US Patent Office Rules Redskins Name Is Offensive, Cancels Trademarks

[Wickabee]

Sure it matters, to know history helps us not to repeat our mistakes. It also shows that humans can and do ruin everything, including words. It also shows how we can take a term that has both good and bad connotations and just be able to see the bad. Which we all know, seek and ye shall find, look for the bad and you will see it.

It matters, yes. But it doesn't change a single thing.

It goes the other way too. Canucks used to be a somewhat derogatory term (going back to the earl/mid 1800s) for black francophones. Eventually the term became to "Canadian" what "Yankee" is to American".

In this case, Redskin came to mean what it means, and reminds natives that their ancestors were scalped and the scalps sold as "Redskins! Get your Redskins here, one dollar!" every damn Sunday.

But no, no. It's fine they have to think about that every week because in this particular case they say it means something else. They're the stupid ones.

History!

[shrewsbury]

but when was the last sunday that was done?

what about those natives who used the term to refer to themselves?

how about stick to the last 80 years and all it is is a football team, that actually changed it name to honor an "indian".

[Wickabee]

but when was the last sunday that was done?

Washington's last game of the season. Was that a real question?

what about those natives who used the term to refer to themselves?

I live on a native reserve. Indian actually still flies in most cases. I have not once ever heard or known of a Native calling himself the scalp of his ancestor for trade or sale.

how about stick to the last 80 years and all it is is a football team, that actually changed it name to honor an "indian".

I've asked this several times and you've avoided it well, but I'm going to ask again. If New York had a team who named themselves the [N WORD]s to "honour" a community leader in Harlem or something, should everyone accept it because black people refer to themselves by that word and the name isn't really offensive if you know the story behind it and ignore the incredibly racist elements of it.

Please, actually answer this. Would San Jose Negros be okay? Word New York [N] be okay? No. No matter what the reason the name was chosen, it would not fly.

Why should this be any different? Other than the fact the US is the only country to treat its natives worse than Canada and continue to do so, all but ignoring their very existence except as sports logos and mascots. Basically, I think you're okay with it because down there most people still see them as the second class citizens your ancestors wiped out with alcohol and infected blankets lo those years ago.

Remember when the Washington Wizards were the Washington Bullets? People said they should change their name because "Bullets" was too violent an imagery. How'd that work out?