cvillehog wrote:I wonder about the NCAA rule.
Does this mean the following words are not allowed in postsean:
Miami
Cincinnatti
Ohio
Chicago
and every other name that comes from Indian origin?
Where does it stop?
Well, they banned Illinois from playing with their "Illini" uniforms but for some reason "Illinois" is OK.
What about "Indiana"? What about the fact that the NCAA headquarters are in Indianapolis, Indiana?!
In general, I don't see how a team name could be disrespectful. Do you want to call your team something pejorative and truly offensive like "the retards"? No, you want to name it after something that you can take pride in.
I feel like the 'Skins are very respectful of the indian culture. The logo that they use is realistic and noble. What's more, the song goes "HAIL to the Redskins"!
What's more, the overwhelming majority of American Indians have no problem with these typse of names. There was a study last year that showed that well over 80% didn't care. The people who do care though seem to generally be white, politically correct lawyers who have a tremendous amount of self-loathing (and right they should because they are some of the real scum in the world) and basically think that all white people should be punished for everything that happened in history.
You think they would have more of a problem with the Oklahoma Sooners as Sooner is a name for the people who took Indian land as the country expanded to the West. That seems a lot worse to me.
However, I think that there are two things in sports that are quite offensive. The first is rather tame but it annoys me and that's the tomohawk chop. However, the Seminole tribe in Florida and Oklahoma said they did not mind Florida State's use of the Seminole name (the people who sponsored the anti-Indian mascot resolution actually lied and said that the Oklahomans did find it offensive but the tribe then came out and said this was not the case). After all, the name brings attention to the tribe and I feel that it is not a bad thing making the nation aware of this group, even if the things that fans do aren't exactly accurate. It is better than being lost in history.
However, the worst thing by far is the Cleveland Indians mascot Chief Wahoo. Now that just isn't cool because it truly makes a mockery of Indians with it's horrible characature. IMO, it is the same as if there was a mascot of a guy in blackface (as shown in the second pic below). I think the Indians really lower the tone of the argument and they are one of the main reasons this is such an issue.
Overall, I feel that in general these mascots and symbols are meant to be things to take pride in. You want your team or mascot to be something noble and good, not something negative. You don't want to call your team the cockroaches or the maggots or whatever.
BTW, I find the Philly Phanatic to be quite disgraceful too. It is a horrible depiction of the typicle Philadelphia baseball and football fans and I think it should be outlawed.
Actually, on second hand, I don't know which is worse!
