The Redskin Mascot Debate
In Skin Tone Newsweek covers a “mainstream” American Indian issue. While the article does a nice job presenting the dispute, the only reason this American Indian cause has garnered attention is because the complaint is directed against a popular football team.
In a city of transience, the Redskins may be the only continuous group to remain in favor. Unfortunately, as Senators, metro workers, contractors, and accountants all gather in one arena to support a team while Republicans and Democrats come together in the name of football, they think little of the actual team name. As Newsweek notes, even 90% of a particular group of American Indians are not bothered by the team name. This statistic is telling, not because it means the issue is moot, but because DC football fans have become desensitized to what the name means. The lack of respect towards the native peoples is so ingrained in American society that some native peoples may even be desensitized.
There is no dispute that Redskins is a derogatory term. One question is whether a term being derogatory is grounds for changing the team’s name. One argument is that the name has been Redskins for so long that people associate Redskins with football and not the native peoples. This is the status quo argument. Since something has been overlooked until acceptable, it therefore should not be construed as offensive. That is, because a derogatory word is associated often enough with something else that somehow forfeits its offensive nature. Along the lines of this argument is the question of legal standing. Since the team name has been Redskin for many years and the plaintiff did not make a complaint previously, then he may not have sufficient grounds to claim injury. In many ways, this claim misses the mark. As Newsweek mentions, several other cases are prepared with other plaintiffs that would satisfy the requirements. The fact that the six Native Americans did not previously allege injury through a lawsuit does not negate the injury has occured. If the law is written so that remedy to such claim has an expiration date and the case is not heard, the underlying merits do not disappear.
(On a side note: given that courts have a negative precedence for hearing American Indian matters, throwing this case out without solid legal justification could be seen as unequal judicial opportunity and discrimination. The other issue, of course, is because of the negative trend, tribal peoples have to present better cases without leaving room open for dismissal. Hopefully, the backup cases will be nearly flawless.)
The absurd issue that gets missed in the blatherings of the legal world is that the word is derogatory. Look, plain and simple, if a team were named the N word, cracker, or any other racial slur, a court case would probably not have to ensue to change it. No franchise would consider naming a team the N word and then try to claim the name honors African-Americans. The names are offensive and our society, business owners, and sports fans are not being consistent or equal amongst race issues. The mere fact that the Newsweek article and this very blog plaster Redskin throughout shows the lack of our insensitivity to the native peoples (note: replace the italicized Redskin with the N word and the level of offense may be more obvious).
While a bit of thickskin is a good policy to have, this case of the football team goes beyond just a little meanness. The inconsistency amongst how we treat racial slurs, the fact the case even has to go to court, and the fact that most football fans and DC residents are not even aware that the name is offensive are part of the bigger issue of Americans’ general ignorance about the native peoples. Sensitivity towards other races has been drilled into school children and yet the native peoples are fighting a battle that very few sympathize with. The prevalent attitude is “don’t mess with our football.” This case needs to be heard by the Supreme Court and the franchise and people of DC owe the native peoples an apology. The native peoples deserve to be treated with the same respect as every other group of people.
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