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Onion Article on Redskins

VivaPalestinaVivaPalestina Posts: 225
edited October 2013 in A Moving Train
Too harsh? The Onion is not known for its subtlety.
I have heard a couple of native Indian speakers on this and some sports team's names, mascots seem really quite offensive. I guess an interesting way of pointing out the racism involved here.

http://www.theonion.com/articles/redski ... ens,34292/

WASHINGTON—Denying widespread claims that the franchise is being offensive or disrespectful, the Washington Redskins’ kike owner announced Monday that he remains steadfast in his refusal to change the team’s derogatory name. “The Redskins represent 81 years of great history and tradition, and it’s a source of pride for our fans,” said the hook-nosed kike, stressing that the team’s insulting moniker is “absolutely not a racial slur by any means.” “‘Washington Redskins’ is much more than just a name. It stands for strength, courage, and respect—the very values that are so intrinsic to Native American culture.” The shifty-eyed hebe went on to assure fans that he will do “everything in his power” to preserve the team’s proud heritage.
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Comments

  • Thirty Bills UnpaidThirty Bills Unpaid Posts: 16,881
    I see how the Onion is being incredibly offensive- not just to the Skins' kike owner- but to many others as well with such a brutally stereotyped portrayal.

    If the team was called 'Custer's Cavalry' or the 'Nazis'... well... then I think there is a real issue. I have many First Nation friends- they think nothing of the name.
    "My brain's a good brain!"
  • jw234911jw234911 Posts: 255
    Leave the name political correctness has killed American wake up to the bigger pitcher here
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,051
    jw234911 wrote:
    Leave the name political correctness has killed American wake up to the bigger pitcher here

    Yeah man, I'll have another pitcher too. Cheers!
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • lukin2006lukin2006 Posts: 9,087
    Thirty Bills Unpaid wrote:
    I see how the Onion is being incredibly offensive- not just to the Skins' kike owner- but to many others as well with such a brutally stereotyped portrayal.

    If the team was called 'Custer's Cavalry' or the 'Nazis'... well... then I think there is a real issue. I have many First Nation friends- they think nothing of the name.

    It is a racist term ... it might not gain a lot of attraction because first nation leaders are nowhere near as visible as leaders of other groups. Maybe your friends are less sensitive than others, does't make it right. Does he have to change it no, should he change it yes.

    In my opinion it will never be a big headliner ... just because its first nation peoples and the news pay very little attention to them.
    I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin

    "Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
  • Thirty Bills UnpaidThirty Bills Unpaid Posts: 16,881
    lukin2006 wrote:
    Thirty Bills Unpaid wrote:
    I see how the Onion is being incredibly offensive- not just to the Skins' kike owner- but to many others as well with such a brutally stereotyped portrayal.

    If the team was called 'Custer's Cavalry' or the 'Nazis'... well... then I think there is a real issue. I have many First Nation friends- they think nothing of the name.

    It is a racist term ... it might not gain a lot of attraction because first nation leaders are nowhere near as visible as leaders of other groups. Maybe your friends are less sensitive than others, does't make it right. Does he have to change it no, should he change it yes.

    In my opinion it will never be a big headliner ... just because its first nation peoples and the news pay very little attention to them.

    I understand this, Lukin. I'm not arguing for the guy's right to preserve his team's name, I'm saying that despite the negative connotations associated with the 'word' that some might be upset with... to me, in a way, the name pays tribute to a brave people. I realize this likely wasn't a deliberate attempt to do so, but I don't think it was a deliberate attempt to mock native nations either.

    To the article though: the Onion was way out of bounds with their stereotypical portrayal of Snyder: much more mean-spirited than arguing for keeping a team's name that seems to dignify as much as it might seem to degrade.
    "My brain's a good brain!"
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,051
    The sad and tragic thing is that no matter what happens with this teams name, in the mean time many American Indians continue to live in abject poverty in high crime locations with limited opportunity to move on all stemming from the continental conquest and genocide perpetrated by white Europeans in the 19th century and beyond.

    As for the name, I say let the First Nations people decide and honor that decision.
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • VivaPalestinaVivaPalestina Posts: 225
    I think some good points made here, I think what Sherman Alexie states in this article is pretty powerful as well:

    http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/santac ... dys-mascot

    "This Redskins thing, people are talking about it like it's some kind of new fight," said Alexie, on the subject of the most incendiary of the many Indian sports controversies. "Indian activists have been dealing with this for 30 years. Hundreds of high schools have changed their mascots. Hundreds. This is a constant struggle for us. There is no argument to be made here. Using conquered people as mascots is racist. Period. It's the victors cutting of the heads of the losers and mounting them on the wall. There is no debate."

