The Washington Post has announced that its editorial board has decided to stop using “Redskins” to refer to Washington’s NFL team. The decision was announced earlier today in an editorial:
But the matter seems clearer to us now than ever, and while we wait for the National Football League to catch up with thoughtful opinion and common decency, we have decided that, except when it is essential for clarity or effect, we will no longer use the slur ourselves. That’s the standard we apply to all offensive vocabulary, and the team name unquestionably offends not only many Native Americans but many other Americans, too.”
It should be noted that this change in policy will only affect editorials and not sports or news articles. Still, that’s a big move from the Washington Post, and it’s the right decision.
We don’t believe that fans who are attached to the name have racist feeling or intent, any more than does Mr. Snyder. But the fact remains: The word is insulting. You would not dream of calling anyone a “redskin” to his or her face. You wouldn’t let your son or daughter use it about a person, even within the privacy of your home.”
Props to the Washington Post. You can read the editorial here.
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