?

 

I hadn't seen that commercial, but I found it on youtube. The word "Indian" gets used once, but most of the commercial calls out specific Native Americans and specific tribes. Going back in history, remember, the term Indian was created by Columbus and his crew (thinking he had landed in India)....before Europeans came here, there was no such thing as "Indian" (unless you lived in India). All of the Native Peoples that were here referred to themselves by their tribe.

How do African Amercians think of being called that?

I agree Redskins is a racial slur . I'm not buying Indians or Native Americans as racist.

 

And I'd agree. My only point is those are terms made up by others (specifically our Government)to label and identify (and I don't mean in a negative way) the group of people that occupied this land before the Europeans came. I don't think they are offensive, I'm just saying, that most Native Americans describe themselves and want to be recognized as members of their tribe first.