Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
Just give the teams a random number instead of a name. Or a number based on the charter date of school or franchise. Done.
Offensive native american mascots
- Thread starter siouxshaver
- Start date
- Status
You mean like the Philadelphia '76ers?
But too many team-fans already wave those big rubber fingers that say "Were #1" ... it will become massive confusion.
And what about the recent Super Series (or was it the World Bowl?) where Seattle faced off against Denver ...
what if both teams choose "420" as their designation?
I, for one, look forward to a future Super Bowl matchup of the New England Begonias and the Carolina Marigolds.
I'm offended that you would associate a beautiful, delicate flower with such a violent sport!
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
We all had ancestors that were slaves, slave owners, rapist, rapees, pilligers, victims, cannibals and victims of that also. Many of us have Native American, Black, Irish, German etc. blood. Many people today make their living by dividing Americans. It seems the motto of many is "Life,Liberty and the pursuit of Umbridge.
I got you, and yep, I agree with the origin of the name, all true Blackhawk fans know the story!
Personally speaking, it's a nice looking logo, though I'd never advocate that the Blackhawks change theirs.
As others have mentioned, what some "perceive as offensive" is the whole point here.
Is someone's perceived offense over the use of the image of an animal less real than the perceived offense over the use of the image of a man?
Who gets to decide which perceived offense is worthy of having a logo or namesake change and which ones aren't worthy?
I'm going to root for the 42s.
Really?!? You always struck me as more of a 73s supporter . . . hunh.
I see a lot of comments about how people are easily offended these days, but shouldn't people whose race is being made a mockery of by a sports team have a legitimate right to be offended? There's a such thing as being easily offended, but then there are times when people should be rightfully offended. Would there be such indifference if there was a team called the Blackskins with a goofy caricature as it's logo?
I have absolutely no issue with someone who is a member of the potentially offended group saying so.
My irritation is mostly directed at those who seem to make a profession out of being offended FOR other groups.
Douglas Adams caused me to switch.
I've actually seen this on youth hockey jersies. I believe it was designed by someone of Native American heritage. As a Hawks fan I'm caught between two worlds on this issue. On the one hand, the Blackhawks logo is supposed to represent Chief Black Hawk, who is very much a respected figure in our Nation's and my own State's history. He was a leader, warrior AND an environmentalist. There is a statue that has been erected to him at one of the Illinois state parks, and for what it's worth the Blackhawks organization are helping to fund its preservation. It is my understanding that the reason that the team was called the Black Hawks was because the original owner of the team, served in the Black Hawk Unit during the First a World War. When I was a boy I actually did a school project on Chief Black Hawk because I wanted to learn more about what the name and logo represented. I think the issue with the Blackhawks is not as cut and dry as names such as the Redskins, or Chief Knock-A-Homa, or the Wahoo logo in Cleveland.
On the other hand, sensibilities of people of all ethnic groups should be respected, and if it is truly offensive and hurtful to most of them, then it seems to me that there should be a way to find another solution.
Lol. Missed the earlier post on the History of the the Blackhawks. Sorry for the repeat, oh and a quick correction: President Taft said that the statue was not a likeness of Black Hawk, but more of a representation.
Last edited:
That sums up my view on it too. Even if one might disagree with something, don't dismiss it out of hand as "PC crybabies looking for something to complain about" or whatever else. That's smug and elitist.
Whether or not you view the naming of sports' teams after native tribes something worth creating controversy over, one should at least recognize that it is a valid complaint for a lot of people who don't view it as an "honor," but remember their history as an oppressed people, whose land was taken from them, whose ancestors were exterminated, and sent on trips hundreds of miles away from their homes because some white guys told them they had to move. Now, one could say "Well it's 2015 now, and all that was in the 1800's, and we're all Americans." But that's whitewashing and sweeping it under the rug.
Or you could say "It's just sports, just a game, just a name," and that's a valid point as well.
But no one should dismiss what these tribes have to say on the matter. Just because Notre Dame has taken "Fighting Irish" and made it into a badge of honor doesn't mean everyone else has to if their ethnic name is being used.
Personally, I don't think the Redskins are going to have their name changed. I don't know about colleges because I don't follow college sports. But the detractors should have their voices heard as valid opinions, as part of a dialogue. That's how things get done.
So when will the correct amount of time have passed for those historical-victim arguments to go away? Someone else in this thread has rightly pointed out that with just a little digging we are ALL descended from "historically oppressed peoples". Heck, before Columbus landed, Indian tribes were very busy oppressing each other and stealing land from each other like crazy. Does the argument work between tribes? Or only against white people?
In my opinion the argument that a team name is simply derogatory, no more no less, carries far more weight on its own without all of the history-of-oppression stuff that gets thrown in.
Tell me a name is offensive, I may agree or disagree. Tell me a team name should be changed because Whitey stuck it to their ancestors 150 years ago, I shut down.
*shrug* Context is important in any issue. It helps understanding.
- Status
