Rhetorical Analysis On Redskins

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. In recent history, society as a whole has moved away from the message of a childhood rhyme; in an age where a politically correct vernacular dominates, mainstream America is incredibly concerned with using non-offensive terms. The use of a word like nigger or chink would be inappropriate by today’s standards, so why would the term redskin still be deemed appropriate in reference to the indigenous population of North America? C. Richard King attempts to answer this question by framing his piece Redskins: Insult and Brand with the NFL’s Washington Redskins team. King’s critical analysis on the etymology of redskins focuses on this high grossing NFL franchise, as he describes that the term’s, “lingering presence undermines …show more content…
Get over it” (King 64). King concedes that it is fair for fans to get attached, as they recognize that team and have fond memories practicing the rituals and traditions associated with the team name; but King also pinpoints that post-Civil Rights era America generates this feeling that racism is not a problem anymore, simply an unwarranted feeling at best. While expressing minimal sympathy to Redskins fans, King still makes it very clear that the harms associated with Native American mascots certainly outweigh the fan’s sense of connection. The core of King’s reasoning for this opinion centers around the fact that while racist practices have been in place for some time, a traditions longevity does not make it any less racist, yet rather opens the door for more ignorant decisions. King personifies this by recounting the former president of the National Congress of American Indians experience a Redskins game, where people started pulling her hair and calling her a redskin, leaving her to feel