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Sunday, December 30, 2007

Bring It On, You Racist Chumps

posted by on December 30 at 19:17 PM

event_698902.jpeg

Redskins vs. Seahawks, next Saturday.

RSS icon Comments

1

hi ya hi ya hi ya

Posted by blaire with an e | December 30, 2007 7:33 PM
2

Isn't the game on Saturday?

Posted by Stranger Fact Check | December 30, 2007 7:39 PM
3

Those must be some mighty fine drugs you're into there, @2. Yes, the game's on Saturday. As he stated.

Posted by Fifty-Two-Eighty | December 30, 2007 7:46 PM
4

chief hog throw ax, murder gay pigeon.
skins 42, gay pigeons 20

Posted by holz | December 30, 2007 8:26 PM
5

And as usual, whenever the Seahawks are in a playoff game or on the national stage in any way, all the national media care about is... the other team.

Posted by JMR | December 30, 2007 8:42 PM
6

@5 That is because the other team is always better. Beat a team with a winning record, then start talking.

Also, Chicago's mascot is offensive to fat and hairy homos.

Posted by Blue Streak | December 30, 2007 9:01 PM
7

It is pretty ridiculous that the Washington Bullets had to change their name to the Washington Wizards, yet the Redskins get to keep their name. Still my all-time favorite racist team name is this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/1967-PEKIN-IL-CHINKS-IHSA-STATE-BASKETBALL-CHAMPS-DISH_W0QQitemZ300185288511QQihZ020QQcategoryZ64486QQcmdZViewItem

How is "Redskins" any different?

Posted by Mr Me | December 30, 2007 9:02 PM
8

Hey, I thought this rag (or whatever an online rag might be) didn't have a sports section.

As for racist team names, the NBA is much more susceptible to public shaming, and black-on-black crime is more of an issue, making Bullets less palatable than Wizards.

But when the Fort Wayne, Indiana baseball team (Midwest League, A-ball) was called the Wizards, it was pointed out that the KKK had a history in Indiana that made such a name problematic. But it went ahead anyway, and no one much minded the Dayton Dragons.

Racism, and our reaction to it, is always based on context. Racism against Native Americans, in pro sports at least, is ignored because there is no ticket-buying, tv-watching constituency to be placated. In college sports, the Fighting Illini of the University of Illinois (the brother's alma mater) can be pressured into losing Chief Illinwek due to intellectual and moral arguments, as can the public schools in Pekin Illinois. The NCAA can sanction schools for using such nicknames, though they seem to lack the flexibility to deal with the situation when the tribe allegedly dehumanizes likes it, as with the Florida State Seminoles, who approve of that schools nickname, logo, mascot and cheers.

No such pressure exists for the NFL, an unstoppable leviathan, simultaneously communist and capitalist.

Lecture over.

Not that that term should be read as prejudicial against the cetacean-American community.

And as for Bears being anti-fat-hairy-gay-guys, fuck off. As a Bears season-ticket semi-holder and a fat hairy straight guy, I take offense at the idea that "bear" refers only to the gays.

Posted by Chicago Fan | December 30, 2007 9:13 PM
9

Hey, I thought this rag (or whatever an online rag might be) didn't have a sports section.

As for racist team names, the NBA is much more susceptible to public shaming, and black-on-black crime is more of an issue, making Bullets less palatable than Wizards.

But when the Fort Wayne, Indiana baseball team (Midwest League, A-ball) was called the Wizards, it was pointed out that the KKK had a history in Indiana that made such a name problematic. But it went ahead anyway, and no one much minded the Dayton Dragons.

Racism, and our reaction to it, is always based on context. Racism against Native Americans, in pro sports at least, is ignored because there is no ticket-buying, tv-watching constituency to be placated. In college sports, the Fighting Illini of the University of Illinois (the brother's alma mater) can be pressured into losing Chief Illinwek due to intellectual and moral arguments, as can the public schools in Pekin Illinois. The NCAA can sanction schools for using such nicknames, though they seem to lack the flexibility to deal with the situation when the tribe allegedly dehumanizes likes it, as with the Florida State Seminoles, who approve of that schools nickname, logo, mascot and cheers.

No such pressure exists for the NFL, an unstoppable leviathan, simultaneously communist and capitalist.

Lecture over.

Not that that term should be read as prejudicial against the cetacean-American community.

And as for Bears being anti-fat-hairy-gay-guys, fuck off. As a Bears season-ticket semi-holder and a fat hairy straight guy, I take offense at the idea that "bear" refers only to the gays.

Posted by Chicago Fan | December 30, 2007 9:14 PM
10

Who you calling racist?

