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| "Fighting Whities" |
| 2002-03-13 |
They've managed to get a nice little tempest going in that little teapot, with the subject of course swerving back to naming teams after Injuns. Asked if high school and college teams should stop using Indian nicknames, 81% of Native American respondents said no. As for pro sports, 83% of Native American respondents said teams should not stop using Indian nicknames, mascots, characters and symbols. Opinion is far more divided on reservations, yet a majority (67%) there said the usage by pro teams should not cease, while 32% said it should.With the possible exception of the Washington Redskins (which I began mentally translating to "Washington Foreskins" around age 8), what's the fuss? Cleveland Indians? Atlanta Braves? If someone's holding your people up as models of toughness and heroism, something to be emulated, why get your back up? As a pure-bred Heinz 57 Merkin, the Injun part of me sees nothing wrong with it. The Italian half of me likes it and understands why they don't have the Pittsburgh Calabrese or even the Omaha Carbinieri. The 100% Hillbilly remainder of me thinks the whole thing's silly. And when was the last time you heard somebody bitch about the name of the Dallas Cowboys? Wonder if the University of Kabul's team is the "Fighting Hindoos" or the "Wahhabis"? |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |