Should the Washington Redskins be forced to change their team name?
Should the Washington Redskins be forced to change their team name? With the US Patent and Trademark Office cancelling the football teamâs trademark license earlier this year and now the FCC considering fining any network or station that uses the name âRedskinsâ on air up to $325,000 per incident, this is a debate that any American should be invested in, whether you are a football fan or not. Why? Because if this privately owned company is forced to change their name because less than 1% of our population has a problem with it, then we, as a society, are just one step closer to George Orwellâs 1984 and our Freedom of Speech will be a thing of the past.Â
The great thing about America is that you can be whatever or whomever you want to be. Or, at least you could until the 21st century. We now have to tip toe around each other ensuring we are being politically correct. People who seem to be offended for a living expect Redskins fans to be aware of the angst the name MAY cause to Native Americans and demand this change out of ârespect;â however, there is no respect for the more than 80 year tradition that is this team, or an educated understanding of the intent of the name âRedskinsâ for this sports team as a symbol of strength. Despite polling numbers that reflect a majority of people (Native Americans included) being fine with the team name, mainstream media and its lynch mob mentality has begun to not-so-subtly suggest to us what is right and acceptable to speak.
If youâre not Native American or a Redskins fan, how or why is the team name any of your business to fight for or against? Let me provide you with another example of where this thought process is applicable: I, a white woman, find the N-word disgustingly offensive. In fact, despite my own love for rap music, I refuse to purchase any rap music that contains the N-word. I donât support it, and I believe the history of the word is distasteful and flat out against anything acceptable in society. However; it is not my cross to bear. I canât ask the FCC to fine Jay Z for making albums that have the N-word in them. In fact, in a 2009 interview with Oprah, Jay Z himself said about the N-word, âwe took a word that was ugly and hurtful and turned it into a term of endearment.â (Oprah.com) Um, yeah, itâs nearly 2015 and thereâs nothing about the N-word I find endearing. It just makes me uncomfortable. Yet, Jay Z and many other artists still make music, TV shows, and movies that include this derogatory word. No one is fining Jay Z. No one is asking anyone that uses the N-word to change their lyrics or scripts. No one is getting sued over using the N-word as a form of expression.
In that same interview, Jay Z said that people give words power. I agree. Additionally, words take on the meaning within the context they are used. In this context, Redskins are mighty warriors who have a proud vestige within the realm of American football. For 81 years, this NFL franchise has held the name âRedskins.â It has always been used in reverence toward the proud legacy and traditions of Native Americans. âThe Redskins owner, Daniel Snyder, has refused to change the name, citing tradition. He has said that âthe term Redskins originated as a Native American expression of solidarity.â NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy added that âthe intent of the teamâs name has always been to present a strong, positive and respectful image.â(NFL.com)
According to Ives Goddard, senior linguist at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, âthe history of the term âredskinsâ came from natives in America to distinguish themselves from Europeans.â He confirms that this use was descriptive, not inflammatory or degrading. As a franchise, part of the reasoning behind the use of the name Redskins came with the âinaugural team in 1933, where four players and then-head coach William Henry âLone Starâ Dietz identified themselves as Native Americans. The Redskins logo in use today was first designed in 1971 in close consultation with Native American leaders. Among those who unanimously approved and voiced praise for the logo was Walter "Blackie" Wetzel, a former President of the National Congress of American Indians and Chairman of the Blackfeet Nation.â (redskinsfacts.com)
The point is, this name was chosen out of respect. In sports in general, the purpose of having a team name or mascot is to define unity, show pride, and exhibit dominance. The team name is that special something that, collectively, fans can believe in. Sports team names are not designed to be insulting or derogatory. No one would cheer for a team name or mascot that they didnât admire. It is almost the very name itself that is the foundation for a fan base to unite in pride for âtheirâ team. In this instance, the name Redskins refers to an American Indian. American Indian inspired team names emphasize bravery and strength. They focus on the warrior within. Knowing âthe history of the term âredskinâ came from natives in America to distinguish themselves from Europeansâ(Goddard), how could anyone not give the same allowance to the team name âRedskinsâ that they do to âChiefs,â âBraves,â or âWarriors?â
A survey that assessed the Native American opinion on the use of the name Redskins found that over 90% of those surveyed didnât find the name offensive. But, letâs consider the nearly 10% that might. Words mean different things to different people. Perhaps they arenât familiar with the war cry of the Washington Redskinsâ that is exalted in their fight song, âHail to the Redskins,â and all they take from the name and the logo of the Indian warrior is degradation? Ok, we should acknowledge the feelings of people who belong to Native American tribes who have felt discrimination. From what I understand, this very small minority within this minority group find the word âRedskinsâ racist and disparaging. I understand how that must make them feel and I firmly believe we should avoid being offensive. That is just the kind, moral, and right thing to do. But instead of being forced to cater to their wishes and dismantling the teamâs own version of âheritage,â why not start an honest and open dialogue instead? Clearly, if they understood the origin of the word based on historical facts and then coupled that history with the homage this particular football club is paying to Native Americans, I donât believe they would be so quick to demand Snyderâs head on a proverbial stake.
