Written by Tahia Hannan
Most people can recall the maroon and gold backdrop with the emboldened face of a Native American man printed on the helmets and merchandise of the Washington Redskins team. However, it is often ignored that this glorified image and namesake of the NFL team, “redskin,” is considered offensive to vast amounts of Native American people. “Redskin” is even explicitly defined as “a contemptuous term used to refer to a North American Indian.” Due to the term’s negative connotation and complex history, the Washington Redskins team must realize the insensitivity of their mascot, and we must understand that the tone of this term can be deemed as offensive and disrespectful.
To fully understand the discriminatory nature of the term “redskin”, we must explore its historic context. The studies of the Native American language scholar, Ives Goddard, indicate that the translated term, “redskin” actually came from Native American phrases involving the color red in combination with terms for flesh, skin, and man. But as time progressed, this term was transformed into a derogatory slang term used by white colonizers. With the release of the book Redskin Rimes by Earl Emmons in 1915, the discriminatory nature of the term went unmissed. Furthermore, indication from books, movies, and history suggest that the word is inevitably associated with utter contempt to the Native people of this nation. Given the provocative historic undertones of the term “redskin”, it is simply too disrespectful to continue in such a title, especially for a football team, an ordinary aspect of American life that carries such an extensive influence over millions of viewers.
Along with the controversial history of the word “redskin”, there are additional reasons for rejecting the touted mascot of the Washington football team. The term “redskin” can be seen as a parallel to the term “n****r”, which also came from benevolent origins, but was used with intense vulgarity against African-Americans and Black people and is now regarded as a highly offensive term. Amanda Blackhorse, a Native American Huffington Post contributor resented “I object to being lumped together with Bears, Lions and other wild animals and birds because that dehumanizes my people and me. The use of Indian names and mascots steals and cheapens our Native American cultures, and promotes stereotypes.” If the NFL team claims to “honor” Native Americans by symbolizing them, it should, if at all, be done without the use of such a controversial term.
So how does the Washington NFL Team actually confront the issue? The team’s owner, Daniel Snyder, argues that the term is not offensive, and is actually a term of respect and honor. Additionally, many supporters defend the Washington team name by referencing specific Native Americans who claim that they are not offended by the term or are honored to serve as an icon for the team. However, all of these justifications are ignorant of a great proportion of Native Americans that do take offense to the term, as surveys suggest that “redskin” is offensive to 35 to 45 percent of Native Americans enrolled in tribes. The idea that the slur does insult large amounts of people should serve as enough of a basis for the team to correct the matter.
As football serves a popular pastime for millions of American families in the United States, many people do not realize the implications of naming a very commonplace element after such an offensive term. This, in essence, normalizes the use of such a controversial term, while blatantly dismissing the negative historic context behind the slur. After a tragic history of ancestors being robbed, killed, and removed from their own land, isn’t it time that the Native American people are spared of the widespread derogatory nickname?
Sources
Blackhorse, Amanda. “Why the R*dsk*ns Need to Change Their Name.” thehuffingtonpost.com. 8 March 2013. Web. 1 December 2015. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amanda-blackhorse/washington-nfl-name-change_b_2838630.html>
Gandhi, Lakshmi. “Are You Ready For Some Controversy? The History Of ‘Redskin.’” Npr.org. 9 September 2013. Web. 2 December 2015. <http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/09/09/220654611/are-you-ready-for-some-controversy-the-history-of-redskin>
Nunberg, Geoffrey. “When Slang Becomes a Slur.” Theatlantic.com. 23 June 2014. Web. 1 December 2015. < http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/06/a-linguist-on-why-redskin-is-racist-patent-overturned/373198/>
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