how do you guys feel about the team's name?

[koolkobe]

hey, im a new member. from the nba section and im doing a report on Native Americans and the Stereotypes of Sport Mascots. and I wanted the reaction of the fans on this topic. Is the name of this team offensive? Or is it just a team name in honor of the tribes that used to settle here. What's your opinion, i would like to know. I hope i dont get flamed or anybody else get flamed. this topic is kind of touchy. DISCUSS

[koolkobe]

anybody??

you can even put that you dont care about the issue

i just wanna see what you think about it

[mohammed10]

anybody??

you can even put that you dont care about the issue

i just wanna see what you think about it

Read the article on WaPo recently...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 01747.html

Long history with the name, "Redskins". What do you propose as for the name of the franchise?

[TNBT]

I know this is an old topic, but it reminded me of something I was reading on Wikipedia the other day, so I figured I would post it.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Redskins#Native_American_mascot_controversy


Some sections:

Some people consider the namesake and logo of the Washington Redskins insensitive towards Native Americans.[45] There have been movements by certain groups to change the name,[46] but the attempts have been unsuccessful. Others make the case in defense that the Redskins name is intended to honor the bravery and dignity of Native Americans and that, regardless of past usage, the word "redskins" today refers to the football team.

Notwithstanding the protests of activists, a 2002 poll commissioned by Sports Illustrated found that 75% of those Native Americans surveyed had no objection to the Redskins name.[47] The results of the poll have been criticized by Native American activists due to Sport's Illustrated's refusal to provide polling information (i.e. how participants were recruited and contacted, if they were concentrated in one region, if one ethnic group is over represented and the exact wording and order of questions).[48][49]

But in 2004, a poll by the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania essentially confirmed the prior poll's findings, concluding that 91% of the American Indians surveyed in the 48 states on the mainland USA found the name acceptable and setting out in detail the exact wording of the questions.

There is more at the link that I posted, but that should give you a pretty good idea of how people generally feel. There will obviously always be some oversensitive people who want to find problems with things, but I think that as long as the name isn't used in a derogatory manner, it should be fine.

[craig01]

Having been a Redskins' fan since the days of Jurgenson at QB and Otto Graham as head coach....I like the name.

[Scabs304]

I like the name and have the isignia tattooed on my body. the amount of people it "offends" is alot smaller portion than changing the name would "offend".

[Terpman]

Changing our team name would be offensive to me personally, and I would have to sue Dan Snyder for the emotional trauma.

[W. Unseld]

I've got two different tribes in my past on my father's side and it has never bothered me. If you look at the old helmet you can tell they are going for proud warrior and it's the perfect foil to the Cowboys.