Change the Mascot

Planet of the Skeptics Change the Mascot

[Preamble]

 In the interest of full disclosure, let me state upfront, my opinion on this matter changed drastically upon watching the videos included and reading more into the topic at hand. I suppose this goes back to my previous post on skepticism. To have a thorough opinion on the matter, one should be skeptical of what they believe, and research further to learn more. Doing so, will serve to educate oneself on the issues and broaden their understanding.

The Washington Redskins, are a team steeped in history. The Washington Redskins history begins in 1932 as the Boston Braves. A year later they were renamed the Boston Redskins, and in 1937 the team was relocated to Washington. The team’s storied history includes 23 playoff appearances, 13 Division Championships, 5 Conference Championships, and 5 League Championships (3 Super Bowl and 2 pre AFL-NFL merger).The Washington Redskins name and logo was officially registered in 1967.1 The Redskins were the first team in the NFL with an official marching band and also the first team to have a fight song, "Hail to the Redskins"2.

A sports club with this much history is bound to have fans and stakeholders with strong feelings and attachment to the team. I have no stake in the team, its name or history. I am approaching this solely from an outsider, objective point of view.

There has been growing controversy recently, regarding numerous sports teams whos logos and team names are deemed offensive and culturally insensitive. Currently leading the charge is the Washington Redskins. The Redskins is a name that many American Indians find to be insensitive, and to some a racial slur.

This brilliant video, entitled “Proud To Be” (click here or above) led me down a path of looking further into this issue. If you do nothing else, and read no further, I ask you only to watch the video!

Merriam-Webster defines the word as “usually offensive: American Indian”2.  Cambridge Dictionaries Online defines the word as “offensive old-fashioned for a Native-American”3. Oxford Dictionaries defines it as a dated or offensive word for American Indian ⁴. Webster’s 1913 Dictionary defines the word as “A common appellation for a North American Indian; - so called from the color of the skin. It is now considered pejorative by some persons of North American Indian heritage.”5.

Slate.com has an interesting article on the history of the word redskin (click here)

There are also those who don’t consider the name offensive. Tommy Yazzie, superintendent of the Red Mesa school district on the Navajo Nation reservation, says “There are more important things like busing our kids to school, the water settlement,  the land quality, the air that surrounds us. Those are issues we can take sides on.”6. Roy Hawthorne – vice president of the Navajo Code Talkers Association – on a trip to an NFL game paid for by Redskins owner Dan Snyder, stated the team name is a symbol of loyalty and courage.7

In a letter to season ticket holders8, Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder addresses the controversy. He outlines his history with the franchise since his childhood, the team’s history – outlining how 5 members of the original team were ‘Native Americans’ – and stating “The name was never a label. It was, and continues to be, a badge of honor.” Mr Snyder continues by asserting that the team logo was designed in consultation with the Red Cloud Athletic Fund, located on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation (side note – you should read the response letter from the Red Cloud Indian School click here). He proceeds to outline two studies, one of Native Americans who do not find offense to the name, and another of an Associated Press Survey that states the team should not change their name. Judge for yourself, but to me, the letter seems to lean more on the team’s history, than on genuine concern for the feelings of those offended. In fact within the letter, Mr Snyder states that he respects the feelings of those who are offended by the team name, but he hopes such individuals also try to respect what the name means. He states he thinks "of the Washington Redskins traditions and pride" and further that "we cannot ignore our 81 year history, or the strong feelings of most of our fans"8.

Though I can appreciate his personal feelings and perspective – I have stated previously I approach this as an outsider, of the sports team and American Indian perspectives – I can’t help but consider Dr. Friedman’s study The Harmful Psychological Effects of the Washington Football Mascot9, when investigating this issue. In his Executive Summary, Dr. Friedman states that “the ongoing use of a dictionary-defined racial slur above the repeated objections of the Native American community poses serious risk for negative mental health consequences to Native Americans…The Washington mascot is uniquely destructive because it not only perpetuates the stereotypical and outdated caricature portrayed by many Native American mascots, but also promotes and justifies the use of a dictionary-defined racial slur.9” Dr Friedman further outlines how Native American populations present with the highest levels of psychological distress of any other group in the nation and that anything that causes additional stress and increased suffering, must be considered a public health priority. Dr. Friedman defines his research as drawing upon “a body of scientific study that provides support to the assertion that the Washington organization's continued use of its mascot represents a serious stressor to the Native American population.” He also makes note of several professional organizations – including the American Psychological Association and the American

Sociological Association – who agree that there are harmful effects associated with the ongoing usage of Native American mascots for sports teams. I will not go over his entire report; you are welcome to read it for yourself (click here).

