California close to banning 'Redskins' mascots ...

ESPN. com news service | January 29, 2004 | Unknown

[BluH2o]

SACRAMENTO -- In addressing an issue that professional sports teams such as the Washington Redskins have faced and resisted in recent years, the California State Assembly passed a bill Thursday that would require the state's middle and high schools to drop "Redskins" as their mascots if the bill becomes law.

The Assembly passed the bill 43-20 after a lengthy, passionate debate about Native American-related mascot names that are common throughout California and the nation.

If passed by the Senate and signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the ban would begin in January 2006 and make California the first state to issue such a ban for all its public elementary, middle and high schools.

The move was a compromise to pass a bill that originally called to ban eight names common for sports teams and school spirit, including Indians, Braves, Chiefs, Apaches, Comanches, Papooses and Warriors.

Schools in Tulare, Gustine, Calaveras, Pine Valley, Colusa and Chowchilla use "Redskins" as school mascots.

State officials estimate the change will cost schools about $125,000.

"The California Department of Motor Vehicles won't issue this as a personal license plate because it's derogatory, yet we allow California high school students to wear this on their sweat shirts and uniforms," said Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg, D-Los Angeles, who authored the bill.

Thursday's vote came more than a year Goldberg's first attempt to ban the names at public schools, community colleges and state universities failed in the Assembly.

Many Republicans voted against the measure, saying the state has more important business, including a cash crisis and a broken workers' compensation system.

Assemblyman Dave Cox, R-Fair Oaks, said the compromise represented the incremental beginning of eventually banning all Native American-related names.

"I was disappointed the Washington Redskins didn't make the playoffs," he said, regarding the National Football League team.

Cox also read Sacramento County street names with Native American names and suggested lawmakers would also try to ban such military terms as Apache helicopters and Tomahawk missiles.

But supporters said incremental change is necessary.

"Sometimes incremental change is all you can get," said Assemblyman Jerome Horton, D-Inglewood.

"I am sad we cannot go further today," said Goldberg. "But I am not willing to let another year go by that we would allow this state's public funds to keep a shameful name like Redskins on the books."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

[BluH2o]

Loopy, touchy feely left coast (CA) legislatures with much to much time on their hands ... com'on 'Ahnold' get a life.

[Semper Paratus]

What are they going to do about the "California Golden Bears"?

[SunStar]

What are they going to do about the "California Golden Bears"?

There's no possibility of offending an ethnic group with this name...

[NTegraT]

For the life of me, I can't understand why the "redskins" offends anyone. Seems they should be just as proud as having a mascot called the "vikings."

[Always Right]

From now on all Redskins teams will be renamed the Foreskins.....

[Puppage]

BAN. BAN BAN

[BluH2o]

Amen ... very well said!

[goldstategop]

Liberals are hurt by names but not by the prospect of a fiscal meltdown? Gee, go cry me a river. Our ultra-liberal State Legislature has its priorities in order and they include banning a politically incorrect expression but not getting our fiscal house in order. The Democrats here are nuts. Yeah, "Redskins" frightens the living daylights out of schoolkids and nosiree, we can't have that - though you gotta wonder how previous generations didn't grow up bigoted and anti Native American.

[BluH2o]

Our ultra-liberal State Legislature has its priorities in order and they include banning a politically incorrect expression but not getting our fiscal house in order. The Democrats here are nuts ...

The same can be said of virtually all democ"RATS" ... no matter where they populate this nation.

[longtermmemmory]

Replace all names "redskins" with "sheep"

or
(S)
give teams serial numbers.

go 94876340! 94876340 go go go!

(/s)

[mbynack]

We should eliminate all mascots that could possibly be construed as offensive. No more Native American mascots, no more offensive animal mascots (PETA finds them offensive), no more mascots named after specific groups of people (like Patriots, Packers, 49ers, etc.)

In fact, we should limit team mascot names to non-offensive meat-free food items. I think that names like Twinkies, Cream Puffs, and Soy Burgers should be mandatory.

[kaktuskid]

What about the San Diego State AZTECS (isn't that an injun tribe)?

[HRC]

"State officials estimate the change will cost schools about $125,000."
Heck, this should cost nothing more than the price of a couple pens so they can cross out the "skin" part of the name, and just display the "red___s", that would be preferable name for the California PC lawyers.

[Dan from Michigan]

including Indians, Braves, Chiefs, Apaches, Comanches, Papooses and Warriors.

Aren't Apaches, Comanches, and Papooses the proper names of the tribes? And Warriors? Can't that term apply to most ethnic groups outside the modern French? Same with "Braves?"

In Mt Pleasant, Central Michigan's team is called the Chippewas. The tribe near there is the Saginaw Chippewa tribe which is very active. Eastern Michigan(in liberal Ypsilanti, next to Ann Arbor) though changed their name from the Hurons to the Eagles because of white liberals whining.

Oh yeah, what are they going to do about my ethnic sports mascots? Notre Dame's leprechaun? Talk about a caricature.......:)

[Dan from Michigan]

Gotta ban the Lions and Tigers....whoops can't have the Pistons either. Cars are bad.....causes pollution

That leaves the Red Wings...whoops, isn't that wheel that the wing is attached to....car again...ban it!!!

And as for the food idea. Twinkies are bad for us, so they need to be banned too...

[judgeandjury]

"I am sad we cannot go further today," said Goldberg. "But I am not willing to let another year go by that we would allow this state's public funds to keep a shameful name like Redskins on the books."

I guess Goldberg has no problem with our government referring to Caucasian people as white.

[Salgak]

".. . .and in tomorrow's SuperBowl 47, it's the Los Angeles Tofu versus the New York Bean Sprouts. . ."

[bruin66]

What about the San Diego State AZTECS (isn't that an injun tribe)?

We were the Mark Keppel High Aztecs.