There are almost 600 different Native American Tribes in this country, they talked to three. I would estimate that I am acquainted with well over a hundred Native Americans in a few different states and I bet it is less than 5% that even care which way it goes. So in my little circle the overwhelming majority don't care one way or another.
Here is a little history lesson. The first Native American slaves "servants" were taken by Columbus in 1492 when they landed in the America's and things went steadily bad for my people. in contrast the first black slaves didn't ARRIVE in America until 1619, brought here by African slave owners from Africa. For African Americans that want to ***** about being forced from their land, put the blame where it belongs.. other Black people. My people were forced from a land that only we knew until Columbus got here. My ancestors suffered well over 150 years longer and in my opinion to a much greater degree or at least equal to what the blacks did.
I said all of this to say this. The Native American people have gotten past all of the atrocities for a couple reasons. First we realize that holding people accountable for something that happened generations ago is asinine. Second you can not ever achieve inner peace if you continue to hang onto hatred and enact violence at every turn.
Let me end by saying this. A persons skin color or what they are called does not define who they are, only their actions and the culture they choose to live in along with the ignorance they choose to live in about their own history. Let me add this, although I am proud of my heritage I am not proud of some of the atrocities my people committed on innocent white people while fighting with the government.
so go ahead and call your sports team what ever you want to, just remember to hit the local casino while your in town...
My bottom line was simply if there is a majority consensus among Native Americans that the name should be done away with, then lose it, because what’s good for black people should be good for Native American people.
Im sure if some sports team were called some name associated with black people, (let alone having a caricature as in the case of the Cleveland Indians Chief Wahoo), it would have been done away with 40 years ago.
I’m playing devils advocate here.
Another argument I’ve heard is that the name may not even be offensive, but to group a “race” of people with animals, bandits, and pillagers ie…Vikings, Raiders, Buccaneers, Pirates is not cool.
Of course skin color doesn’t define a person, but it sure does to many not their color. I’ll keep my view about Arab Muslims to myself.
All that said, one poll confirms your position that the majority of Native Americans don’t give a damn about the name.
Polls and Surveys:
- Early Polls:
.
Some early polls, like a 2016 Washington Post poll, indicated that a large majority of Native Americans were not bothered by the name.
However another poll in 2020 indicates that the 2016 poll was flawed. Almost half do not approve.
I’m sure others appreciated the history lesson, but always having an interest in history I’m very well aware of the enslavement of Native Americans prior to the North Atlantic slave trade.
Hell, everyone was a slave and everyone owned slaves!
Yes African chieftains owned slaves captured from rival tribes who then were sold to the white man, likewise, Native Americans enslaved other Native Americans.
Native American tribes also owned black slaves.
There were thousands of black slaveowners in the US.
Then there was the North African slave trade which proceeded the North Atlantic by some 700 years. It was conducted by Muslims whom enslaved mainly Eastern Europeans from which the
Slavic peoples got their name.
I’m of Slavic descent, so my ancestors may have been slaves too! Give me my reparations!
Thomas Jefferson had a Koran in his library in order to try to understand how those people think. We’re still trying to understand them to this day.
Lest we forget about the Irish being victims of slavery to an extent.
The Japanese enslaved the Koreans and Chinese.
I’m sure the Chinese enslaved somebody.
Getting back to names, let me ask you this.
Pretend the name “Redskins” never existed for a sports team.
Say a new sports franchise is granted to some city. What would be your reaction if the name Redskins was considered to honor Indians.
Forget the woke crap, I don’t think it would fly no matter who you are.
Maybe I’m wrong but I would imagine even the most anti woke conservative would find the name at least a bit tacky, only because I’m one of those anti woke conservatives.
