Redskins -- Offensive word or just a football team -- discuss

Spanish people have a big problem with black people because they keep calling black crayons "Negros"

Quote: Wizard

Where were you when I needed you? At the time I didn't know what my rights were on Indian land.

Regarding the discussion of word Redskins, it is my understanding that it is offensive except if used to refer to the football team. Some are evidently offended even at that usage, but I'm not. Much like I'm not offended by the mention of Nigger Jim in Huckleberry Finn.

I'll split off the posts about that topic if it goes on much further.

Well, if I start referring to many of the conservatives here as Obama lovers, or Obama voters, or Obama supporters, according to the current logic, they needn't be offended.

Who cares if it's true. Most flattery, (and I consider it such) is often less than true, and most people react in a version of "aw shucks, thanks for the compliment"

So, I guess if I consider it a compliment, that should be good enough for them. Who cares if they think it is like "redskins" in offensiveness to other people.

Quote: Sabretom2

BTW, the N word was never widely accepted as suggested here.

I am not sure how old you are Sabretom2 but when I was a kid in the 50's it was used all the time and not as a derogatory term. That was in Canada and not the southern US.

Politically correct video of the usage of the N-word.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mwNbTL3pOs

Amazed at all the BULLSHIT excuses people, post to keep the, name REDSKINS. Get a life and shut up. Just change the name.
LOSERS ( exempting Aceofspades ).

Quote: Buzzard

Amazed at all the BULLSHIT excuses people, post to keep the, name REDSKINS. Get a life and shut up. Just change the name.
LOSERS ( exempting Aceofspades ).

Buzz, I love the way you just get to the point.

It's hard to understand the issue, from this side of the Atlantic.

Correct me if I'm wrong:
It is OK to speak of "ragheads" when the US army goes slaughtering hordes of Iraqi or Afghan civilians.
It is not OK to speak of "niggers" or "redskins" when they have the American nationality.

What about Amazonians or Africans?

The French equivalent is "nègre" (fem. "négresse").
Tosday, nobody would dare speak of black people as "nègres". But previously it was a common term. There was a colonialist semi-racist view of Africans, but it was not the word, it was the world view.
Somehow, the word has been burdened with the charge.

But there is a pop group called "Les négresses vertes" and no one is stirred.
We still speak of "art nègre" and "musique nègre". Senghor, Senegal writer, wrote of his "négritude", in a proud way.


But now, we never had such a large part of the population as in the US. This may explain why "nigger art" sounds much much more offensive than "art nègre".

Quote: kubikulann

It's hard to understand the issue, from this side of the Atlantic.

Correct me if I'm wrong:
It is OK to speak of "ragheads" when the US army goes slaughtering hordes of Iraqi or Afghan civilians.
It is not OK to speak of "niggers" or "redskins" when they have the American nationality.

What about Amazonians or Africans?

Believe me, it's hard from this side as well. Should I be offended if someone calls me paleface?

Exactly where is that line between descriptor and slur?

The only time I've used the word redskin to identify native Americans was in this thread. I've never heard anyone else use the word as a derogatory term (ok maybe in a 50s cowboy movie). Don't we have enough to deal with other than this made up nonsense. Nothing like a wedge issue to attract votes and checks.