The original term ‘Red Skin’ was not conceived as a slur
by: Keith Farrell
It was reported yesterday that Ray Halbritter, the man behind the anti-Redskins campaign, is not a legitimate member of his tribe and has been criticized for not paying fellow tribe members fairly. Though his heritage may be in question, Halbritter’s connections are not. He attended a pricey Obama fundraiser in January of 2012. Is it any wonder Obama has weighed in on the matter?
Regardless of Mr. Halbritter’s credibility, the Redskins name controversy is one which arises every several years. In 2005 Smithsonian Institution senior linguist Ives Goddard spent seven months researching the term and concluded it was first used by Native Americans as a way to distinguish themselves from whites. The term ‘Red Skin’ was not conceived as a slur.
The term is a descriptor and nothing more. It is no different from calling someone white. Some may ask if it is not insensitive to name a team after a race. But team names are often taken from history or nature and always meant to be fierce and have valor. A team name has to be something players can be proud to be a part of and fans can root for. Naming a team after Native Americans is more of an honor than it is in any way in insult. After all, Americans love cowboys and no one is assuming the name of Dallas’s football team is disparaging the hardworking cattle ranchers of America.
Outspoken liberal and NBC sports commentator Bob Costas dedicated his halftime remarks during last Sunday night’s Redskins v. Cowboys game to call on the team to change its name. He called the term a “slur” in an appeal to viewers.
Video- Bob Costas’s Half Time Remarks:
Words only have the power we give to them. Consider the term ‘Indian.’ It originally only meant a person from Indian. Now the term American Indian has been adopted by Native Americans. We choose to see that as a historic term and not one disparaging to the Native people. We can also choose to see the term Redskins as nothing more than what it is: the name of Washington D.C.’s pro football team.
