"...said a dejected Solomon Little Owl..."
Hmmm he doesn't look too dejected :-) LOL. I think he realizes that he just hit the jackpot!
Posted on 03/19/2002 6:17:21 PM PST by zeugma
NEWS FROM THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY
2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Suite 100
Washington DC 20037
World Wide Web: http://www.LP.org
For release: March 19, 2002
Are the "Fighting Whities" offensive?
Should the feds ban that "racist" name?
WASHINGTON, DC -- The surprising popularity of the "Fighting Whities," a college basketball team whose sarcastic name was intended to get revenge for Indian-named sports teams like the Redskins, shows why the government shouldn't have the power to determine which sports team names are racist.
"As the Fighting Whities prove, racism is not a matter of black and white," said George Getz, the Libertarian Party's press secretary. "After all, what government bureaucrat could ever have guessed that white people would love the Fighting Whities?
"That's why the government should not be in the business of deciding what sports team names are offensive. Racism is such a subtle and unmeasurable thing that one-size-fits-all government mandates just don't work."
The Fighting Whities is the brainchild of several Native Americans at the University of Northern Colorado, who became angry when a local high school refused to change the name of its team, the Fighting Reds.
In protest, they named their intramural basketball team the Fighting Whities, and created a stereotypical mascot: A 1950s-style white man in a suit and tie, carrying a briefcase. They also adopted a slogan: "Every thang's gonna be all white!"
While intended to "turn the tables" on insensitive whites who support teams like the Redskins, the Braves, and the Indians, the reaction shocked the team founders: Caucasians loved the name, and bombarded them with congratulatory e-mails and requests to buy Fighting Whities jerseys.
"Some people don't realize what we're trying to do," said a dejected Solomon Little Owl, who helped organize the team.
Ironically, the intended-to-be-offensive-to-whites team name was created just as government demands to ban Indian-named sports teams have been gaining momentum.
In April 2001, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights said Indian-themed sports teams may "violate anti-discrimination laws," and should be dropped. In addition, a number of county school boards around the USA have banned Native American team names and mascots.
It's a nationwide debate, because as many as 3,000 professional, college, and high school sports teams have Indian-themed names.
However, decisions about appropriate names for sports teams should be made by team members, owners, coaches, parents, and perhaps local school officials -- not federal government bureaucrats, said Getz.
"The government is a blunt instrument: All it can do is prohibit, mandate, or bribe," he said. "If bureaucrats tried to use those blunt instruments to regulate sports team names, they would offend as many people as they pleased, since the issue of racism is very complex -- as the case of the Fighting Whities proves.
"After all, if the federal government banned Indian sports team names, it would have to ban the Fighting Whities, too -- since the Fighting Whities is as 'racist' as the Fighting Reds. And if the government took that action, it would outrage many whites who don't find the name racist at all."
That's why the government should just stay out of the sports team name debate, said Getz.
"The fact is, people's opinions about what constitutes racism are as divergent as the color of their skin, the content of their character, and their view of the world," he said. "That's why the government should not impose a monochromatic view on a wonderful, unpredictable rainbow of opinion."
Considering that this is an Academia based team, I would have assumed that the "Reds" referred to communists.
In all seriousness, I don't understand why Native Americans are offended by Indian names. I would look upon it as a point of honor when a team is named after an entity. The Green Bay Packers, for instance, were named in honor of the meat packing industry which originally financed the team. I just thank God the the Packers were named in general for an industry, and nothing specific. The "Green Bay Hormels" just wouldn't have cut it.
Now, as a Norwegian American, should I be offended by the Minnesota "Vikings"? Why, certainly. How would you like to have your ethnic heritage sullied by a bunch of crybabies? But I digress.
A few slow white guys who can't jump or slam dunk.
Inadvertantly, the reds have proved something to themselves. In order to be offended by names like "Fighting Reds", "Redskins", or "Braves", etc, you have to be insecure about your race.
There isn't a name you can call a white person that would offend them. Well...maybe, if you called a conservative a Democrat, or a liberal an American.
"...said a dejected Solomon Little Owl..."
Hmmm he doesn't look too dejected :-) LOL. I think he realizes that he just hit the jackpot!
What makes these guys think anyone besides themselves would choose to name their team after someone they had no respect for?
A group of people seeking to liberate all atriums.
No Little Owl, we know exactly what you are trying to do, that is why you have failed.
(But you made some nice money for your cause.)
Thornton Wilsap Norton Smith III.
Professional White Guy.
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