Costas: Redskins 'an insult, a slur'

[petegz28]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/b...edskins-101313

[KC native]

Originally Posted by frazod

I just see what everyone else sees. You're a terribly unhappy person and project it all over this board.

Have you ever considered counseling? It might help.

irony

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Rausch

So when a black man calls another black man ****er they are enraged, insulted, and angered every time because it's emotional and can't be controlled.

Right?...

Obviously not. Consider the context.

However, one of them calls another a "house" n-word, then that carries with it a whole set of implications and derogatory hate that the word by itself doesn't generate amongst themselves.

The context plays into the psychological viscera. For instance, I can playfully call my lady the B word in the right, fun context. But with piss and vinegar attached to the word, it becomes something else entirely, and her reaction to it is something else entirely -- and justifiably so.

[Direckshun]

By the way -- this has evolved into a terrific discussion.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

Obviously not. Consider the context.

Oh, so now context matters?

Meaning you think about the situation and then DECIDE if you are insulted or not?

Am I following?

Originally Posted by Direckshun

The context plays into the psychological viscera. For instance, I can playfully call my lady the B word in the right, fun context. But with piss and vinegar attached to the word, it becomes something else entirely, and her reaction to it is something else entirely -- and justifiably so.

So both CONTEXT and INTENT come in to play?

Again, this means YOU MAKE THE DECISION when and if to be insulted.

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by patteeu

A slur is a derogatory term. Why would any NFL team name itself something derogatory? This is a creation from within the offended.

I see your point, but have you considered this:

They're called the ****ing Redskins. Red. Skins.

Use the term in a non-football context without sounding like a racist or a housewife from the 19th Century. And no, I'm not talking about the ****ing potatoes.

Can you do it? I can't.

"That Redskin down the street washed his car."

"Make sure you look your doors when driving through the Redskin Reservation on Highway 2."

"To meet office diversity requirements, it would be good if we hired a Redskin."

Red.

****ing.

Skins.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Rausch

Oh, so now context matters?

Meaning you think about the situation and then DECIDE if you are insulted or not?

Am I following?

So both CONTEXT and INTENT come in to play?

Again, this means YOU MAKE THE DECISION when and if to be insulted.

Context and intent help sculpt the impact that derogatory words make.

I'm happy to admit that me calling a black man the N-word will have a different visceral impact that another black man calling him that.

I'm also happy to admit that me calling a black man the N-word will have a different visceral impact than a team of white people calling themselves the Harlem N-words. But they are both capable of creating adverse reactions, reactions that will be visceral.

You understand that you don't decide feelings, right?

You can react to your feelings, and channel them properly and deal with them as best as you can. But you can't decide what your feelings are.

[mlyonsd]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

The name is derogatory. It names somebody by the color of their skin. That's kinda the point.

So you're saying I reserve the right to be offended when I'm called a white male or white person.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by SNR

I see your point, but have you considered this:

They're called the ****ing Redskins. Red. Skins.

Use the term in a non-football context without sounding like a racist or a housewife from the 19th Century. And no, I'm not talking about the ****ing potatoes.

Can you do it? I can't.

"That Redskin down the street washed his car."

"Make sure you look your doors when driving through the Redskin Reservation on Highway 2."

"To meet office diversity requirements, it would be good if we hired a Redskin."

Red.

****ing.

Skins.

When was the last time you heard someone refer to a Native American as a "redskin"?

For me, that would be "never."

It's not like the Lakota are making rap videos calling each other redskins. Do you think gangs of young Cheyennes roll up on each other saying "Yo, redskin, I'm gonna bust a cap in yo ass"?

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by frazod

When was the last time you heard someone refer to a Native American as a "redskin"?

For me, that would be "never."

It's not like the Lakota are making rap videos calling each other redskins. Do you think gangs of young Cheyennes roll up on each other saying "Yo, redskin, I'm gonna bust a cap in yo ass"?

It's an antiquated term. Like Archer calling Lana a quadroon.

Doesn't mean it's a good idea to name your football team after it.

[stevieray]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

You can react to your feelings, and channel them properly and deal with them as best as you can. But you can't decide what your feelings are.

...but only if it's a white man saying it.

....still racist.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by mlyonsd

So you're saying I reserve the right to be offended when I'm called a white male or white person.

If it's used in a derogatory way, I don't see why not.

The problem is, there's virtually no circumstance where redskin and the n-word can be used in a way that's not derogatory.

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

Argument from authority. That's a logical fallacy.

Because a team chose to name itself doesn't mean it's impossible for an inappropriate ethnic slur to have been the selected name.

Except that they didn't. It's not an ethnic slur to call a dark skinned man a "black man" so why is it a slur to call an American Indian a redskin if it's done in a positive way like it is in the case of the Washington NFL team?

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

The name is derogatory. It names somebody by the color of their skin. That's kinda the point.

Clearly you didn't think this through.

[Baby Lee]

You see, redskin COULD be used as a slur, it never is but it could be. People use the term exclusively to refer to a football team with no animus directed anywhere. But what if some did say it with hate in his heart, well then it would be. But it isn't, but it unequivocally is, because it could, even though it isn't.

Something no one does should govern what we think of a certain set of vocal vibrations, because it could be derogatory in the right circumstances, though it's never used that way, but it could be.

Feels like.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by patteeu

Except that they didn't. It's not an ethnic slur to call a dark skinned man a "black man" so why is it a slur to call an American Indian a redskin if it's done in a positive way like it is in the case of the Washington NFL team?

I invite you to answer SNR's challenge.

Find me one way that you can use redskin in a socially acceptable way outside of a sports team's name.

I'm not saying it's impossible, but I'm saying I can't think of a single way.

If that's the case, then maybe a sports team's name isn't the magical oasis of racial imperviousness that you thought it was.