The Nation's Capital needs its football team to change its name, and
ten Members Of Congress agree:
Ten members of Congress recently sent Washington Redskins owner Daniel
Snyder a letter, urging him to change the name of the team, according to
a news release issued Tuesday by the office of Eni F.H. Faleomavaega,
congressman for the American Samoa.
Joining Faleomavaega in the effort were fellow representatives and
co-chairs of the Congressional Native American Caucus: Tom Cole
(Oklahoma) and Betty McCollum (Minnesota) as well as Raul M. Grijalva
(Arizona), Gwen Moore (Wisconsin), Michael M. Honda (California), Donna
M. Christensen (Virginia Islands), Zoe Lofgren and Barbara Lee (both of
California) and Eleanor Holmes Norton of the District.
Are any of the petitioning Representatives Native American or are they drawing attention to themselves intentionally?
ReplyDeleteDid you see this sentence in the story and the snipped posted:
ReplyDeleteJoining Faleomavaega in the effort were fellow representatives and co-chairs of the Congressional Native American Caucus...
Well, o.k.
ReplyDeleteA Samoan Representative takes the offensive attack for a cause he believes is - well, offensive to someone else. The supposedly offended party joins his cause. Noting that they didn't do the press release. Other Representatives join in the party just because they should support a Samoan Representative and his plight for attention.
Got it.
Go Gwen. This may be the most important agenda you ever pursue in Congress.
Oh come on. What possible reason could there be for insisting that in order to work to correct a mistake, you have to be directly affected by a mistake?
ReplyDeleteThat's a ridiculous position. By that standard, nobody in Congress should do ANYTHING except cut taxes.
Well. I mean, that's pretty much all the Republicans do anyway, so I guess I can see where you might have gotten the idea.
And who's calling this a mistake?
ReplyDeleteI think it's down right prideful to have one's culture represented in an elite sport.
Should Norsemen ask the Vikings to change the team name?
The Packers are culturally important to Green Bay. Meat packing plants are important to the history of their community.
See how absurd political correctness has become?
Affirmative Action is on the ropes because of really dumb actions such as this.
There's no malice in the "Redskins".
Go Gwen.
Of course, ignoring the history of racism and bigotry inherent in the term "Redskin" that is not present in Viking or Packer is necessary for you to think that is an argument.
ReplyDeleteAs I said, it's ridiculous. But you are starting to ramp up to laughable.
So you must truly believe that the Washington Redskins Professional Football franchise is steeped in historical racism and bigotry? And, as a penalty, should be required to change their team?
ReplyDeleteThe end of affirmative action is ever-so-closer.
Go Gwen!
So you must truly believe that the Washington Redskins Professional Football franchise is steeped in historical racism and bigotry? And, as a penalty, should be required to change their team?
ReplyDeleteThere is so much wrong in that statement, that I do not wonder that you strive to be Anonymous.
Let me lay it out for you, since you seem a bit dim. Nope nope. nope. nope. The Washingtons Redskins are no more steeped in racism than any other football team (although the ceilings for African Americans in coaching and quarterbacking are kind of universal across all the teams). However, like many other teams, they availed themselves of a cartoonish mascot and team name that DO represent a level of racism. If you don't recognize that "Redskin" has a racist component, then I don't know how to even talk to you on this.
Many other teams that have had similar monikers have moved on. And how is changing a team name constitute a 'penalty' except in the mind of bigots who feel their privilege to shout racial epithets is being further constrained?
And no, none of this has anything to do with your "affirmative Action" hobbyhorse. How does the name of a team have anything to do with that false rightwing dog-whistle at any level?
We do agree, however, that Gwen Moore is moving the ball forward towards progress, and we both support her efforts. So, go us!
I spent some time on this issue a few years ago. I read that earlier team owners tried to sell the fiction that the name is meant to honor Native Americans, or somehow pridefully points to the coppery tone of some tribal members' skin.
ReplyDeleteAnd I believe there was one tribe somewhere in the south that took the position they had no complaint about the term.
But research shows its origin is the blood-stained color of bags and other items made from flesh stripped from murdered tribal members, often women.
So enough about it not being racist or derogatory or plain disgusting.
"And I believe there was one tribe somewhere in the south that took the position they had no complaint about the term."
ReplyDeleteThat's my point. Not one native American group has had an issue with this until a Samoan legislator decided for some strange reason that he feels this is his cause. Gwen Moore suddenly feels the need to jump on the PC bandwagon because - well - let's leave it at that.
And yes, Zombie this is another example of how abusive and far reaching the tentacles of ridiculous pet PC issues have corrupted the intentions of AA. I'm telling you, don't whine when it's repealed. Blame Gwen.