Posted on 12/15/2004 11:36:03 AM PST by add925
Forgetting, for the moment, the Cincinnati Bengals, Minnesota Vikings, Notre Dame Fightin' Irish, New York Yankees, et al. Our Chicago White Sox may be a racist name, who knows?
Them's fightin' words :-)
"I'm not Irish - how do the Irish feel about it? I think it portrays the Irish as drunken violent louts. If that's how the Irish want to see themselves, then fine."
We're fine with it but thanks for the sensitivity.
I seem to remember some tribe picketing the Kansas City Chiefs over their name in the last few years.
NOw that's just stupid. I can't see anything even remotely offensive or disparaging with regard to the Chiefs.
bump
A day later, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports:
http://www.cleveland.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news/1103193336150170.xml?nohio
Given that we don't have a history of mass-killing Irish people in this country, I would say the Indian's mascot is more offensive in context by far.
The ony team that I think reallly should (but not by force) change its name is the redskins, that was always a derogatory term. Look at the niners and vikings mascotts...
Ok, but treatment of the Irish even at its worst is practically saintly when compared to Indians. The little green irishman is silly, but I know plenty of irish people who would wear it. I doubt a native american would wear that smiling face.
One can Ignore HIstory in that the Cleveland indians are named to honor the first Native American to play the game and be offended by a cartoon character but it shows thier stupidity. I see Cheif Wahoo as being no different than the idiot running up and down the sidelines at ND games, the ;Viking' at minnestoa games, or anything else.
So what? I can name a company after Frederick Douglass and then refuse to sell to blacks. Actions speak louder. Wahoo is a Sambo, and people will look back on him in shame after he is gone.
Have the Indians stopped letting Native Americans to ball games? do they restrict them to sit in poor seats? Stop trying to compare apples and Oranges...
The is more of the wussification of America...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.