The Name on the Field Is Being Reviewed...By The FCC

Cheeeeeeeers and Happy Throwback Thursday to you all.

Today, I’d like to take us all back to 1984. Nooooooooo not the year, but the book by George Orwell.  That’s right!!

Those crazy dystopians of Oceania formed a government that would have no part of allowing their success be thwarted by politically incorrect words and distracting historical facts allowed to be uttered, printed, or otherwise broadcast.

Well America 2014?  Meet Big Brother 1984 who by the way, goes by the name of, the Federal Communications Commission…I hope you enjoy the potential slippery slope of newspeak (or nospeak) on which the FCC may take us down.

Okay, okay…I am speaking in Big Brother-type hyperbole about the dangerous nature of what the FCC is about to consider, but I feel the need to discuss it.

Over the past couple of years, relatively small, yet vocal groups have been calling on Washington Redskins owner Dan “Crazy Horse” Snyder to change the name of his NFL Football team to something else, because well…they find the name Redskins to be offensive and a slur against Native Americans.

That’s fine, and really, my dissertation is not about whether one finds the name offensive or not, my concern is that George Washington University law professor John “Activist Wolf” Banzhaf has filed a complaint with the FCC to deem “Redskins” an offensive word and have it stricken from acceptable use on television.

And…the FCC is considering hearing said professor’s petition.  Really?

C’mon man!!  The Redskins have been called the Redskins since like 1932...That’s 82 years…82 years and only now are the war drums of political correctness beginning to be drummed in cadence to profound governmental level.  Unbelievable.

Sure the trademark agency has taken away Crazy Dan’s trademark and what not, but now the government may consider taking away the right of broadcasters to call his privately owned team what they are called.

The FCC should not take up this issue. First of all…

It’s none of the FCC’s damn business, and the law weighs heavily on that no damn business side. Secondly…

The only people who give a fuck about the nickname are people who drive hybrids, coastal folks who on Sunday watch the Mahjong Channel rather than the NFL, and white Americans suffering from institutional guilt.

Lastly…The other week during a ’Skins game, announcer Phil Simms refused to utter the name, Redskins. If Phil Simms thinks dumping the name is a good idea, you know it’s not.

Stick to keeping free speech and communication alive FCC. Concentrate on preventing huge cable companies from merging, keep the internet open and free, and quit wasting your time on things that the free market will dictate by the hotness of a team's cheerleaders.

Cheers!!

Matt-Man

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The Washington Redskins Name Should Not Go up in Smoke!!

Cheeeeeeeeers and Happy Hump Day Chuckleheads!!

Whether you are a sports fan or not, or more particularly, a football fan or not, you probably have heard that once again as happens every so often, that some folks want the Washington Redskins to change the name of their NFL franchise.

Every few years or so, this Native American sports moniker issue comes up, and has upon occasion come up with other sports teams from the High School level up to and including the professional level.

Well…As typical, the Washington Redskins are on the hot bench again as they are being attacked and ambushed through every media outlet known to man, by the heap big Oneida Indian Nation of upstate New York.

The Oneida Nation has spent much wampum buying ads that tout their outrage over the name “Redskins”, and are demanding that Washington Redskins majority owner Dan Snyder, change the name of his team…a team and business, that he owns…to something else.

Some members of Congress and other elected officials have even decided to walk down the Anti-Redskins political correctness Trail of Tears and have sent letters and smoke signals to Snyder asking him to change the name.

Hell, just the other day, even President Obama was asked whether the Redskins should change their name. The President replied that if he was the owner, he would consider changing it…perhaps…maybe mull it over.

Translation?

“I probably would, but since Northern Virginia and D.C. are bluer than hell electoral wise, love their Redskins, and don’t want a name change, Ima gonna do a rain dance around this issue.  Now pass me the Peace Pipe because the government shutdown and the looming debt ceiling crisis make me want to smoke.”

Listen…

I am sure to some Native Americans, the word may be offensive, but the word in its origin (nearly 400 years ago) was not, and was only made derogatory for a short period of time by a couple of authors in the early 20th Century.

Like most Americans, and most Native Americans, when I hear the term, the Washington Redskins, I don’t think of rabid American Indians on a scalping binge, I think of a lackluster NFL football team, and that’s all.

On the other side of the argument, I hear folks say…

“Well, you’d be up in arms if they were called, The Washington Niggers!!”

To which I say…Yes, I would be up in arms, and I wouldn’t watch them…and neither would most other Americans, and the franchise wouldn’t survive, because that term connotes nothing but hate.

Redskins on the other hand?  Eh…Look at the logo…It’s not a disrespectful logo.

At least here in West Central Ohio where I have grown up and spent my entire life, Indians are revered. And I say Indians because we don’t call them Native Americans much.  We call them Indians and their people are a rich ingredient of our history.

This area is the cradle of the Shawnee, the Miami, the Ottawa, the Delaware, and the Wyandot tribes among others.  It’s home to Tecumseh, to Cornstalk, and to Blue Jacket, and that is why the Columbus Blue Jackets of the NHL are thusly named.  Great leaders of men, one and all.  And we respect them here in Ohio, and...

I am pretty sure that Washington Redskins fans have no ill will against “the Red Man” either.  Win or lose, they love their Redskins.

Dan Snyder can do whatever he wants, which of course knowing Dan Snyder he will, but I say keep the name the same.  It’s a nickname and the logo is much more respectful than that of the Cleveland Indians…

However, if pressure comes to bear and Snyder can take it no longer, he could always change the Redskins name to something else that involves animals or nature, and do it with a big ol' screw you to the PC Police…

Something like...

The Washington Sitting Bulls.

The Washington Red Clouds, or…my favorite…

The Washington Crazy Horses!!

Of course, if RG III gets hurts again, Snyder could always name his team…

The Washington Wounded Knees.

Cheers!!

Matt-Man

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