Hail to the Racially and Ethnically Diverse People?

Hail Victory!
Diplomats on the path to negotiation!
Compromise for Old DC!

Doesn't have the same ring to it as the Skins original fight song does it? Well it does to many people. It's no secret that the Redskins have once again been dragged into court over their name, but the controversy even goes to Chief Zee. You've probably seen him, he has become the unofficial mascot of the team, showing up in his red jacket and Indian headdress. While many love to see the guy cheer on his team, others find it terrible. The Washington Post published an article yesterday written by Courtland Milloy about Chief Zee. In it, Milloy claims that the Redskins need to retire Zee. He claims that "Having a black man hobbling around on national TV in an Indian costume trivializes both of America's original sins-- the enslavement of Africans and the genocide of indigenous peoples." In his desperate attempt to be politically correct, Milloy has one very important fact. Chief Zee is the unofficial mascot. Why is he unofficial? Because he does this on his own. He goes to games dressed like this to support his team and eventually the Redskins recognized him because he has become a symbol for all Redskin fans. Why does he continue to do this...hmmm...let me think.....BECAUSE HE WANTS TO! The article even quotes Chief Zee as he says "I'm leaning towards retirement, but I'm going to wait until the Redskins win another Super Bowl." Sound like a pitiful old man being unfairly marched around by an evil organization? Not to me. It sounds to me like a guy who wants to continue to support his team. How can you sit there and claim this is racist against African Americans when this poor guy is doing it BECAUSE HE WANTS TO? Yes, he's old. So what? Are old people not allowed to publicly support their team? Ok, old people are no longer allowed outside because some may interpret them as a sign of racial weakness. Give me a break.

The fact that Milloy has a paying job while I'm unemployed isn't all that bothers me, it's the whole debate over the "offensive" team names and mascots. Sometimes people are just looking for things to be offended about. The Redskins, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Cleveland Indians, the Atlanta Braves, the Florida State Seminoles, the Fighting Illini, the William and Mary Tribe, all have names that people complain about. Do these names really trivialize Native Americans? No, they don't. And you can bring up all sorts of people who are offended and people who are upset, but I don't care. If you are offended, it's because you want to be and because you aren't looking at this the right way.

Look at Notre Dame. I have no reason to like them or follow them. I know very few people who have gone there and I've never been to South Bend. Why do I follow Notre Dame? Why do I cheer for them? Because I'm Irish. There are numerous legends for the origin of the nickname, but what we do know for certain is that Irish people in the early 1900s found the team to be a source of inspiration and rallied around them. The fanatical devotion to Notre Dame football started because people saw a win as a win for all Irish. Think that Notre Dame is a totally different matter? Look at the often criticized Cleveland Indian's mascot and then look at the little fighting Irishman. Either could be seen as offensive, but only one is because only one is a hot topic for people who love to be politically correct. One could choose to be offended by Notre Dame or one could use it as a source of inspiration. I'm a lot happier cheering the Irish on instead of being upset by them and trying to end their great tradition.

These teams do not trivialize Native Americans but bring awareness of them. Without them, I would have no idea what a Seminole is or know anything about the Illini. As for Chief Zee, maybe Milloy should be the one to tell him, to his face, that he is an embarrassment to his race and his team and that he no longer should be allowed to publicly cheer his team on. See what he says. But while Chief Zee is still on the field with the team, I'm still going to cheer for him.