Racial Epithets
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Racial Epithets
Moondance | Tuesday, October 24, 2000 - 09:12 pm  Team and/or Brand names with Racial Epithets |
Roger_Ramjet | Wednesday, October 25, 2000 - 11:58 pm  Well, I see I'm the first to post on this one. From my perspective, I've never known a sports team having such a name to have gotten it from an issue of disrespect....usually it's just the opposite. With that in mund, here are some thoughts. Sports teams with ethnic related names?? Maybe it’s because I don’t see harm intended….maybe it’s because I don’t see how it’s taken as a put-down. Indians Braves—the name of my son’s high school here in town. In college, name such as these have been changed. Well, maybe. USC Trojans—and that isn’t a condom on their helmets, or a mascot that looks like a condom riding on that horse when they score. So, is it disrespectful only if some of the people still live??? How about Pirates??? There is a group that isn’t looked upon as having a good standing with society…how come no outcry for them?? Again, are we only concerned when someone complains, and by the way, not weigh the complaint against the intent of why the situation exists. How about the Patriots??? A group of people that were thought highly of….none of the originals left….are we maligning them as well by having any given number of teams with that name?? How about the phrase “behind the 8 ball”???? I’ve heard that is not PC to say….so, make the 8 ball rainbow color and still see if people say that statement….if they do, take another look about why that statement is used. Isn’t it possible to say anything about an ethnic group and have respectful meaning behind it??? I’m more concerned about hearing the term “all men are shit”, or all men suck”, or “all women are nothing but whinny b***hes.” Now I don’t see much respect there----yet I hear them more frequently than these sports teams names that have an ethnic component to them. And there seems to be no problems compared to calling a football team the Braves. Hey, if it’s my head that’s screwed on backwards for this thinking, I’m more than happy to sit down with any of the groups affected and hear them out. Although I will ask them why they aren’t saying it for the groups that have no voices left…after all, it it’s right for one, it should be right for the other??? And how about them Vikings?????? |
Vykin | Thursday, October 26, 2000 - 06:43 am  lol roger, i saw that last comment!!! Seriously, I think racial epithets are seen more as an issue, than in other places (my response may be seen as prejudicial, biased or racial). I don't know what exactly it is. Actually I think I do. USA is a big country with many people. Obviously, americans have had the main issue of racism focus between blacks and whites. I don't dismiss these types of issues in other countries, but USA seems to focus on racism more. For some reason every thing that gets done, named, whatever comes which some form of racial stigmatism which shouldn't be. Perhaps many people have too much time on their hands, so they go out and form some special interest group to raise questions of racial epithism. This in my opinion diminishes the chance to "move forward" but keeps people in the past. It is not only the question of titles to sports teams. During the OJ Simpson trial when cries of racism were at their highest, CNN and other channels had many "analysts" and opinionists on. One constant I picked up was for example: The LA Police Department. Within the system, there is an overall association for policemen, then they have a whole lot more other associations within. i.e. Association for Black Police Officers, Assoc. for Hispanic POs, etc. etc. One day I found myself thinking perhaps that in itself is why the Americans can't get rid of racism. Too many separate groups meeting with their own specific agendas. I thought - NO ONE IS MEETING IN THE SAME ROOM. As a result, less people work towards a common goal. This when I believe all the thousands of grps out there run out of ideas, then focus on ridiculous things like take the "Indian" out of the Braves. etc. as Roger stated. Its stupid -its a red herring. What is a more important objective for people? To spend time lobbying to get the name of sports teams or other teams changed - or, to consolidate as one group and ensure that REAL issues such as a black man being dragged behind a pickup truck till he dies are stopped. So, in conclusion, "get rid of the zillions of special interest groups, reorganize in to less groups but with greater numbers and impact, and stop wasting time wondering whether the name of a sports team should be changed. The name is optics, its the content (the players) that really counts. |
Moondance | Thursday, October 26, 2000 - 10:06 am  I agree that the USA is much more sensitive and focused on racism but it is a free country and with freedom comes limits ... there is a so called balance to everything. It is when the balance is so far off when things get bad. I will use the sport teams as an example. Will changing the names of sports teams make everyone happy? Everyone is going to have a complaint about something. Can't make everyone happy all the time. But you can have respect for groups who are truly offended. I myself as a Native American, am not offended when I see the Washington Redskins... In my head it represents a football team, not the First Nations. But if as a group the Native Americans are, then I will respect their opinion and be willing to keep an open mind, stand behind them and lend my support. I understand both sides but I do think for what they went through, we owe them respect ... that much we can do. I do not think the teams like ... the 'Yiddish Team' or the 'Jumping Beans' (these are just examples) would last very long because it is obviously disrespectful ... the Native Americans see ... redskins as disrespectful so I understand! We are accustomed to calling them the Redskins but does that still make it right? Do I think it makes a big difference... I believe it does in the big picture. It's all perception, I guess. |
Vykin | Thursday, October 26, 2000 - 03:35 pm  Agree Moon. Thought of a little joke, I once heard I'll put it here instead of the Improv Segregation in the United States had ended. One area of change was school children on busses. Previously the black children sat at the back of the bus, the white children at the front. With the change to equality, the Bus Driver began the first new day of change with the following: "Okay you kids, before it was whites up front, blacks at the back of the bus. From now on we are changing colors so everyone is equal. You will all be the color Green". Kids thought thats fair. Once everyone agreed to Green, the Bus Driver tells the kids to get on the bus, "Okay the dark green kids go to the back of the bus, the light green kids go to the front" I thought that "joke" said alot about how titles can change, but in the end, its still the same - nothing changes. |
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