Monday, February 29, 2016



British Leftists getting into the act over NFL Redskins

Two British lawmakers have written to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to complain about the nickname of the Washington Redskins ahead of the team's visit to London next season.

Ruth Smeeth and Ian Austin, who are members of the Labour Party, wrote in a letter dated Feb. 2 that the NFL 'should consider changing the name of the Washington franchise or, at a minimum, send a different team to our country to represent the sport, one that does not promote a racial slur.'

'A team's name is a club decision,' NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said. 'We recognize there are strong views on both sides of this.'

The NFL has been playing regular-season games in London since 2007.  Washington is scheduled to play the Cincinnati Bengals on Oct. 30 at Wembley Stadium.

The letter from the lawmakers said that there is 'deliberate insensitivity and apparent hostility to a prominent minority group' by using the Redskins name.

The team has maintained that it is meant to honor Native Americans, and Redskins owner Dan Snyder has said he will never change the nickname.

SOURCE 



12 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is my understanding that the Redskins name was chosen when the team started in Boston around 80 years ago because the coach and several team members were native Americans.

Bird of Paradise said...

So now the brits are getting inc involved in somethings not their concern whos next on the list to force some team to change their name becuase a bunch of long snooted busiebidies feel the need to stick their nosees into something thats not their concern?

Anonymous said...

As usual, Bird of Paradise doesn't understand the issue.

We can argue all day long whether the team should change their name, whether it is "offensive" or whatever.. That's not the real issue.

The fact of the matter is that the NFL is importing a product - the Redskins and all the merchandise, souvenirs and memorabilia - into the UK. The NFL must meet the standards for product names and merchandising for that country just like any other product would have to.

The US imposes labeling and advertising standards on all products sold in the US and now there are people who want to say that other countries cannot do what the US does. There are those who would also scream that people are looking to impose Sharia law within the US but have no problem imposing the US legal trademark and laws of the US on another country.

If you don't like the law that allows this to happen, work to change the law or don't import the product.

Bird of Paradise seems to think that the Brits have no interest in enforcing their own laws.

He is free to disagree with those laws, call them silly, work to change them or whatever. But to say they have no interest in enforcing their laws shows an incredible lack of ignorance and hypocrisy.

(And for the record, I don't care what the Washington team calls themselves.)

Anonymous said...

Anon 6:21 - What you said would be true if it weren't for what those British Lawmakers SAID in their letter. Like far too many people they are making an assumption based on a biased source and not taking the time to find out the real story.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 6:21,

There is a great deal of controversy over the origins of the name of the Redskins. There is evidence as Anonymous 2:46 pointed out, that the name was meant to honor players and coaches. There is also evidence that story was circulated to sanitize the name which was understood at the time to be offensive.

Ultimately, it doesn't matter what the origins of the team name is.

If the British find the name "offensive" and "racist" in applying their laws, that is their choice and their decision.

Don't expect or demand that other countries subscribe to laws in the US and then scream and yell when other countries want their laws applied within the US.

If the MP's want to say "no team name that offends us" at Wembley, that's fine. Germany is looking to host an NFL game so take it there. Take the game out of Britain. No problem. If the Brits want to lose the money from the game, that's fine with me.

I cannot address what the MP's and or the British people do. I can only point out that here in the US we expect and demand legal compliance with products and trademarks within our borders and so the English have the same right or expectation to demand compliance with their laws.

Anonymous said...

Does the Bengals name offend tigers? May they should change their name as well?
As someone with friends from Denmark, I find the name "Vikings" also offensive.
As someone who lives in Texas, I find the use of the name "Texans" offensive since they seem to lose a lot. List list could go on!

Spurwing Plover the fighting shorebird said...

Well only in Southern California at U.C. Santa Cruz do they have a stupid mascot that a big yellow slug and Stanford's got this rediculous looking tree

Anonymous said...

the UK is messed up. They allow anti-semites into their country all the time, Judeaphobes. HYPOCRISY.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps they should change their name to the Washington Redcoats. That might mollify the Brits, though they might take offense at the Washington part. Americans might then be offended by the Redcoats part. That is if their educations hadn't been dumbed down to the point they likely don't know what a Redcoat is. Equality in being offended, it's a beautiful thing.

Anonymous said...

Yes, Washington led a rebellion - just like the Confederates did later. One won and one lost. History is written by the winners!

Alpha Skua leader of the skuas said...

So whats next for these whining little whiners? I sure wish they would just Go Away

Legs Sparrow said...

Anon 10:02 I'm sure Bengal Tigers could'nt care less about the name we just have these attention mongers looking for the news cameras