Washington Redskins: Sporty or Racist?

I would like to address one of many First Nations issues which have come to light in the press in recent days. The story I’m referring to was very nearly buried by the media. It concerns the “Seven Native Americans” who have been working to have the Redskins trademark removed from the National Football League’s Team Roster.

The story created many questions:
Who are these Seven Native Americans?
Why are racial slurs still used today in Sports and many other franchises?
What can we do about it?

First things first: The Seven Native Americans’ identities remain anonymous in all instances of the press which I could find. But it doesn’t matter that their names remain unknown.

Our neighbours’ to the south have reputations for being extremely prideful for all things “American”, and what’s more “American” than the NFL?

Do we really need to know their names to call them heroes? These 7 people epitomize the definition of hero: they have shown great courage in taking on the NFL, and they do this without seeking glory. They do what they do to benefit all those who will follow for generations to come.

I respect their anonymity. It’s all to easy to envision a truckload of disgruntled NFL fans tearing around town, rooting out any ‘suspects’ who would dare to try and challenge or change their beliefs of “the American Dream” by attacking the name of their favourite NFL franchise.

Under the entry for ‘hero’ my Webster’s 9th new Collegiate Dictionary, the first definition reads:
1 a : a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability b : an illustrious warrior c : a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities d : one that shows great courage

There is nothing which says a hero has to be well known or idolized. History has thousands of unsung heroes; think about the Underground Railroad, or the hiding of peoples of Jewish decent during the Second World War. The last thing those unsung heroes wanted was recognition for their unselfish, humanitarian acts.

And that’s why the 7 Native Americans are heroes, and are represented here, today.

What the press has told us about these Seven Native Americans is that they have been arguing this fight since 1992. That they won the right in 1999 to have the Redskins trademark invalidated. But the NFL refuses to obey the Trademark law. The 7 Native Americans have been fighting the NFL ever since to have the name changed.

So what if the NFL has teams with names like the Washington Redskins? Calling someone a redskin is like saying they are ‘brave’ and ‘scary’, isn't it? When you’re playing football I guess that’s what you want the opposing team to think, that you should be feared. With that kind of logic, they should rename all the teams with racial and stereotypical slants:

NAME NOW.........................NEW NAME

Cleveland Browns................Cleveland Niggaz

Minnesota Vikings...............Minnesota Pillagers

New Orleans Saints.............New Orleans Sinners

Kansas City Chiefs...............Kansas City Crackers

New England Patriots.........New England Terrorists

Know what the team was called before they were called Redskins? The Washington Braves.

How are we, as a peoples, to be able to find pride in ourselves when the society we live in uses dated, and not so dated racial slurs as trademarked names?

Racism in advertising is not new. However, as a result of decades of work of countless people who strove for civil rights, (more unsung heroes) we don’t see many or any racist ads anymore, do we? (Check out old racists ads here, and definitely visit the next page for more redskin references)

But none today, right? Uh, well, there are those Lakota ads…
(I was going to post the Lakota link here, but then I found this gem on youtube, and I’m sticking it in even if it’s a little off subject)




Back to the blog…
And judging by this article, the effectiveness of the Lakota advertising is all about their ‘low-budget’ ads, and the fact that a First Nations actor, Floyd Red Crow Westerman of Dances With Wolves fame, sagely advises us to "get medicine that works." The company is not First Nations affiliated in any way.

So, what do we want to be called? Well, I like First Nations person, and if the opportunity arises, I can extrapolate that I’m an Anishiniaabeg Ikwe from North West Ontario. Or, if you know me, just call me by my name.

What can we do about it?

We can write about it, talk about, create discussion, expand knowledge and the good old stand-by, boycott products or services, and yes, even entertainment. We can add our own thoughts to the subject at hand.

Here’s what I wrote to the NFL on their Contact Us page:

Boozhoo! Aaniin!
I am a First Nations person of North America, and I respectfully request that your organization cease and desist from using “Redskins” and “Chiefs” as names on your Team Roster.
When people call me a redskin or a chief, they are not being friendly or funny. They are being mean and ignorant of our shared history.
You would not call a team ‘niggaz’ or ‘coons’, and I see no difference between those racial slurs and the two I’ve already stated, with the exception that they are aimed at people with different shades of skin. I am not a redskin, a chief, or even an Indian. I am a First Nation person.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office invalidated the trademark Redskins in 1999. When will your organization obey the law and change the name? I realize that Washington First Nations might not have that special something you need in a team name, but if finding a new name is what’s holding you up, I’ve decided to thoughtfully suggest a few alternatives:

Washington Lobbyists
Washington Blue Chips
Washington Wolves (if not in use already, but you got money, just buy them out)
Washington Rebels (that sounds scary)
Washington Pioneers (now that’s really scary!)
Washington Nutcrackers

Meegwich for reading


Feel free to copy and paste my note here: http://www.nfl.com/contact-us , but add your own contact info, change it up where and if necessary, and be creative when coming up with alternative team names.

Also, feel free to write to your State Governor http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Governors.shtml , and to the President of the United States http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact , expressing your concern. You don’t have to be American or a First Nations person to write to these elected leaders.

Let them know how far behind we First Nations peoples are in the fight for equal rights and respect. I have a feeling the President, especially, might be interested in learning more about this simmering 500 year old fight for civil rights.

And what else can we do? Just keep on smiling, laugh when you can, and by reading this post you’ve already begun your participation in making changes in our world.

Meegwich for reading, and pass it on.