Posted by Adrian Fenty | December 30, 2007 9:23 PM
11

You know, their star safety died from a home robbery attack a few weeks ago.

Posted by Gomez | December 30, 2007 9:42 PM
12

Yeah, what is it with those names? A little bit 18th century. AIM must be spitting fire.

Posted by mla | December 30, 2007 9:43 PM
13

The winner of this Redskins/Seahawks game still has to play one more game before any of their playoff games make a difference.

Posted by Clint | December 30, 2007 10:07 PM
14

Ever since Taylor died theyve been winning. I wonder if Gibbs in a desperate plea to save his job hired the kids to "rob" Taylor and off him in the process. Seahawks will destroy the Skins, AGAIN...

Posted by Number21 | December 30, 2007 11:09 PM
15

Like all white people over 40, I am 1/16th Blackfoot and 1/32 Cherokee so you can imagine I am 1/24 outraged at the racism in pro sports team names.

Posted by Math Is Power ™ | December 30, 2007 11:21 PM
16

I am offended that they call themselves the "WASHINGTON Red Skins"

We are the only Washington ... They aren't even a state.

Posted by Gordon Werner | December 31, 2007 12:51 AM
17

Many of us who are fans but dislike the racist name simply refer to them as "the Washington Football Team" or "the DC Football Team." I recall that the owners have been asked to change the name, but have refused for now.

Posted by Dana Priesing | December 31, 2007 4:24 AM
18

Speaking of non-sequiturs...
The news on CNN just announced a nasal spray that allows you to go for days without sleep. Last month CNN reported that graveyard shift workers tend to get cancers more than dayshift workers.
What is with the crap about being "productive" 24/7? I find my nine hours of sleep to be among the most productive of the day. Because it is relaxing and the chance to dream.
Thank God we need sleep!

Posted by Heather | December 31, 2007 5:21 AM
19

They should change their name to "Spear Chuckers."

Posted by Mike in MO | December 31, 2007 5:47 AM
20

Man, mass transit in D.C. is so awesome. Say, how's that Alaskan Way Viaduct treating you?

Posted by mjg | December 31, 2007 6:17 AM
21

Non-sporty digression follows.
###
The name is offensive and should be changed. But this racism "pales" by comparison to DC residents' lack of representation in Congress.

Several hundred thousand Americans -- a mjority of whom are African Americans -- lack any right to vote for Senator. Their Congressional "representative" is a sham with no vote on the floor of congress.

Many across the nation (even Democrats) will note the varied justifications for this situation but there's no dispute these are justifications for de jure second class citizenship, and unequal voting rights.

Also it's accepted that these voters would vote Democratic. Two more Democratic Senators would help all Democrats, nationwide.

Why do these structural imbalances always seem to hurt African Americans and the Democratic party?

No other large democracy has this kind of capitol-city exclusion from voting rights in the legislature. Nor does any other have this kind of exclusion affecting a racial minority that historically was deprived of voting rights due to race.


###
OK enough on discrimination in voting rights, back to sporty trash talk re the "Other Washington."

Posted by Cleve | December 31, 2007 6:43 AM
22

Good point there, cleve. In fact, their license plates actually say "Taxation Without Representation." It's a pretty fucked up situation. As for them being the "other" Washington, I'm pretty sure they were there first.

Posted by Fifty-Two-Eighty | December 31, 2007 6:58 AM
23

we should let them have "Washington" & change our name to something that has some relevance to this region. George Washington never set foot here, nor is it likely he every THOUGHT about the Puget Sound, Rainier, etc.

"Tahoma", the original name of Mt. Rainier, seems appropriate.

"Columbia" also seems wrong.

go hawks. yay.

Posted by max solomon | December 31, 2007 7:21 AM
24

Hmmm, Tahoma. I like it. Besides, then we could have Tacoma, Tahoma, which would absolutely confuse the living bejesus out of everyone.

Posted by Fifty-Two-Eighty | December 31, 2007 7:47 AM
25

Go Patriots!!!

Posted by Mr. Poe | December 31, 2007 8:04 AM
26

I'm with Mr Poe on this one. Mmmm Tom Brady...

Posted by Mike in MO | December 31, 2007 8:19 AM
27

Boston haters will be pleased to know that the Redskins started out as a Boston team. They came into the league as the Braves, sharing the name and stadium with the baseball team. (If you ever went to a lacrosse game at BU, that's where the stadium used to stand).

They moved to Fenway shortly thereafter and became the Redskins.

