Monday, May 18, 2009

Washington Redskins win trademark battle

The Redskins have won the trademark suit filed against them which means they can keep their name and Native Americans are out of luck if they find it offensive. I have a particular opinion on the matter but it apparently doesn't matter when you consider the following....In a 2004 survey conducted nationally by Pennsylvania's National Annenberg Institute, 91% of Native Americans were cool with the name. This was after SI took it's own poll and had found about 71% did not mind the name. There are plenty of sites headed up by Native Americans whom denounce the word for being a hateful, racist slur. There are also publications by linguists whom state the word was actually used by Native Americans themselves to differentiate from the "white skins". If based on the polls you take the stance that we should move on with the times and not be so sensitive then that's your opinion and you have pretty much polls alone to support it. However, let's just say they did use the word for themselves and found it to be offensive after realizing it was being used as a negative term. Even with the majority not really caring according to surveys does it still make it right? Would we be okay having a team in 200 years labeled after any other minority slur (given or created)?

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