Of course not. The only people who support the change are white liberal phonies (and a few lawsuit happy Indians in New York) who never watch football anyway. What's next- the Chiefs? The Braves? There are hundreds, if not thousands, of sports teams across the country (and in North America as a whole) whose names are derivative of words describing native Indians.
The name Redskins was evidently changed to honor a specific Native American and was derived from both their former name (the Braves) and the Boston Red Sox. In the only survey on the controversy that queried Native Americans 9 out of 10 thought the name was fine as is. Anyone who has ever heard, much less sung, "Hail to the Redskins" knows that the name is anything but pejorative.
The current controversy is a ridiculous product of the liberal media- in particular the morons at the Washington Post- who now refuse to even use the name.
From Wiki:
Quote:
The origin of the word "redskin" is debated. Some scholars say that the word was coined by early settlers in reference to the skin tone of Native Americans. Smithsonian Institution senior linguist and curator emeritus Ives Goddard asserts that the actual origin of the word is benign and reflects more positive aspects of early relations between Native Americans and whites. It emerged at a specific time in history among a small group of men linked by joint activities that provided the context that brought it forth. [2] That context was the need for a term that all could use in negotiating treaties during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. [3] It is later that the term became more pejorative. A linguistic analysis of books published between 1875 and 1930 show an increasingly negative context in the use of redskin, often in association with "dirty", "lying", etc.; while benign or positive usage such as "noble" redskin were used in a condescending manner.[4] The term continued in common use until the 1960s, as evidenced in Western movies, but is now largely considered a pejorative and is seldom used publicly aside from football teams. As with any term perceived to be discriminatory, different individuals may hold differing opinions of the term's appropriateness.[5]
The Washington Redskins were originally known as the Boston Braves. In 1933, co-owner George Preston Marshall changed the name to the Redskins, possibly in recognition of the then–head coach Lone Star Dietz, who claimed to be part Sioux. Dietz's true heritage has been questioned by some scholars. There is also the fact that, in 1933, the Boston Braves moved from Braves Field, which they shared with baseball's Boston Braves, to Fenway Park, already occupied by the Boston Red Sox. The name Redskins was chosen by Marshall. The Washington Redskins name and logo, which is a picture of an Native American, was officially registered in 1967.
|
Merry Christmas everyone! Oh wait...we can't say that either can we?