Posted by Lloyd Clydesdale | December 31, 2007 9:00 AM
28

if the team name of Redskins is not racist then how come there is not a Blackskins team? or a Whiteskins or Yellowskins for that matter?

and this state should rename istelf to something like "Cascadia" or aomething like that IMHO

Posted by high and bi | December 31, 2007 9:03 AM
29

The Redskins owner was a blatant douche bag southern racist named George Marshall who refused to integrate the team until the 60’s, the name Redskins was a named used by white Indian killers- or frontiersmen as history likes to call them- to describe the scalping of indians and the resulting bloody skin once they had cut it.

The Redskins were owned and started by a blatant segregationist in one of america’s black cities and they can change the name if they want, Im sure the fans would get use to it eventually. Im sure in a city like DC with a huge African American fan base, they would not like if they were called an African American derogatory name. It is offensive to keep that name. And is time to end that racist legacy. The fans will get used to it and if they dont fuck em, sometimes fans can be assholes, unless of course theyre Philly fans.

On a lighter note, The HAWKS gonna kick their motherfucking ass!

Posted by SeMe | December 31, 2007 9:26 AM
30

This is why I've always liked the mascot for the University of Nebraska college teams - the Cornhusker. One of only two (that I can think of) mascots that make fun of white people. Might as well be called the "Nebraska hicks."

The other mascot that makes fun of white people would be the "fighting Irish." (You know how the Irish are, always drunk and violent...)

The best mascot ever WOULD have been the Stanford Robber Barons. At one point the students voted to have a robber baron who looked a bit like the Monopoly guy as their mascot. The school administration didn't care for it.

Posted by Sstarr | December 31, 2007 10:38 AM
31

I think that there should be a team named the Feathers and that they should use the dangling feathers depicted as their logo. They're pretty.

Posted by homage to me | December 31, 2007 10:59 AM
32

@28:
Yes.

There's a system at work:

If the named group or their current day "heirs" likes the associations of a pro sports team name, it'sokay. Celtics, Vikings, Steelers, Packers.


Corollary: you gotta be around to object. Ref.: the Idaho Vandals.
A football team and Vandals were East Germanic tribe that "entered" the late Roman Empire during the 5th century. I don't think all of them knocked politely.

Their name now used for all manner of j.d. property destruction, they have the worst ever "name karma" of any group, it seems. (I'm sure many were quite polite and the stereotype is totally false. Totally!)

But no community of Vandals exists to object.
Compare "gypped," Rom; "welshed," Welsh.

"Redskins" seems to be the exception of such a name being used despite strong objections from the relevant community. Blame the power elite centered in DC.

Possible deal: name change, for DC voting rights??

Posted by unPC | December 31, 2007 11:05 AM
33

The original Stanford mascot was an Indian, that's why they voted for a change. I agree, the robber baron would've been funny and appropriate, since their school was founded because the obscenly rich Leland Stanford thought God killed his son with cancer (or maybe it was rheumatism or delirium tremens, or some other old-timey illness). Instead, they went with a tree. In recent years, the Tree has been played by a girl, to prevent Oski the Bear from kicking its ass in public. Cowards.

Posted by kebabs | December 31, 2007 11:06 AM
34

"Hmmm, Tahoma. I like it. Besides, then we could have Tacoma, Tahoma, which would absolutely confuse the living bejesus out of everyone."

Plus, you have to replace the joy of Walla Walla Washington with some other pleasantly alliterative phrase. =)

Posted by John | December 31, 2007 11:06 AM
35

The Hawks will kick their ass, again. Winning streaks only count if when the winners are playing against good teams with reasons to win.

Heck, if you Skin fans feel OK losing your way to the playoffs, fine by me.

Isn't a Todd Collins some kind of non-alcholic drink?

Posted by six shooter | December 31, 2007 11:38 AM
36

They should change their name to the DC Honkies. So 70's...

Posted by Mike in MO | December 31, 2007 11:53 AM
37

The Kenmare Kestrels will ring the most Quaffles and win the Quidditch Cup, but Victor Krum will capture the Golden Snitch for the Bulgarians.

Posted by montex | December 31, 2007 12:03 PM
38

anybody here a packer backer?

Posted by superyeadon | December 31, 2007 1:24 PM
39

@15:

If you're averaging, you're actually 3/64 offended.

Fractions are weird.

Posted by Correct Math is Power | December 31, 2007 5:13 PM
40

@15, 39:

Addition seems more appropriate: 3/32 offended.

Posted by Average? | January 1, 2008 9:44 AM
41

What're we supposed to chant?

"Kill the Red-- oops, Kill the Opponents Who Shall Not Be Named"??

"Kill the Team from Washington -- And We Refer to a City Back East"?

Posted by unPC | January 1, 2008 10:05 AM

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