The truth is that Allen could care less what actual Indians feel. Allen is just another arrogant corporate talking head!

I guess if someone called your mother something inappropriate and you got upset, it would be just fine for that person to decide for you that whatever they said shouldn’t be offensive to you.

Wondering what kind of an uproar there would be if the steelers changed there name to the pittsburg pollocks ?
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That’s actually kind of the point. If Washington had been named the Senators, or Wolverines, or something stupid, and tried to change their name to the Redskins in 2013, there’s no way that would fly. However, they were named “the Redskins” in the 1930′s, when the term had no negative or derogatory connotation, (in fact it was in honor of the team’s first coach, William Dietz, who was Native) and there are now 80 years of tradition behind the name. So it’s a question of original intent and tradition vs. current acceptability. Not taking a side here, just clarifying the issue.

By the way, Danny– if you do end up backing down to the pressure created by these sportswiters and end up changing the name, can we go with Wolverines, because Washington Wolverines actually sounds awesome.

In other words, though I can’t confirm any corruption charges; the NCAI, with its 12 member executive board clearly does not represent the 5.5 million strong Native community in the United States: 85% of whom either approve of the name, or are not bothered by it, according to a recent study by Columbia University.

To further discredit the organization, the NCAI is not supported by most larger Native tribal organizations and therefore doesn’t benefit from their government assistance. The NCAi virtually makes a living off of litigation and/or threatening litigation. Nearly all twelve board members have law degrees and were members of the failed 2007 lawsuit against the Redskins. In other words, the NCAI truly represents no one but themselves. Their beliefs represent all Native Americans just as well as mine represent all college-educated men in their mid-20′s. In fact, even better. (1:5.5 million vs. 12:5.5 million)

“Saint” and “Bear” were never words invented and used solely to be an insulting degrading objectifying label for an entire group of people based on skin color. Nice swing and complete miss though.
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Neither was “Redskin”. Though the connotation has changed over the years; in the 1930′s, that was simply the phrase used to describe a Native American. It was not considered any more offensive than referring to a Texan, Cowboy, Steel[work]er, Patriot, Yankee, or Canadien. It’s standing in modern society may be in question by some, but it’s simply incontrovertible that naming a team the “Redskins”, especially at the time, was never meant to offend, degrade, or disparage anybody.

Everyone is more than welcome to keep beating that dead horse, but I really doubt that when they named the team for its first coach, a Native American, they were deliberately trying to denigrate an entire race of people. How about that time, they were requested to depict a Native American as their logo by chairman of the Blackfoot tribe, and National Congress of American Indians president Walter Wetzel, who also posed for the picture? Clearly racism at it’s worst. they were deliberately trying to denigrate an entire race of people.
“Nice swing and complete miss though.”

That would get the name changed in no time, so they won’t do it.

Ok – MDS – I can find bunch of Irish people that find the name Fighting Irish offensive. Are you of the opinion that the name should be changed?

If not – please explain your hypocrisy.

“I’m with Allen 100 per cent. They don’t need to change there name. It’s not racist. Only the media thinks it’s racist. I’ve never heard anyone in my circle of friends say it was. It never has been brought up in any conversation. Only the media has brought it up. Must be a bad news day with nothing to talk about but so called racist nicknames. This is disgusting as l want to talk about sports.”

Sorry, my bad.. I didn’t realize your friends had already spoke for everyone…. oops!

The powers to be have spoken people, case closed.