And I have run across far fewer the thought the name was unacceptable. And run across very few (by far the minority) native Americans that find the word degrading.
Even among NFL fans a poll conducted only showed 10% found the name unacceptable.
And how are they being degraded? I dont know of a single soul who refers to native americans as "redskins" In fact anyone I know who even mentions the word "redskins" automatically assumes it is in reference to a football team.
Either way. If you (anyone) feels a word degrades you. It is only because you allow it to. Not because it is in fact degrading. Words only have the power over you that you allow them to have.
You dont have the right ot not feel degraded because of a word or something some one said. If that were the case there would be very few people in government as all one would need to do is look at some of the things stated in campaigns.
And your perceived right to not be degraded does not trump anothers actual honest to goodness actually written down right to free speech. It is the same right that one has to complain about a name that gives the one complained about to use it.
Things like liberty and freedom arent just about having the words and names you like. But also the ones you dont. Otherwise its neither liberty nor freedom
Perhaps right is not the correct word, and note how the legality of using the term is not being called into question.
There's just a common shift in our cultural thinking that has gone to 'if this word disenfranchises a group of people, or even a subset of a group of people, why use it?' This goes beyond enacting legislation or anything like that, but just setting cultural standards of what is or is not acceptable to say, and what will earn you criticism from society at large (it's also important to note that people using their free speech to criticize others' free speech is not a violation of either groups')
There's been a huge shift in this probably even within the past 10 or 20 years. I guess this is what makes a lot of people upset, especially because it's happening so rapidly.
It's something I first came to realize when I was studying FCC regulations for radio broadcast - especially the comparison of terms that are considered kosher after 10pm compared to the words that are banned at all times. Words like f*g, f*gg*t and d*ke are fine as per the FCC as long as you reserve their use for after 10pm - while, outside of the dated FCC regulations, in a working modern context these words are far more insulting and taboo than practically anything on the FCC ban list. Even words like retard are largely being phased out of regular speech (this is of course among younger people primarily, not people from, example, my parents generation who grew up with these words being insults, but the taboo of the word coming from being associated with that group rather than the word being a demeaning way to refer to that group). I remember going over these lists with my friends and "colleagues" and basically saying things along the lines of 'yeah, this is technically legal, but why would you ever say that?' Suffice to say it would be highly problematic if these words were actually used, just because they don't agree with modern cultural standards.
When our station voluntarily blacklisted the use of the word 'redskin' (after receiving a joint letter from a host of Native American activist organizations, granted it probably would have been phased out either way) it was done practically unanimously- again, with the thought, 'if there are people who find this offensive, why would we want to say it?' It comes down to: what's the point?
Either way. If you (anyone) feels a word degrades you. It is only because you allow it to. Not because it is in fact degrading. Words only have the power over you that you allow them to have.
I mean that's really easy to say when you've never actually had to deal with a deeply rooted words in a culture that is historically deeply rooted against you.
I think a large part of the shift in thinking that has led people to grow tired with the proliferation of the flow of this sort of language is a demographic shift. More and more people are either effected by this type of thing, and, more importantly, even among those not effected, it's easier to see how it effects your friends, family, etc. I think this is to some extent less stark as it relates to issues of race and discrimination/stereotyping on that front, but as we see how negatively it effects, say, women, it does make the somewhat more subtle effects it has on racial minorities more apparent.
And while we're removing one aspect of that from being acceptable in our culture, why not just remove all of it? It's easier that way.
The new golden rule is simply 'don't be a dick'
