KK Writes| Mike Wise Asks RG3 About the Name "Redskins"

[justice98]

If any watched the show, that aired earlier this month about the question of blackness in America, people would know that both Rob Parker and Mike Wise have legitimate questions. Timing and "phraseology" are only issues for people the subject does not affect. The question of one's "blackness" is an issue in the African American community. It is a historical issue. To decry it's importance borders on indifference of another race's issue(s). I am an African American man that was the only AA in a small town in this country and some of the towns citizens and the newspaper reported that the Secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services said, That the reason she was closing a juvenile justice institution was because the employee ranks were not black enough. ". I took great exception to the use of this term. How would someone without the experience even know what black enough really is, when we as a people, from a historical perspective, struggle with the true meaning of " blackness.". Blackness is not a monolithic concept and therefore controversial. But a legitimate topic, it is. To ignore it or refuse to discuss it, portends indifference to the subject, thereby minimizing an entire segment of society's conversation about itself, historically. Indifference is worst than insult. At least through insult, intended or unintended, we have a platform for dialogue. Ignoring many of these issues is what allows the ignorance between the races to continue and thus never moving us toward the day when we actually understand and respect one another. Let's have the dialogue, no matter how uncomfortable. It will eventually save us all. Fortunately and unfortunately, that salvation will be from ourselves.

I agree, it is a legitimate topic, people just don't wanna have to deal with it.

And I think people look to a group that supports their opinion and ignore the ones that don't and say "see, 'they' don't care, so why should I?"

[Thinking Skins]

If Mike Wise doesn't approve of the name of the Washington Redskins, then he should make a statement by not covering them. He wouldn't have to even bother typing the "offensive" name ever again and he'd finally be able to move on from the same stale column he loves to break out every other year. Of course, if he did actually do that, he'd probably have to learn something about hockey and I can't actually see that happening. Oh well. Would have be a win-win for everyone.

I mean, that's a knee jerk reaction though. Same way that since I have a problem with the name I could easily just stop rooting for the team, right? I don't think so. I'm from DC and just about all my memories are centered around this team so I can't just up and walk away because the name offends me. That being said, I can state that it offends me and support when people like Doc Walker (who played for this team) refuses to call them by a name he finds offensive, or when local papers refuse to print the name which it finds derogatory on their pages. These may be small steps, but they help me sleep at night. And maybe we can say the same thing about Wise asking this question to RG3. Maybe it helps him sleep at night.

---------- Post added December-20th-2012 at 08:12 AM ----------

Agreed. What was Griffin's reponse anyway?

I don't have a direct quote, and I don't feel like running a google search but it was something on the regard of "I don't think I'm qualified to answer that question"

[USS Redskins]

Wise has a boner for this controversy. He said "so many native americans have a problem with it," (para-phrase) when poll after poll show that Native Americans really dont care. I am sure they have about a million other worries in their lives.
I cant stand Wise and his BS. I avoid his radio show and articles like plagues.

I know the issue wont ever die but if I was Snyder, I would reach out to Native American org.'s and throw some cash their way.

[2cents]

If you spoke to one Native American, that doesn't give you much perspective. I posted on here a while ago a poll that found 91% of Native Americans have no problem with the name. In fact, many Native American schools have the name Redskin and use the logo. The problem we have here, is that people want only one answer....does it offend or not? Well, it is going to offend some and not others so there is no one answer. So what do you do? In my opinion, we keep the name. If you know the team history, you know where the name came from and what it represents. That leaves the people who don't like it free to have nothing to do with the team and those of us it doesn't bother to keep using the name. The notion that we have to change things if one person or a small number of people are offended is absurd. If you did that, nothing could be named anything because one person is always going to be offended by something. And for the record, my sister in law is one eigth Sauk Indian and my soon to be wife(next week) in one quarter Cherokee. Both have no problem with the name. They both realize that the name has been used as a slur, but also know how the team was named so that is why they have no problem with it. We, as a nation, need to get back to the path of common sense and realize that not everyone is going to be happy with everything and that is just the way it is.

[SWFLSkins]

That's a pretty well written piece by you, Kevinklein. I like your style

I agree, thought the language did not further the quality of it tbh. I will visit again, thanks for sharing.

