Isn’t It Time For Michigan To Dump All Redskins Team Names As Well?

The biggest sports news story to come out recently is the much anticipated and sought after name change for the NFL team, Washington Redskins. For years, people have viewed it to be completely insensitive and have been demanding the changing of the team name. Finally, they have decided to move forward with that plan, although what or who their new team icon will be, is still a mystery, as the decision was made late last night/early this morning according to a source.

With the name change eminent, it does beg the question, when will Michigan get on the ball and rid themselves of the racist mascot? Because that's what it is. There was never a native tribe called the Redskins, it's a racists name. But looking back on the treatment of natives to this land is not something America likes to do, because of how terrible and cruel it was. But if we won't acknowledge the way our ancestors stole this country from them, the LEAST we can do is acknowledge that slanderous nicknames given to them by our ancestors is wrong on all levels.

That being said, there are still 5 organizations, to my understanding, in Michigan that still use the name as a mascot or team name. Those are the High School Teams in Clinton, Sandusky, Saranac and Camden-Frontier. Also, in the town I grew up in, the Rochester Redskins are a non-profit, community based youth football & cheer organization serving Rochester, Rochester Hills, Oakland Twp & surrounding communities. Paw Paw recently did the right thing and changed their team mascot.

I think all these schools and organizations need to step up and recognize the name has to go. If you're going to complain about history being changed, you need to take a step back and look at just WHAT history it is you're defending. If this country really was founded under the belief that ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL, then we had better start acting like it.