Isnât failure to communicate a large reason people succumb to misunderstanding guiding their actions? Yes. Additionally, will using only politically correct terms ensure that no one is ever going to be offended again?  No. Canât we just agree to disagree? Absolutely. Thatâs our First Amendment Right!
And, because we are supposed to have the Freedom of Speech in this country, arenât we allowed to maintain the tradition of Redskins pride? Pride. Not hate or contempt, but out and out honor and esteem for the âBraves on the warpath,â the Washington Redskins. If the Redskins are forced to change their name, then so begins the downward spiral of how little regard people have for freedom of expression and maintaining tradition, or at the very least, allowing others to maintain the traditions they hold so dear. Traditions need to be valued because they play a vital role in society. In the case of the Washington Redskins, this team name and mascot are important to the team and its fans identity.Â
Forcing a name change opens the door for a myriad of issues involving what is or isnât offensive to some. Do we change the name and logo of every single team or company that could be considered offensive? I was raised in the South, but thereâs no sports team for the ConfederacyâŚshouldnât the Yankees then get a new team name? What about those that may not be religious? The New Orleans Saints and the Los Angeles Angels could be offensive. And screw the Giants! Whereâs the love for shorties like me? For that matter, I have breasts and as a woman, how dare the Hooters franchise blatantly use derogatory names for our sacred female bodies!
All kidding aside, you have a right to be offended by anything you want to be offended by. You may never go to novelty restaurants like âDicksâ or âHootersâ because you find them offensive. You may never eat at Chic-fil-A they are openly anti-gay. Like me, you may refrain from purchasing albums or watching movies that contain the N-word. That is your right. But when your rights start infringing on the rights of others, thereâs where our freedoms begin to unravel. Imposing censorship on a football team name just because a small group of people take issue is a slippery slope. It starts with a sports team, then leads to a restaurant chain, then suddenly you have to refer to a Christmas tree as a âHoliday tree.â Oh waitâŚ.
This increasing trend to gag order all of America to fit into some version that âtheyâ deem is politically correct is frightening. Who are âtheyâ anyway? The âThought Police?â (Orwell, 1984) Really, though, the overly-sensitive-obligatory-political-correctness does somewhat mirror the âNewspeakâ from Orwellâs 1984: a diluted version of the English language by this fictional tyrannical government of what they will and will not allow people to say. So, to avoid becoming a political satire novel from the 1940s, rather than stifle each other, letâs go back to simply learning to live and work with one another accepting that it is ok to look at the same situation from more than one viewpoint. To some people the word âRedskinsâ may be racist, but to others âRedskinsâ are heroes. And thatâs ok.
 It is a beautiful thing, the destruction of words.-George Orwell, 1984
 While the majority of this is essay is from the heart of a fan who has loved her skins for 35 years, I did some research too:
WORKS CITED
âI Am A Red-Skin: The Adoption of a Native American Expression (1769-1826),â Ives Goddard
NFL.com
Redskinsfacts.com
Oprah.com
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/10/redskins-name-ban-an-fcc-reach-111529.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/us-patent-office-cancels-redskins-trademark-registration-says-name-is-disparaging