Should the Washington Redskins change their name?

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Absolutely not.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

If the free market causes a name change rather than government intervention, conservatives should claim victory.  But most of them will howl defeat instead...

Even though he seems like a world class douchebag as a team owner, I think Daniel Snyder can honestly claim he knows a thing or two about the free market,  and at least in his eyes, it doesn't mandate a change (probably ever during his lifetime)

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Obama congratulated the Chicago Blackhawks yesterday.  I wonder if he asked them to change their name? 

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

This will be overturned like it was last time.  It also guarantees Snyder will never change it.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

This will be overturned like it was last time.  It also guarantees Snyder will never change it.

I suspect you're right on the former point, George, but question the latter. Maybe, just maybe, this'll be the fig leaf needed for the team to just start moving to change the name "to avoid legal fees and uncertainty" or the like?

Probably not. While the loss of registration will make going after those who infringe upon it more difficult as they'll only be subject to civil rather than criminal penalties, it can still be done.  Plus if they make certain that all of their licensed products also have the NFL logo on them somewhere, those criminal penalties would still apply to any otherwise indistinguishable knockoffs.

But wouldn't any knockoff that simply avoids also using the NFL logo thus escape criminal prosecution (asks the prosecutor who can barely spell "patent law")?

Perhaps, but Badg, Snyder will spew his own money now on legal fees just to make a point, and I don't think he cares how much it costs to make his point.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

So perhaps the real question is, do you guys not think "redskins" is a racist slur on par with calling an Asian person "yellow" or even the N word? That is what separates this name from the others.

No. I think it's been the name of a football team since 1932, and a team who has seen some of the finest in the game pass through their facilities thoughout the years,  nothing more.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

So perhaps the real question is, do you guys not think "redskins" is a racist slur on par with calling an Asian person "yellow" or even the N word? That is what separates this name from the others.

No. I think it's been the name of a football team since 1932, and a team who has seen some of the finest in the game pass through their facilities thoughout the years,  nothing more.

I am not saying that the organization itself is using it as a slur, or even used it to offend Native Americans in 1932 (many wouldn't have found the n-word offensive back then either). Still, you don't deny that this is a slur that was used against Native Americans in the past, do you?

I can stipulate to that, but I don't see it as being on the same scale of "n" like some have stated.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

I forgot people like Eazy-E and other rappers use the term n*gger so it's perfectly o.k. 

No it's not perfectly okay, but to claim that redskin is at the exact same level as n in terms of offensiveness is an absurd oversimplification.

Oh God.

As much as I disagree, can we agree it is at LEAST as offensive as "darkie" rather than debating over semantics? Please??

No. It was never intended to be a racist name in any way shape or form. "Darkie" most certainly is meant that way.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

If you are not Native American or Irish, your opinion is not worth much.

I find this way of the thinking simply silly. 

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

If you are not Native American or Irish, your opinion is not worth much.

I find this way of the thinking simply silly. 

If whether or not something 'is offensive' isn't to be judged by whether the people at which it's directed are offended by it, how is it to be judged? Whether uninvolved members of the general public think they should be offended? Some sort of external rubric handed down from on high?

Sbane is saying, in essence, we can't have an opinion.  I see pages and pages of opinions here Nathan, and many who are offended, and probably none of them are from Native Americans.....but their opinions don't count? 

We have discussions here all the time about what is misogynistic.....but only the females here have a right to an opinion?

I assure you if the opinions of a vast majority of Redskins fans were to change the name, or else, it would be changed.