    Given this perspective, I can see why the Onion has taken this approach, sort of to wake people up to the racism?
  • KatKat Posts: 4,871
    I have a friend who asked, "What if the team name was the Washington Honkies?"

    How would that go down? Acceptable?

    Have a great week everyone.
    Falling down,...not staying down
  • Last-12-ExitLast-12-Exit Posts: 8,661
    Kat wrote:
    I have a friend who asked, "What if the team name was the Washington Honkies?"

    How would that go down? Acceptable?

    Have a great week everyone.
    has honky ever offended anyone?
  • Thirty Bills UnpaidThirty Bills Unpaid Posts: 16,881
    North Dakota University dumped The Fighting Sioux in 2012.

    I ask... how is such a term offensive? Sport teams generally pick names that represent something brave and strong in battle. To me... a name such as that is more a tribute than an offensive attack.

    It seems as if the majority of this thread thinks the Redskins should change their name so, perhaps I have not developed the proper perspective necessary to see the disrespect this sport team's name is to a nation of people. In reality, I truly don't care what they ultimately do, but I do question whether or not our collective level of sensitivity is excessive.

    Should Canadians should demand that the Montreal Canadians change their name as well? Their nickname 'Habs' has its roots from Les Habitants of New France. Indebted to seigneurs- who were primarily nobles or clergy members from France- perhaps generations later feel that the name is disrespectful to those that toiled in the soil paying rent and taxes to the privileged class?

    Again, I understand fully the plight of our First Nations people and am in full support of any measure we can take to rectify the wrongdoings of the past. I'm simply saying that- outside of a few beer league teams with poor taste- a team doesn't name itself after a worm, virus, or bodily fluid: it names itself after something it finds to be honourable.
    "My brain's a good brain!"
  • Merkin BallerMerkin Baller Posts: 11,453
    jw234911 wrote:
    Leave the name political correctness has killed American wake up to the bigger pitcher here


    David Wells?

    Bartolo Colon?

    Curt Schilling?
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,051
    Kat wrote:
    I have a friend who asked, "What if the team name was the Washington Honkies?"

    How would that go down? Acceptable?

    Have a great week everyone.

    Depends on whether you mean State or DC. :lol:

    But seriously, a good question, one that leads to another: If the Indians had won the (so called) Indian Wars and had gone on to organize professional sports, would they have named a team "The Honkies"?
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • Last-12-ExitLast-12-Exit Posts: 8,661
    Washington Crackers.
    Washington Q-Tips
    Washington Gringos

    Will any of those work Mr. Snider?
  • JOEJOEJOEJOEJOEJOE Posts: 10,513
    Do people realize The Onion is all satire?
  • Last-12-ExitLast-12-Exit Posts: 8,661
    JOEJOEJOE wrote:
    Do people realize The Onion is all satire?
    yes. why do u ask?
  • VivaPalestinaVivaPalestina Posts: 225
    brianlux wrote:
    Kat wrote:
    I have a friend who asked, "What if the team name was the Washington Honkies?"

    How would that go down? Acceptable?

    Have a great week everyone.

    Depends on whether you mean State or DC. :lol:

    But seriously, a good question, one that leads to another: If the Indians had won the (so called) Indian Wars and had gone on to organize professional sports, would they have named a team "The Honkies"?

    :) And what would a honkies mascot be...

    Thirty Bills Unpaid wrote:
    North Dakota University dumped The Fighting Sioux in 2012.

    I ask... how is such a term offensive? Sport teams generally pick names that represent something brave and strong in battle. To me... a name such as that is more a tribute than an offensive attack.

    It seems as if the majority of this thread thinks the Redskins should change their name so, perhaps I have not developed the proper perspective necessary to see the disrespect this sport team's name is to a nation of people. In reality, I truly don't care what they ultimately do, but I do question whether or not our collective level of sensitivity is excessive.

    Should Canadians should demand that the Montreal Canadians change their name as well? Their nickname 'Habs' has its roots from Les Habitants of New France. Indebted to seigneurs- who were primarily nobles or clergy members from France- perhaps generations later feel that the name is disrespectful to those that toiled in the soil paying rent and taxes to the privileged class?

