The NFL’s Washington Redskins have recently been in the news over whether or not the team should change its name. The debate has supporters on both sides seeking validation.
Native Americans view the name as an offensive slur of past suffering of their race. They say the words conjure hurtful memories of times when their people were mistreated and persecuted by the U.S. government. The recent game against the Dallas Cowboys brings to many hurtful memories of real life conflicts between cowboys and Native Americans, they insist. President Barack Obama is among the critics of the name, and he said he would “think about changing” the name.
Supporters of the Redskins moniker disagree with the recent backlash. Owner Dan Snyder believes the name inspires memories and brings fans together rather than being a symbol of hate and oppression.
This debate raises a valid point about today’s society: How much value do we as people put into names, symbols and objects?
As a child, I played with cowboy and Native American figurines. I even dressed as up as an Indian for a school function in kindergarten. When I played baseball, my team played against a team called the Redskins.
As a descendant from a Native American tribe – my great grandparents were full blooded Native Americans – I find little of this offensive. On the contrary, when I was little there was a certain mysticism about the ways of the Native American tribes in the same manner as knights, cowboys and samurais.
The term Redskin was once a derogatory word used to hurt and offend Native American tribes, but in today’s society, I see little of that same meanness when naming a sports team the Redskins. The name seems to be a celebration of that mysticism I sensed when I was little.
Names change meaning and lose or gain value over time. The Redskins is just a name, a title, a moniker. It depends on the situation, person and context to decide what that title represents.
The swastika – symbol for the Nazi Regime and for Hitler’s oppression – was a symbol for good luck in pre-World War II Europe. If a symbol or name can be tarnished and deconstructed, then one should be able to be rebuilt and repurposed.
Titles, like objects and symbols, can be used to either inspire or to discourage. The Redskins’ name for many fans conjures up feelings of brotherhood and community. It brings to mind cheering fans on a Sunday night.
What happened in the past can never be changed, but the future is still an uncertain variable. The ultimate question critics and supporters must ask themselves is in 50 years’ time is do they want the term Redskins to be a symbol of inspiration or oppression?
