Life is good.
Summer is in full swing, the Trayvon/Zimmerman soap opera is finally fading away, government is probably reading only half our emails now, and the excitement of football is in the air.
Most important, though, is that America apparently has solved all of its problems. Otherwise, how could you possibly explain the fact that a cadre of congressman — both Republican and Democrat — recently sent a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder, every league team, and Redskins sponsor FedEx urging them — demanding, actually — that the Redskins name be changed because it was so racially demeaning to Indians. Oops. Native Americans. Sorry.
Really? That’s the most
dominant issue consuming our elected officials? Granted, if we had an
Indian nickel for every boneheaded thing Congress does, we’d all be
millionaires. But those congressmen need to be scalped for this one, and
publicly admonished until they turn red-faced with embarrassment.
This
is no time for peace pipes. We must, without reservation, not just hold
down the fort but go to war with those riding roughshod over hallowed
American traditions — fighting the people who love nothing more than to
chop away at things no one actually finds offensive. As with most issues
though, we lack a political chief brave enough to tackle this type of
political correctness. The biggest irony? If a leader painted this
picture as the insanity that it is, it wouldn’t be his last stand, but a
feather in his cap, because the vast majority of Americans recognize
that using Indian names isn’t offensive, but complimentary.
“Native Americans throughout the country consider the `R-word’ a racial, derogatory slur akin to the `N-word’ among African-Americans or the `W-word’ among Latinos,” the congressional letter states.
OK, a
little help on this one. Members of the United States Congress honestly
think “Redskin” is akin to the N-word? That may not be the stupidest
thing ever said, but it’s definitely top three. And the “W-word?” What
the hell is that? Since there are a whole lot more derogatory names for
Latinos, if you actually have to pause, pondering what the big “W” is
(and I’m still not 100 percent sure), I’d say these folks are making up a
problem where one doesn’t exist.
But of course, this insanity
doesn’t end with the Redskins (though they seem to have it the worst, as
they are also in a legal battle to maintain protection of their
Redskins trademark. Thankfully, Snyder has, to this point, resisted the
pressure and pledged to keep the name intact.
A recent debacle
unfolded in New York as the Mets, who had worked for months with the
American Indian Community House in planning a Native American Heritage
day at the ballgame, abruptly canceled the event because — are you ready
for this? — they were playing the Atlanta Braves! What playing the
Braves has to do with canceling the event is any rational person’s
guess, as is how anyone could find the festivities offensive in the
first place.
A Mets spokesman said “… our multicultural days and
nights are celebratory versus political in nature,” though it remains
unclear how Native American Heritage day is political. The result? No
singing, no dancing, no Indians. So instead of celebrating a spectacular
culture, opening the eyes of thousands to Native American traditions in
a positive way, the people got nothing, and the Indians got tomahawked
again.
While political correctness chalks up another win, how is that helpful in any way?
And
it’s not just sports where this warped mentality is taking hold, but
the classroom. Walk into any kindergarten during reading time, and you
will see the children gathered ‘round the teacher, all sitting
“crisscross-applesauce” on the floor. That used to be called
“Indian-style,” but the PC gods had a pow-wow and determined that such a
term was derogatory and racist, despite not a single child ever saying,
“I sat Indian-style today, so I hate Native Americans.”
Even
worse than the assault on Indian names is when otherwise intelligent
people give in so easily. St. John’s University was, and is, a top-notch
school that had never been associated with institutional racism or
bigotry of any kind, yet changed its team name from “Redmen” to “Red
Storm.” And if you’re going to cave, at least come up with a name that
has meaning. Outside of the red storm on Jupiter (or is it Uranus?),
what is a “Red Storm?”
Has it dawned on anyone to actually ask
the forgotten people — aka the Indians themselves — if they feel
offended? That doesn’t often happen, because when it does, turns out
many tribes welcome the use of Native American names. A Sports
Illustrated poll found that 83 percent of Native Americans have no
problem with the use of Indian names and mascots for sports teams.
But
that didn’t stop the deity known as the NCAA from imposing mandates
several years ago to jettison Indian names, threatening severe sanctions
for any school that kept names, logos, and mascots, as they were deemed
“hostile and abusive.” And if a university didn’t play ball? They would
be banned from hosting post-season championships and face forfeiture of
games, among other penalties.
Where does the craziness end?
What’s next? Animal rights groups demanding Penn State eliminate the
Nittany Lion because felines feel offended being identified with Jerry
Sandusky? Don’t laugh, because that’s exactly the type of political
correctness driving our country.
How can we expect to move forward as people when all we ever do is search for things which divide, rather than unite, us?
Were
Indians considered low man on the totem pole, stripped of their land
and human dignity — sometimes brutally — by early Americans? Without
question, as atrocities committed against them were unspeakable. No
reparations and no apology can ever fully right those wrongs.
But
America, despite the errors of its past, has shown the most remarkable
resilience of any nation in history not just to learn from its mistakes,
but to make things right and yes, better, for future generations. We
have seen triumphs for the descendants of the Irish and Italian
immigrants who faced major discrimination; the Chinese who built the
railroads under deplorable conditions; the Japanese interned during
World War II; the blacks who were enslaved; and yes, Native Americans.
Rather
than needlessly reopening old wounds, maybe those pushing political
correctness to satisfy their own personal agendas should take a hard
look at the everlasting tribute to Native Americans in the United
States. What more of an honor could there be to the Indian values of
hard work, conservation, respect of traditions, and pride than the fact
that 28 states are named for Indian tribes or words as well as numerous
professional sports teams (and at one time scores of colleges), and
countless high schools and businesses?
It’s time to stop this foolishness, for if we don’t, it will not end with the Indians. Watch out, Fightin’ Irish.
If the Washington Redskins change, then so every high school and college team with the same name. Then we should also rename the Indians, Braves, Chiefs, Black Hawks, Celtics (at least the logo), Reds, Fighting Irish, Pirates (evil rapists and pillagers), Yankees (offends people south of the Mason Dixon Line), Brewers (offends alcoholics), Giants (offends people with growth stunt gene), Avalanche (offends families of ski accident victims), Hurricanes (offends storm victims), Oilers (offends people with greasy hair)… Stop the madness!