Following an outpouring of criticism from across the country, the Washington Redskins announced Wednesday that they are officially changing the team’s name to the D.C. Redskins. “We’ve heard the concerns of many people who have been hurt or offended by the team’s previous name, and I’m happy to say we’ve now rectified the situation once and for all,” said franchise owner Dan Snyder[.]
Bravo.
I personally won't rest until the offensive "Fighting Irish" mascot of Notre Dame is put to rest. As if we are all drunken brawlers, or something. We have poets, you know.
UPDATE: Thanks to Stones Cry Out for the link.
I actually have no strong position on the Redskins issue. I'm a Lions fan, so have enough football troubles already (and don't speak to me about Michigan football after that grotesque loss to Penn State this weekend). If American Indians are truly offended by the name (as opposed to just grievance mongers claiming to speak for all Native Americans), who am I to deny that?
But (you knew that was coming), after decades of Indian activists pushing for the removal of any team name that honors Indian tribes (Eastern Michigan University, where I received my MA, used to be called the "Hurons"--what's insulting about that? Now EMU's nickname is "Eagles"), I just have to shake my head.
In other countries, the names of locations reflecting minorities are often changed to ethnically cleanse even the memory of that minority from the country. Yet here removing the names of those minorities is considered the height of sensitivity.
The Army, which goes to great lengths to honor American Indian recruits, even names helicopters after Indian tribes. Hopefully this honor won't be portrayed as another insult.
