Goodbye, Redskins

"How about the Washington Earthlings? Who could that offend? I know, I know. There might be aliens living among us, and that would be bad. I mean, what is worse than a cancel culture alien?"

After today, it might all be over. The Washington Redskins, will get a new name. After them, maybe it will be the Cleveland Indians. By the time this cancel culture is done with re-naming our sports, the Minnesota Vikings might be named the Minnesota Nordics. In any event, money talks and BS walks, as the old expression goes. The money backers of FedEx Field, where the Redskins currently play, have told the high and mighty, either the name goes or the team goes. And if the Skins get kicked out of FedEx Field, there will be no home waiting for them in DC or the surrounding area.

I have been a Redskins fan ever since I spend half of my life working in Washington or Fort Meade. Never once, did I think that name was offensive. But then again, I am not a native. My view might have been different. It is funny - many times the locals refer to the Redskins as a different name when they are playing bad. "Deadskins" was the most common. I have heard worse, and more coarse, but this is a family friendly page!

Changing the name of the Redskins will probably go as easily as changing the name of Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis. Now it is called some native name from days gone by, that few can pronounce or remember. But that's okay - the cancel culture got their way, and changed the name of this lake which (I guess), was named after a slave trader and racist. Many in the area still refer to the lake as Calhoun. Because they are racists? Not hardly. Because they grew up calling the lake Calhoun. I think the same will go for the Redskins. To many, they will always be known as the "skins".

In these days of COVID, economic downturn, and social unrest, changing the name of a football team seems to be like small ball. Like - why now? Don't we have enough change we are trying to deal with? But the "this is what offends me today" crowd has spoken. All they need do is say the "R" word, and the hyper sensitives jump. Meanwhile, the owners of the Redskins (once the name is changed), will need to spend millions, just to liquidate the name which may never be spoken again (no - it is not Voldemort). 

How about the Washington Earthlings? Who could that offend? I know, I know. There might be aliens living among us, and that would be bad. I mean, what is worse than a cancel culture alien? Maybe then just the Washington Things. Is that better? I am sure we will come up with something benign. Or not. Anything can offend somebody today. Count on it.