[themurf]

I mean, that's a knee jerk reaction though. Same way that since I have a problem with the name I could easily just stop rooting for the team, right? I don't think so. I'm from DC and just about all my memories are centered around this team so I can't just up and walk away because the name offends me. That being said, I can state that it offends me and support when people like Doc Walker (who played for this team) refuses to call them by a name he finds offensive, or when local papers refuse to print the name which it finds derogatory on their pages. These may be small steps, but they help me sleep at night. And maybe we can say the same thing about Wise asking this question to RG3. Maybe it helps him sleep at night.

Again, if you, Wise or anyone else has a problem, the best way to send a message is to not support and/or cover the Washington Redskins. I'm not saying that to be rude. I'm simply stating the obvious -- by letting your feet do the talking, you're making it clear that this is no longer acceptable to you. If enough people follow suit, change is possible. Otherwise, acts like what Wise did during Griffin's press conference yesterday simply come across as a pathetic "hey, look at me" stunt from a guy who just had his poorly-rated radio show cancelled.

[thomasroane]

Well done KK. You have a new reader now. As for Wise? Wow! Really? All the years of suffering this franchise has been thru and he wants to lash an anchor to the good feelings with something that RG III correctly stated he was not qualified to comment on?!?! WHAT A FREAKIN IDIOT!!!!!

[Riggo#44]

I'm glad Wise addressed the question. The controversy with the name and logo will never die until changes are made for the better.

You know who find the name offensive? The PC Police. Certainly not Native Americans: 90% of them do not find it offensive. They couldn't care less:

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/6093796/

People need to get off their self-righteous soap boxes and get a clue. 90%! That is not a small margin. There is a high school in Red Mesa, Az., that is predominantly Native American that changed the name TO Redskins b/c they felt like it honored them. Stop this vocal-minority fueled PC bull****. Just stop.

Anyone that says the name is disparaging or racist needs to be beat over the head with the fact that 90% of NATIVE AMERICAN DO NOT FIND IT OFFENSIVE!

[KingGibbs]

I don't know Mike Wise personally, but he comes off as an arrogant prick IMO and I'm not saying that based on THIS story. It's probably why he can't hold a job.

[justice98]

You know who find the name offensive? The PC Police. Certainly not Native Americans: 90% of them do not find it offensive. They couldn't care less:

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/6093796/

People need to get off their self-righteous soap boxes and get a clue. 90%! That is not a small margin. There is a high school in Red Mesa, Az., that is predominantly Native American that changed the name TO Redskins b/c they felt like it honored them. Stop this vocal-minority fueled PC bull****. Just stop.

Anyone that says the name is disparaging or racist needs to be beat over the head with the fact that 90% of NATIVE AMERICAN DO NOT FIND IT OFFENSIVE!

Those must be the same polls that said Romney was gonna win the election. Polls aren't the end all be all.

Somebody can check my math on this, but the percentage of those polled comes out to not even 1/10 of one percent of the Native American population. Even doing a geographical cross section, that's a pretty small sample.

[doghouse4x4]

I don't know Mike Wise personally, but he comes off as an arrogant prick IMO and I'm not saying that based on THIS story. It's probably why he can't hold a job.

This.

Wise has always been arrogant and ridiculous. He has bounced around because he is more interested in advancing his agenda than covering sports. Even when he is on the right side of an argument, he manages to undermine it.

[SkinsCrushCowboys]

crack journalism to a possibly ROY QB during a playoff run....well played you idiot.

[doghouse4x4]

Those must be the same polls that said Romney was gonna win the election. Polls aren't the end all be all.

Somebody can check my math on this, but the percentage of those polled comes out to not even 1/10 of one percent of the Native American population. Even doing a geographical cross section, that's a pretty small sample.

You can only go off the data you have, and the existing data is overwhelmingly in favor of the name, whereas with Romney you are talking about ~3% swings. Big difference. The most telling is Native American schools changing their mascots TO the Redskins.

[SkinsWarrior81]

I lived in Montana for four years when I was in the service. I was around Native Americans quite a bit. Of the ones I knew and actually spoke to, none of them had an issue with the fact that I was a Redskins fan. Why? Because Redskin is not an offensive term.

http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/langu...es/002961.html

That link is an Ivy League source dictating the history of the word. The conclusion? Not offensive.

[doghouse4x4]

I lived in Montana for four years when I was in the service. I was around Native Americans quite a bit. Of the ones I knew and actually spoke to, none of them had an issue with the fact that I was a Redskins fan. Why? Because Redskin is not an offensive term.

http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/langu...es/002961.html

That link is an Ivy League source dictating the history of the word. The conclusion? Not offensive.

Nice link, thanks!