To avoid insulting native American heritage, the Seattle Times decided to limit severely the use of the term Redskins in the paper -- even if a team with that name will dominate news coverage this week. The Times will not use the moniker in headlines or captions. Reporters can use it only once, as a first reference, in all stories. The Redskins will be referred to almost exclusively as Washington -- which could get a little confusing for local readers who also live in that state.(via Best of the Web)
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Political Correctness of the Week
My home-town Washington Redskins advanced to the second round of the NFL playoffs, heading to a very Blue state to play the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday. The Washington Post describes the resulting post-modern warp:
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4 comments:
I wonder how Washington readers will react when Washington rocks Washington and if they will get sick of the PC shoved down their Washington throats.
I feel bad for Washington.
I've made this point before, here or elsewhere, but this whole flapdoodle over such names being "demeaning" is flat out imbecilic right on the surface. It's not just objectionable on the grounds of being ridiculously "PC", but just on being flat out stupidity of the first rank.
The names applied to sports teams, with *very* few exceptions (Banana Slugs, for example, a joke) are clearly chosen to evoke some mascot with a quality the originators considered desirable and worthwhile. Usually, they are chosen to denote fierceness and to inspire trepedation in the opponent, hence often animals are used (Gators, Tigers, Lions, Bears). Sometimes, industriousness or wisdom (Beavers, Owls). If a humanoid mascot is chosen, it either reflects some highly desirable local quality (Huskers, Tarheels, Boilermakers) or, once more, an element of fierceness (Trojans, Warriors, Patriots).
As such, it becomes patently obvious that those names (Redskins, Seminoles, Braves) all represent something the teams considered desirable, likely the fierce and respected warrior qualities of those groups.
You would never, for example, find a team named (forgive me) the "Nashville Ni**ers". Why? Because it's a pejorative term and people looked down on the imagery. You don't name your team after something you look down on
It's damned clear to the point of requiring membership in the Perpetually Indignant for anyone to even imagine anything to the contrary.
These terms are not derisive but evocative signs of respect.
Anyone who claims otherwise is either a bleeding idiot or a self-serving charlatan attempting to extort money or power from a blatantly obvious lie... i leave it to the reader to figure out which one applies to any individual cases.
all I can say is GO Washington (now guess which one I am rooting for and I will give you a cookie)
Daniel:
My guess: Washington. Cookie back to you.
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