Momentum is shifting. Recently the Houston Independent School District, one of the largest in the United States, has moved to implement a “policy to stop using mascot names such as ‘Redskins’ that reference Native American culture and have been called offensive by advocacy groups.”10. Last September in the Ottawa area, the Nepean Redskins youth football team agreed to change their name, stating they understood it is offensive to some, and thus divisive to the community11. Even U.S. President Obama has chimed in on the controversy. In an interview last October, the President stated: “If I were the owner of the team and I knew that the name of my team — even if they've had a storied history — was offending a sizable group of people, I'd think about changing it.12”

Watch the President Obama interview (click here or above)

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, has called upon the National Football League, State and Federal government entities in the U.S. to take any and all appropriate measures while taking special care to avoid infringing on First Amendment Rights, to dissuade the team from continuing with its current name and logo13.

An online designer blog ran a contest for designers to recreate a logo for the NFL team. They received nearly 2000 entries, of which the winning design can be found online (click here). The winning suggestion is an idea that finds its roots in the town it represents and America’s pride in its military history. Though, it could still be seen as having American Indian references.

I’m only left with the persistent thought…Would this controversy still be unresolved if a team were called the Washington Blackskins, Washington Whiteskins, or Colorado Crackers. Worse still, what if we had teams called the New Orleans Negroes, the Arizona Wetbacks, or even the Mississippi Klansmen? Would society consider these team names acceptable?

I CERTAINLY HOPE NOT! 

So why not, consider that the name and mascot are offending a sizable group and change them!

Footnotes

1. Washington Redskins. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Retrieved from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Redskins
Retrieved 03 February 2014

2. Washington Redskins. Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Retrieved from Pro Football Hall of Fame: http://www.profootballhof.com/history/team.aspx?TeamAlias=washington-redskins&print=y

Retrieved 03 February 2014

3. Redskin. Merriam-Webster.
Retrieved from Merriam-Webster: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/redskin 
Retrieved 03 February 2014

4. Redskin. Cambridge Dictionaries Online.
Retrieved from Cambridge Dictionaries Online: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/british/redskin?q=redskin

Retrieved 03 February 2014

5. Redskin. Webster-Dictionary.
Retrieved from Webster Dictionary Online:  http://www.webster-dictionary.org/definition/redskin

Retrieved 03 February 2014

6. Associated Press

How Many Native Americans Think ‘Redskins’ is a Slur?

Retrieved from CBS DC: http://washington.cbslocal.com/2013/10/08/how-many-native-americans-think-redskins-is-a-slur/

Retrieved 03 February 2014.

7. Fox News

Navajo Code Talker says Redskins name not derogatory

Retrieved from Fox News: http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2013/11/28/navajo-code-talker-says-redskins-name-not-derogatory/

Retrieved 03 February 2014.

8. Snyder, Dan

Letter from Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder to fans

Retrieved from The Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/letter-from-washington-redskins-owner-dan-snyder-to-fans/2013/10/09/e7670ba0-30fe-11e3-8627-c5d7de0a046b_story.html

Retrieved 03 February 2014.

9. Friedman, Michael A., Ph.D (2013)
The Harmful Psychological Effects of the Washington Football Mascot
Retrieved from Change The Mascot: http://www.changethemascot.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/DrFriedmanReport.pdf

Retrieved 03 February 2014.

10. Loreanz, Andrea (2013)

Houston school board votes to stop using Native American mascot names

Retrieved from Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/13/us-usa-texas-redskins-idUSBRE9BC03T20131213

Retrieved on 04 February 2014.

11. CBC News

Nepean Redskins to change controversial name, logo

Retrieved from CBC News: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/nepean-redskins-to-change-controversial-name-logo-1.1860795

Retrieved on 04 February 2014.

12. Jackson, David

Obama: Redskins should ponder name change

Retrieved from USA Today: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/10/05/obama-associated-press-interview-washington-redskins/2927351/

Retrieved on 04 February 2014.

13. The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. (2013)
Resolution on the Washington, D.C. Football Team Name
Retrieved from Change The Mascot: http://www.changethemascot.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Leadership-Conference-on-Civil-and-Human-Rights-Resolution.pdf
Retrieved 03 February 2014.

Additional References

National Congress of the American Indians  (2014)

Proud To Be [Video]

Retrieved from Upworthy: http://www.upworthy.com/the-nfl-would-never-let-this-ad-air-on-the-super-bowl-so-were-gonna-show-you-it-its-important?c=ufb1  
Retrieved 03 February 2014.