It's that time of year again, the time where we have a debate about a certain name of a team in the NFL that should or shouldn't still exist in 2016. That's right folks, the debate over the name "Redskins" has hit the main stream again, though this time the defense of the name got some ammunition.
Those bullets come in the form of a Poll put out by the Washington post that asked whether the name was offensive to 504 self-proclaimed Native Americans. In a surprising twist, 9 out of 10 of the people polled said that they do not believe the name is offensive. Well, if 90% of 504 people don't find it offensive then it must not be then right?!
Forget the fact that 504 people is an incredibly small number to then extrapolate their response to millions of people in the country sharing that same opinion. Also, that only 44% of the 504 people surveyed were actually registered as part of a Native American tribe is a non-factor too apparently. After all, 90%!
Here is the thing, people can choose to be offended and not offended by all sorts of things. However, that doesn't change THE FACT that "Redskins" is a dictionary defined slur. This isn't an opinion at all, the writers of our English Language decided this many years ago. It is a slur, whether the majority of people find it offensive or not.
To put out this poll and plaster everywhere "9 out of 10 Native Americans do not find the name offensive" because 90% of 504 people answered a question that way is preposterous to me anyway. If you went to the original Woodstock and put out a survey about drug use in the 60's it would have had a huge percentage saying that it was thought of "highly". However, that doesn't then become proof that everybody thought that way!
That is an extreme example because the Washington Post probably didn't send this survey out to people in environments that obviously would have had no negative feelings about the name, but it still goes to show that polls can easily be manipulated to gain the numbers that you want to project. That only 44% of these individuals in the survey were actually registered Native Americans instead of just self-proclaimed goes to this point as well, because why would they not send it out to only registered tribe members?
The other part of this that get's me is acting like 1 out of 10 people being offended is fine, because 10% of Native Americans in the country would still be a very large number of people offended by the name. That is still more than enough people being offended in my mind to make the change, it is a plenty large enough minority for the majority to respect and adjust for.
Cue the "Next will be the Cowboys name because they killed the Native Americans" arguments and the "PC world is so soft" bullshit. Maybe it is the minority of people that believe it's offensive but that it is still enough that the majority of people should respect it, if it was up to the majority of people on everything MANY things would have never changed.
No surveys in the world will change the history of that word nor the fact that it is a slur. Even if there was a survey that could accomplish that it sure as hell would be conducted on more than just 504 people. Have fun in the comments section below, it is sure to be a doozy,
Most Native Americans not offended by Washington team name: poll - NY Daily News
Many people find the Washington NFL team’s name to be distasteful, ignorant and even racist.
Poll: 9 in 10 Native Americans do not oppose 'Redskins' name | Shutdown Corner - Yahoo Sports
From Yahoo Sports: A new Washington Post poll has shown broad support among Native Americans for the 'Redskins' team name.
Dan Snyder's resolve strengthened by latest poll on Redskins name - Washington Redskins Blog- ESPN
A new Washington Post poll found that 90 percent of Native Americans aren't bothered by the team's name.
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