Posted on Jun 21, 2014
SSgt Structural Craftsman
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SGT Allison Churchill
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Yes, people who want to be offended will always find something offensive if they look hard enough.

But every other team name that people are listing as possibly offensive was at one point a nickname for a group of people that they themselves used. Notre Dame U. was started by Irish people, and Irish people created the "Fighting Irish" team name.

"Redskins" was never a positive term. Never. It's a leftover from a really ugly period of America's history. It should have never been a team name to begin with, and there's no reason for it to be a team name now.
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SGT Allison Churchill
SGT Allison Churchill
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I'll concede you're right on the first part; however, the second part has been discredited: http://thinkprogress.org/sports/2014/05/30/3443168/redskins-founder-i-didnt-name-team-to-honor-native-americans/

In either case, the word's been used as a slur for at least 100 years. Would you walk up to a stranger you believed to be Native American and call them a Redskin?
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SGT Healthcare Specialist (Combat Medic)
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Are we going to change the Atlanta Braves as well?
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MSG(P) Michael Warrick
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Now they are targeting the Kansas City Chiefs because of their name!
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SSgt Structural Craftsman
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Yea now its just going to be a domino effect.
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SFC Bde Mobility Nco
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TSgt Scott Hurley
TSgt Scott Hurley
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Oh great.... Then they will go after the AF, Navy, and Coast guard to change the ranks that use Chief in them.
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SSG General Services Technician And State Vehicle Inspector
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Too bad the name of the KC Chiefs originally did NOT have anything to do with Indians. Lamar Hunt, the long time owner of the team, moved them from Dallas (where they were known as the Dallas Texans), where they were originally from, to Kansas City. As a result of a contest, the name was changed to Chiefs, which was in honor of Lamar's friend, KC Mayor Harold Bartle, whose nickname was Chief.
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SPC Charles Brown
SPC Charles Brown
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I wonder if the Navy would have a fit if the Chiefs put a picture of an aircraft carrier on the side of their helmets and kept the name Chiefs in honor of them?
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CW3 Network Architect
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I think the Navy would be tickled pink. I've known a few Navy Chiefs.....
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SGT Healthcare Specialist (Combat Medic)
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The only thing wrong is that the team was named this to begin with. People need to brush up on their history and stop looking the other way. Native Americans in the past have been referred to as the "Red man" which is pretty derogatory if you ask me. That's like calling Asians "Yellow skins". The Redskins team name should have changed long before the Washington Bullets were renamed the Wizards. That got changed because people were uncomfortable with the weapon reference. Seriously...give me a break. At least that name wasn't a racial stereotype.
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SSgt Jersun Amos
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Though I'm not a redskin's fan, I think that it's wrong because of the fact that it's been socially acceptable up to this point and they are already a nationally recognized institution.  So why now make a change, when it's what we're used to.  It doesn't promote racial segregation nor does it promote racism, in my opinion....they are just a football team.
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Cpl Brett Wagner
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There are too many groups in America today. Instead of being Irish-American, German-American, African-American, Mexican-American, etc. We should all just concentrate on being Americans. We are one big family and we are going to hurt each other from time to time but the important part is that we recognize it and recover instead of dwelling on the bad. I leave you all with this great speech by John Wayne.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fuzLTrwVbc
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SSG Noah Grove
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It is a derogatory term, plain and simple. It needs to be changed.
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Cpl Ehr Specialist
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A part of my ethnic background is Navajo, so though I am ethnically Native American, I am truly American for having been born in the United states and further I am a patriotic American for having served my country. Having said that, reading many of the responses here, I see a great deal of emotion tied into this subject. Frankly I think that mistakes were made with Native American groups. The biggest IMHO, is allowing them to maintain sovereignty and entitlements. I firmly believe just as in any other conquest, the losing side is absorbed into the winning side culture. Maintaining identity, culture, customs, etc. is certainly acceptable. Now having stated that as sovereign nations I do not believe they should have a voice in how any one business, organization, individual conducts themselves. It would be as if Mexico decided they didn't like the look of the Sombrero guy on a taco stand. I am proud to be "Native American" but I do think they have bigger fish to fry; such as combating rampant alcoholism, crime, abuse etc. I read earlier where someone stated this was frivolous and was downvoted. Well in the bigger picture a sports team logo is not as important as many other social injustices which need greater attention drawn to them.
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SPC Cryptologic Linguist
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Where is everyone getting the idea that anyone is forcing them to change their name, btw?
The ruling was that they can't trademark that term. No one has ever said or insinuated that they will be forced to change the name of the team. Someone watching too much cable news hysteria?
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SSgt Structural Craftsman
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The term was trademarked for years, they have recently revoked the trademark.
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SPC Cryptologic Linguist
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trademark#Usage

Therefore this team cannot sue anyone for using the term "Redskins". Lots of things are identified by non-trademarked terms. The patent office has simply decided not to continue to trademark this term. Anyone is welcome to use it without being sued for trademark infringement.

There are no other implications.
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