Riggo’s Rag Redskins Mailbag: Roster long shots, COVID-19, more
By Ian Cummings
The Redskins Name
Marc Lande: Ian, here is my question: do you believe the name is racist and offensive and needs to be changed? Thanks, Marc!
Ian: Hey, Marc. Good to see you again.
This is a loaded question. And it’s a subject that a lot of onlookers have been understandably apprehensive talking about. We’ve written a few articles about how the current social climate is impacting the Redskins, and how it might impact the team name, but the implications of a name change won’t truly sink in until those events are put into motion.
Some readers don’t want us to write about that kind of stuff, and I get it. That’s why I try to stay out of it as often as possible. But if there’s an update that might bear some weight, in regards to the name’s future, you guys deserve to know. It’s your team’s future.
As for my opinion about the name, I’m not quite sure. I’m not really in a position to be offended by the name, and I don’t know a lot of people who would be personally offended. That’s no excuse for me to say it’s not offensive. It’s important to try and put yourself in the shoes of those you don’t understand or relate to, as opposed to making assumptions. That’s a problem that plagues the country today: A lack of general understanding and empathy. The constant dehumanization of adversaries.
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My perception is somewhat limited in this area, and so I defer to the resources at my disposal. I’m always information gathering. I’d rather keep learning and listening, than speak before I should. I’m not in a position to say whether the name is offensive. I’ve heard arguments for both sides, but I don’t want to speak on it personally yet. I’m still learning and evaluating.