Sports, Tolerance, and the Washington Racial Slurs.

Seen here about to integrate himself and end-zone..maybe,
I have no idea what game this picture is from.

"For eighteen minutes the Redskins were enjoying equal rights with the Clevland Browns yesterday, in the sense that there was no score in the contest. Then it suddenly became unequal in favor of the Browns, who brought along Jim Brown, their rugged colored fullback from Syracuse. From 25 yards out, Brown was served the ball by Milt Plum on a pitch-out and he integrated the Redsins' goal line with more than deliberate speed, perhaps exceeding the famous Supreme Court decree. Brown fled the 25 yards like a man in an uncommon hurry and the Redskins' goal line, at least, became interracial."--Shirley Povich, Washington Post, 1960.

The Washington Racial Slurs have a sad history with race. They considered themselves the "Team of the South" and in the 1962 season they were the last team in the NFL to integrate. Team owner George Preston Marshall refused integration until the Kennedy administration threatened to ban the Slurs from playing home games in their new D.C. stadium (which was technically owned by the department of the interior).

Can you see how outraged these fans are at having to root
for a black player.

This sad history of intolerance was possible because a culture of ignorance allowed the team to operate this way. Today movies like 42 (or for football Remember the Titans) illustrate how sports can help us overcome entrenched bias and see minority athletes as people. These 'feel good' narratives gloss over the prevailing sentiment giving us a feeling of these struggles being something from the past. When the inspirational music plays we as an audience feel that we have overcome racism, which is simply not true. Things are much better than they were in the 1960, but in too many ways the same culture of ignorance allows for continued discrimination, but in more subtle ways.

Charles P. Pierce wrote an excellent article about The Eagles win over the "Ethnic Degradations" and how the NFL quickly absorbs all new schemes. Interwoven in his narrative was the lampooning of the Washington team name. This started my thinking on how important sports are to social tolerance, and how sad the legacy is in our nations capital. His article (and Peter Kings recent stance on how he will not use the Washington team name) reminded me how important it was for journalists like Shirley Povich to take aim in their writing against the prevalent culture of ignorance.

Using the term Redskins is not as obviously negative as refusing integration, but it is an insult. We would not tolerate a team to be called the "Fags," "Wet-Backs," "Niggers," "Pimps," or "Hood Rats." That is what we are doing by calling Washington's team "The Redskins." This is not a respectful term. The Chiefs and Braves and Seminoles are each a celebration of a part of Native culture. Chief and Brave are translations for Native language words with respectful meanings. The Seminole tribe regularly votes that they appreciate how Florida State uses their name and legacy.

Florida State: doing it right.

Washington has a long and proud football tradition. I believe that their tradition has much more good than bad. I do not want that tradition destroyed when they change their name, I want that tradition improved. I believe the best name that Washington could adopt is Chesapeake. As the Washington Chesapeake, Washington Chesapeakes, or Washington Chesapeake Braves the franchise could keep their colors, symbols, and traditions while changing their association from one of disrespect to honor.