After Further Review: Washington Redskins Team Name Should Stand Adam Mousa A Native American man of the

Beothuk tribe painted his face with red as he went into battle. As she was welcomed into the tribe, a newborn was decorated with red ochre. A thief was forbidden his red stripes as punishment for his crimes. In Native American culture, the ceremonial vermilion was used to symbolize honor and tribal pride. As European settlers encroached on Native American land in the late 18th century, the natives identified themselves as redskins in reference to their tradition and in order to differentiate between the two groups. Since the term was coined, its usage and implications have changed as it did indeed take on a derogatory form in the early 1900s. However, in the spirit of the original usage of the term, the Washington Redskins team name is a tribute to the pride, strength and courage of the Beothuk tribe and all Native Americans. A team name, chosen in celebration of a people to whom all Americans owe a great deal, should not be changed because of its derogatory past. Instead, we should all be reminded of its noble origins. The topic has gained so much attention and is sensitive because it touches on the very foundations of this nation. It is a reminder of the myth of an ideal nation founded for the sake of equality and justice for all, to one that in reality brutally wiped out and displaced native inhabitants. Contrary to the way U.S. history has treated Native Americans, the football team was named to celebrate an often ignored population. It was not named to omit or suppress this population as we continue to do today, by things like celebrating Christopher Columbus without mention of the heinous acts committed against Native Americans. The Boston Braves of the NFL were founded in 1932; the next year, owner George Preston Marshall decided to change the name of the team to the Boston Redskins. The head coach at the time, William Henry Dietz, identified as a Native American and Marshall made the switch to honor Dietz. While Dietzs heritage is disputed, Marshall honored Native American traditions with the change. He continued to celebrate those traditions when he created the popular team fight song Hail to the Redskins and at times asked players to wear red paint on the field during games. A similar issue that has never arisen, perhaps due to lack of knowledge, is the naming of the state of Oklahoma. The word Oklahoma itself comes from the Choctaw word meaning red people. The name was initially suggested by a member of the Choctaw tribe. Both the Redskins and Oklahoma share a common purpose to honor Native Americans and not offend. None of this means we should ignore the time in history, and even the present day, when the term redskin was used negatively. That is likely the reason many are taken aback by the name. But among the Native American population the true origins of the name seem not to be forgotten. In a 2004 National Annenberg Election Survey with a sample of Native Americans across 48 states, 9 out of 10 said they were not bothered by the name Washington Redskins. While Native Americans seem to be aware of the positive connotations associated with redskin in their own history, the general American population may not. Raising the understanding and

consciousness of not only the celebratory aspect of the term redskin but Native American history is crucial in resolving this conflict.

Recently, however, the Washington Redskins have become victims of a debate spiraling out of control. After well-known figures made comments on the issue, including President Obama and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, the discussion gained steam and many decided to join in. Few, however, cite history of Native Americans and the original meaning of the term. Instead, all that is considered is the racist meaning used by non-Native Americans. In the absence of historical contextualization, a range of erroneous comparisons were made to illustrate the unacceptability of the term. Most notably, redskin has been put in the same category as the n-word. The n-word first began as a way to identify African slaves by non-Africans and there was never a time in history when the n-word was innocently utilized. To this day, the nword is used in a derogatory form. Redskin was used as a self-identifying attribute of pride and is presently almost exclusively used in reference to the Washington football team. The fact that others in history have used redskin in a derogatory way does not mean the term should be stripped of its original meaning. Native Americans have been wronged for centuries; they were robbed of their land, basic dignity and humanity. The least that can be done is to pay tribute and respect to their culture and heritage. George Preston Marshall did just that as he named his football team the Redskins. Instead of reversing this homage, people should be educated about the origins of the term redskin and the noble traditions of the indigenous people of this country. It is not the name of the football team that should be changed, it is American awareness of their own history, including its dark moments, and the history of those native to its land. Removing of the name of the Washington Redskins would just be ignoring the existence of Native Americans, as too often has been done.