What's In A Name

Sports writers in the Northwest are refusing to mention the Seattle Seahawks' play-off opponent by mascot, saying the label, Redskins, is offensive to that region's Native American population. The 'Skins are simply mentioned as Washington, the Seahawks' opponent this weekend.

I'm conflicted.

As a Blue-Collar Kid from Janesville, I see the silliness and stupidity in expressing moral outrage over a sports mascot.

As an enlightened graduate of a private, East Coast university, I object to a mascot that refers to government-sponsored genocide of aboriginal peoples; returning dead bodies to collect bounties became too cumbersome, so hunters simply lopped-off the portion of Indian skulls with hair. The red skins were proof of a dead "savage" and bounties were then disbursed.

On one hand, the huge volume of Indian-themed mascots speaks to the ultimate heritage of our nation - a compliment of sorts. On the other hand, well, should we memorialize our heritage with images of Cleveland's Chief Wahoo?

And there's the conundrum.

The Cleveland Indians doesn't bother me any more than Jeep Cherokees. Braves, Chiefs, Warriors; it all has become so ingrained into our marketing culture.

If we look long and hard enough, we can be offended by nearly everything. As the most diverse nation on earth, and the freest nation on earth, someone is bound to offend someone, somewhere.

Speedy Gonzalez, Aunt Jemimah; stereotypes have sold everything from Irish whiskey to kosher wine.

Immigrants remind us of why they come to America -- we invite them;

Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me:
I lift my lamp beside the golden door

But once here, the rest of us reserve the right to make fun of the new kids in class -- it is our heritage. We make fun of you until you win your own power -- corrupt Irish cops, Italian mafia bosses, Jewish bankers -- preceding immigrants have always exerted power over those immigrants that followed.

Ellis Island was not a social security office. After we Americanized their names, to make it, immigrants had to earn it, or had to take it.

But here is where the story separates. Indians, as we are all reminded every Thanksgiving, were already here. And soon enough, pilgrims became cowboys and politicians and set-out to kick ass over anything that blocked our Manifest Destiny.

Read this book.

Redskins? Redmen? Funny way to honor our American heritage. Not.

But go 'Skins!