    Again, I understand fully the plight of our First Nations people and am in full support of any measure we can take to rectify the wrongdoings of the past. I'm simply saying that- outside of a few beer league teams with poor taste- a team doesn't name itself after a worm, virus, or bodily fluid: it names itself after something it finds to be honourable.

    I see what you are saying, but there are quite a few Indians who have expressed that it is not an honor. Also, I believe that symbols such as the tomahawk and the headdress are ceremonial, and therefore sacred? And to have these be used in sports seems pretty disrespectful. The NFL is a tax exempt organization and the Native Indians from what I understand, at least in the US, are the poorest, underserved minority, these sports teams' names seem reflective of what they have suffered for centuries, some sort of exploitation. I could be reading a lot more into this.
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,051
    Personally, I'm ready to see this issue put to rest. Lets stop the racial bullshit.

    Here's what Spokane Indian writer Sherman Alexie tweeted briefly about the matter:

    "Dear white sports fans, walk onto a reservation & call everybody Chief Wahoo or Redskin. I'll visit you in the hospital."

    Some readers, of course, took offense, but it makes sense to me.

    Alexie and one of his books are also referred to in this excellent article (a bit long to copy and paste here but well worth the time to read):

    http://writ.news.findlaw.com/commentary ... atyal.html
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • even flow - question markeven flow - question mark Posts: 1,568
    "kike" i did not think anybody used that term anymore.....giggle......giggle.

    Washington should switch their franchise name to the "scalped", then we can hear the "redskins" say sorry to the bad white men who came over here and tried and eventually took away their land. Bloody savages!

    Give somebody a pulpit and they will find something to carp about.

    The poison from the poison stream caught up to you ELEVEN years ago and you floated out of here. Sept. 14, 08

  • vant0037vant0037 Posts: 6,116
    Imagine the ambivalence of all the Native American scalpers at the World Series tonight.
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  • hedonisthedonist Posts: 24,524
    vant0037 wrote:
    Imagine the ambivalence of all the Native American scalpers at the World Series tonight.
    Reminds me of that Seinfeld :P
  • VivaPalestinaVivaPalestina Posts: 225
    brianlux wrote:
    Personally, I'm ready to see this issue put to rest. Lets stop the racial bullshit.

    Here's what Spokane Indian writer Sherman Alexie tweeted briefly about the matter:

    "Dear white sports fans, walk onto a reservation & call everybody Chief Wahoo or Redskin. I'll visit you in the hospital."

    Some readers, of course, took offense, but it makes sense to me.

    Alexie and one of his books are also referred to in this excellent article (a bit long to copy and paste here but well worth the time to read):

    http://writ.news.findlaw.com/commentary ... atyal.html

    Really great article, I hope they win this one.
  • Dirtie_FrankDirtie_Frank Posts: 1,348
    I live in the DC area and this issue was on the radio 106.7 the fan. There were people who claimed to be from the tribes in the DC area that said they do not have an issue with the name. On the other hand I have read some do. I really have not formed an opinion. My issue with the Onion is that two wrongs do not make a right. I understand the article was targeting the owner, but to use any negative racial remarks at anyone is stupid. I think they could have attacked him without using anti Jewish words. I am not Jewish, but some might have been offended some not just like the name Redskins with the natives.
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  • Hugh Freaking DillonHugh Freaking Dillon Posts: 14,010
    in the CFL, there's a team called the Edmonton Eskimos, which is a term that has been deemed offensive and no longer in use in Canadian culture; instead, Inuit is the proper term. But there's never been a big hullabaloo about it, maybe because they don't have an igloo-dwelling seal clubber as a mascot, but who knows.

    Maybe the seal clubbers don't watch football.
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  • Hugh Freaking DillonHugh Freaking Dillon Posts: 14,010
    let's call it how it is. sports teams used these terms as a way of intimidation. seriously, calling your team after what the white man used to think of as savages? they aren't "proud" names. they are names to instill fear.

    Washington Redskins is no better than calling a team the Vietnam Yellowmen or the Moroccan N****** and you all know it.

    And Kat made a good point. I just think that Honky isn't as an offensive term to white people. There was even a WWF rassler that was named the Honky Tonk Man.
    Gimli 1993
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  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,051
    Hugh Freaking Dillon wrote:
    let's call it how it is. sports teams used these terms as a way of intimidation. seriously, calling your team after what the white man used to think of as savages? they aren't "proud" names. they are names to instill fear.

