Andy Rankin

If you know me (and if you don’t why on Earth are you reading this?) then you know I’m a huge fan of the Washington Redskins.  Growing up I never thought much about the name.  I often was annoyed by the logo on the helmet, not because it might be offensive to anyone but because it was impossible (for me anyway) to sketch.  The dreaded Dallas Cowboys had a super simple logo that any nine year-old could draw.  How unfair!

Over the past few years (okay, maybe things got started 16 years ago according to the wikipedia page I link to in a second) there has been controversy related to using the word redskins - which when you think about it isn’t too surprising.  I haven’t read up on the specific origins of the word but I’m guessing it didn’t get started as a term of endearment.

Of course the team uses the word now with a lot of pride.  I’m guessing that even back in 1933 when they first started using the word there were positive thoughts associated with it.

But for me it’s still a tough issue to get around.  If the term is offensive to some folks then it seems like a good reason to maybe pick a new name.  It’s just a game - changing the team name shouldn’t be a big deal (heck, Danny could sell a ton more crap like the Bullets did when they became the Wizards).  But lots of people don’t want to change the name and they don’t see what the big deal is.  I guess this survey from 2004 even suggests that most Native Americans don’t mind the name.  Actually, that’s pretty comforting to me - maybe I shouldn’t worry about the name so much anymore?

Honestly though, I have only good, positive thoughts when I think of a person called a Redskin.  I’m not sure if that makes the term less offensive or not - but it makes a difference to me.

Go Skins!