Washington Redskins to retire controversial team name following review

[garbon]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-53390944

The Washington Redskins American football team has said it will retire its name, long criticised as racist.

In a statement, the team said it would "be retiring the Redskins name and logo upon completion of a review" demanded by its sponsors.

Its major sponsors recently threatened to pull funding from the NFL team unless it considered renaming itself.

The Washington DC-based team has faced years of pressure over a name seen as offensive to Native Americans.

Team owner Dan Synder had been a boyhood fan of the team - which was named the Redskins in 1933 when it was still based in Boston - and had vowed to never change the moniker of the 87-year-old team.

But amid protests over police brutality and racism, major sponsors FedEx, Nike, Pepsi and Bank of America all called on Mr Snyder to consider finally changing the name.

Last week, Amazon, Walmart and Target, Nike and and other retail stores removed team merchandise from their websites. ESPN also said it would stop using the team logo, which depicts a Native American man.

The announcement does not immediately change the name of the team, and a new one must be chosen before the 2020 season begins in September. The team's official website maintains the current team name, as does the team's official Twitter handle.

Some names that have been suggested as replacements include the Washington Senators; the Washington Warriors; and the Washington Red Tails.

The NFL team is not the first Washington DC sports franchise to change it name amid shifting cultural attitudes.

In 1995, the NBA's Washington Bullets were renamed the Wizards after the team owner said he had become uncomfortable with the name's violent overtones.

The Redskins moved to Washington DC in 1937 and was founded by businessman George Person Marshall, who believed in racial segregation.

They were the last team to allow black players onto the team, and only did so after the government threatened to revoke the lease on their stadium in 1962.

Last month, a statue of Marshall was removed from the stadium's grounds after it was vandalised.

[Caliga]

I look forward to Trump tweeting about how this is the worst thing ever.

[The Brain]

In 1995, the NBA's Washington Bullets were renamed the Wizards after the team owner said he had become uncomfortable with the name's violent overtones.

Klan overtones didn't bother him?

[Grey Fox]

Good development.

Another victory for the snowflakes that pisses off the actual snowflakes so much. So much.

[Sheilbh]

Washington Redskins Change Their Name To The D.C. Redskins
10/09/13 1:40PM



WASHINGTON—Following an outpouring of criticism from across the country, the Washington Redskins announced Wednesday that they are officially changing the team's name to the D.C. Redskins. "We've heard the concerns of many people who have been hurt or offended by the team's previous name, and I'm happy to say we've now rectified the situation once and for all," said franchise owner Dan Snyder, adding that "Washington Redskins" will be replaced with "D.C. Redskins" on all team logos, uniforms, and apparel. "It was a difficult decision—and one that, frankly, I'm a little embarrassed took me so long to make. So hopefully we can now put this issue to bed and start cheering on our D.C. Redskins." In light of Snyder's decision, Cleveland Indians owner Larry Dolan told reporters he will change the feather in Chief Wahoo's headdress from red to a "more appropriate" shade of red.

https://sports.theonion.com/washington-redskins-change-their-name-to-the-d-c-redsk-1819575691

[Eddie Teach]

It's a shame, it sounds cool. I don't understand why some natives dislike the term.

[grumbler]

It's a shame, it sounds cool. I don't understand why some natives dislike the term.

Probably the reason you don't understand is because you cannot understand.  But you don't need to understand, you can just take the word of those who do understand.

I don't understand Russian, so i have to trust those who do, to translate for me.

[Barrister]

It's a shame, it sounds cool. I don't understand why some natives dislike the term.

It's one of those words whose meaning has shifted.  In the 19th century its use wouldn't raise an eyebrow.

But now it does.  Language change, meanings change.  Now it is perceived as a slur.


Here's an aside - there'a a concept in wider First Nations culture called the Medicine Wheel.  It looks like this:



When it was first explained to me (by a First nations person I consider a friend) I was told the four colours represented the 4 races of man - white, black, yellow and red!

Nowadays the Medicine Wheel is still av very much used symbol and concept.  But you can google a bunch of different meanings for the colours, and none of them refer to races of man.  Meanings change.

[HisMajestyBOB]

I like the suggested change to "Washington Possums": they get killed on the road and play dead at home.

[Josquius]

Seems like a cool alternate version of gambling; domain and copyright squatting on what you expect the new name to be.

[Caliga]

I think they should be renamed 'Washington Black Lives Matter'.  Might cause Trump to have a stroke.

[Barrister]

I liked the suggested Washington Red Tails - named after the Tuskegee Airmen, the first black pilots in the US during WWII.

Just make sure you don't have a racist caricature of a black man as your motto.

[Caliga]

I liked the suggested Washington Red Tails - named after the Tuskegee Airmen, the first black pilots in the US during WWII.

Actually that sounds really good to me.

[viper37]

I like the suggested change to "Washington Possums": they get killed on the road and play dead at home.

Washington Tecumsehs
Washington Blackfoots
Washington Thayendanegeas
Washington Metacomets

the possibilities are limitless.  And it wouldn't offend any snowflakes that former ennemies of the United States are celebrated for their courage and independance thoughts.

[viper37]

I think they should be renamed 'Washington Black Lives Matter'.  Might cause Trump to have a stroke.

that's cruel, man! 

But I like it!