Hail to the Redskins! Hail Vic-tor-y! Congratulations to the Washington Redskins over their sudden death in overtime win last night. Moving on…
Pretty slick move, Ed Gillespie, pretty slick! That ad was effective and well-timed. All’s fair in love and politics.
The fact that this issue has gotten to be a national issue is fairly ridiculous, in my opinion. Should this bill ever pass, when will the PC issue creep over into all names, icons and monikers? Will local schools have to change their names? Will they have to chose new mascots to something namby pamby and lacking fight? I can see Stonewall Jackson high school and fire department having to rename themselves now if some sort of bill on PC steroids gets passed.
Congress has enough to do without getting into what a private franchise calls itself. Congress can’t do its own job right. Now it wants to tell someone else how to deal?
Mark Warner is correct to keep his mouth shut. He doesn’t need to voice an opinion. I hope he is abstains from voting on this issue. Warner is a businessman at heart. I think the consumers/fans and advertisers will ultimately decide the Redskins name issue. That is really where the decision should rest.
I had to go look at the top of the page, to make sure I was on the right blog.
Even though the Washington Redskins are not the team I root for (diehard Patriots fan), I say “stick to your guns” Dan Snyder! You know whenever the government starts meddling in professional sports (steroids in Baseball…anyone, anyone?) they are trying to distract the public from their failings…which are legion.
So, the legislation is a threat –
It will remove the tax exempt status of the NFL IF they others owners do not pressure Snyder to change the name of the Redskins.
Maybe Congress should just get out of the sports business altogether and remove their tax exempt status.
I am not sure why there is a tax exempt status. I want all sorts of names changed if the Redskins are forced.
Idiotic.
Makes perfect sense to me for this Adminstration and for this Senate to be doing this. Sports is not the only industry this Administration has interferred with unconstitutionally and through intimidation.
Oh I know, they all do it, just slip sliding away.
Blue, I have not heard Obama’s opinion. Perhaps you could leave a link.
Warner voted for the head of the FCC that wants to make “redskins” a forbidden word.
So now Warner is supposed to know what the head of the FCC is going to say and do? Precognition? Get over it.
@Moon-howler
He knows because he should know who he is voting for and what sort of thing they support. His idea of making Redskins a word punishable by a fine was not a surprise.
I don’t think that is really a fair thing to say. You can’t ask specific questions like that anyway. In the grand scheme of things, that is really low ballling it.
You don’t know what Warner knew or didn’t know before the fact.
Partisan comment alert.
@Moon-howler
It was done so that New Orleans would get a team – years ago.
Stupid pet trick in an election for federal office (which, of course, means it has a good chance of working). To balance it out, stupid pet trick for anyone who thinks that the Senate of the United States is a place to resolve the nomenclature for professional gladiatorial bouts.
Go get some 100-year infrastructure built, guys.
@blue
Check your facts Blue – it is House sponsored legislation that is calling for the name change – Tom Cole, R is a co-sponsor.
There was a letter signed by 50 Senator’s asking the RedSkins to change their name. If one looks, neither Warner nor Kaine signed on…..Kinda states where they stand, I would think.
@Pat.Herve
Thanks Pat, it was and easy fact check; No reference to this being a Republian initiative.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/mar/21/house-democrats-introduce-bill-strong-arm-redskins/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/nfl-owners-are-asked-to-force-redskins-owner-dan-snyder-to-change-teams-name/2014/09/15/cfcd58ce
Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) announced Tuesday that she will introduce legislation to eliminate the NFL’s tax-exempt status because of its refusal to address the name of the Washington Redskins.
washingtonpost.com/local/senators-introduce-bill-to-revoke-nfls-tax-exempt-status-if-redskins-name-stands/2014/09/19/07778876
“It is not right that the National Football League continues to denigrate an entire population,” said the bill’s co-sponsor and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in a statement. “
A group of Democratic senators introduced a bill on Thursday that would revoke the NFL’s tax-exempt status if it continues to back the Washington Redskins name.
@blue
Did I say it was a Republican Initiative? Show me where please, I must have misspoke.
Tom Cole, R is a co-sponsor. Back in Jan 13 he was calling for the name change – http://www.rollcall.com/news/cole_change_offensive_redskins_moniker-220851-1.html
Yes, Democrats were part of this House legislation back in March 2013. HR 1278 – over a year before there was a companion bill in the Senate.
I stand by my statement – Congress should get out of sports and remove their tax exempt status.
The Redskins have time on their side. If the name is all that offensive than it was offensive 60 years ago.
Somehow, having thousands of fans out cheering for and honoring the Redskins somehow softens any offense, real or imaginary.
I truly feel this is PC gone amuck. We aren’t calling them savages, which truly is offensive.
Congress really needs to stay away from this issue. In fact, they need to stay totally out of sports.
We agree.
I don’t think the fans are necessarily applauding the name of the team so much as they are applauding the team itself, Moon. Obviously some people are offended, some are not. But there are ethnic terms that were in more general use 60, 70 years ago than today which are pretty much taboo now. I will line up with both you and Blue, however, that it isn’t a Congressional issue.