    Washington Redskins is no better than calling a team the Vietnam Yellowmen or the Moroccan N****** and you all know it.

    And Kat made a good point. I just think that Honky isn't as an offensive term to white people. There was even a WWF rassler that was named the Honky Tonk Man.

    Sport team names used to intimidate. Interesting theory. Lets put you theory to a test. HFD. Starting with MLB baseball teams, which names instil intimidation:

    Boston Red Sox
    Atlanta Braves
    New York Yankees
    Philadelphia Phillies
    Toronto Blue Jays
    New York Mets
    Baltimore Orioles
    Florida Marlins
    Tampa Bay Devil Rays
    Washington Nationals
    Chicago White Sox
    St. Louis Cardinals
    Cleveland Indians
    Houston Astros
    Minnesota Twins
    Milwaukee Brewers
    Detroit Tigers
    Chicago Cubs
    Kansas City Royals
    Cincinnati Reds
    Pittsburgh Pirates
    Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
    San Diego Padres
    Oakland Athletics
    San Francisco Giants
    Texas Rangers
    Arizona Diamondbacks
    Seattle Mariners
    Los Angeles Dodgers
    Colorado Rockies

    What- maybe 8 out of 30? Not very scary although I've gotta admit- Angels- pretty fucking scary. :lol:

    OK, let's try a tougher sport- US football:

    Baltimore Ravens
    Buffalo Bills
    Cincinnati Bengals
    Cleveland Browns
    Denver Broncos
    Houston Texans
    Indianapolis Colts
    Jacksonville Jaguars
    Kansas City Chiefs
    Miami Dolphins
    New England Patriots
    New York Jets
    Oakland Raiders
    Pittsburgh Steelers
    San Diego Chargers
    Tennessee Titans
    Arizona Cardinals
    Atlanta Falcons
    Carolina Panthers
    Chicago Bears
    Dallas Cowboys
    Detroit Lions
    Green Bay Packers
    Minnesota Vikings
    New Orleans Saints
    New York Giants
    Philadelphia Eagles
    San Francisco 49ers
    Seattle Seahawks
    St. Louis Rams
    Tampa Bay Buccaneers
    Washington Redskins

    OK, maybe 17 or 18 out of 32 but even then, only a little over half. Sorry, Hugh, not a passing grade.
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • even flow - question markeven flow - question mark Posts: 1,568
    Mark Rypien seemed to have no problem earning money playing for the Redskins. hmmmmmmmm

    The poison from the poison stream caught up to you ELEVEN years ago and you floated out of here. Sept. 14, 08

  • Jason PJason P Posts: 19,138
    VivaPalestina wrote:
    :) And what would a honkies mascot be...
    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQLg_VcRXRHHIJIknh4P1TSypkKer1v4w_1az-QhR0TlAflFs44
  • Jason PJason P Posts: 19,138
    I foresee the next great debate in sporting nicknames to happen in 2023 when PETA finally has a full head of steam ...
  • Thirty Bills UnpaidThirty Bills Unpaid Posts: 16,881
    For the sake of argument, I'm surprised that the 'Yankees' aren't facing some pressure from some Americans about their name. There must be some southerners holding some animosity towards the term. Likewise, I'm sure some northerners do not appreciate the term as well.

    Yankee was used as a derogatory term by the Brits. Yankee Doodle was a sung by rebels in mockery of their opponents.

    Again, I'm playing Devil's Advocate here. I do think we are being too sensitive, but as I said before... perhaps my level of sensitivity is not where it should be.

    I also want to re-emphasize what I said earlier and what someone a few posts back said: the Onion was in very classless form and poor taste mocking Snyder the way they chose. They managed to offend many instead of one.
    "My brain's a good brain!"
  • Jason PJason P Posts: 19,138
    Thirty Bills Unpaid wrote:
    For the sake of argument, I'm surprised that the 'Yankees' aren't facing some pressure from some Americans about their name. There must be some southerners holding some animosity towards the term. Likewise, I'm sure some northerners do not appreciate the term as well.

    They are on the outrage docket slated for 2019. Upcoming high-horse social outrage debates are:

    2015: Indians and Braves
    2017: Padres
    2019: Yankees
    2021: Jets
    2023: Any animal nickname
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