Seahawk Sailor wrote:Lady Talon wrote:Take the story of the FSU Seminoles. The relationship between the Seminole tribe and FSU is not storybook perfect, but FSU lets the tribe provide the mascot and PROFITS the tribe through merchandising royalties, provides full scholarship to native Seminole students, etc etc. In this case, the Seminole tribe has voted in favor of the school keeping the Seminole name. Because the deal is MUTUALLY beneficial.
Show me a multi-millionaire led professional team that capitalizes off a Native mascot that is giving back to the Native community.
It's not so much the what as the how. FSU and the Seminole tribe actually have a relationship. Snyder just wants to protect his money. Whenever the cost of the lawsuits is greater then the cost of changing the team name, it will happen. Because that is the bottom line. Not tradition, respect, or anything else but Snyder's profit margin.
Also of note, "Seminole" is not and never has been a derogatory term; it is a proper name originating from that tribe to describe themselves. "Redskins" is... less so. The name really needs changing. I'm fully behind seeing the "Washington Redtails" become a reality. And soon after, we can start lobbying for other teams to change to more inuendo-laced terms.
Lol they are offended. They are willing to let it slide because the Florida Seminole tribe is one of the most successful gaming tribes in the country, and making the state mad could change that very quickly.
The Seminole tribe of Oklahoma voted 18-2 to not oppose Native American mascots, despite many of their members disgusted at the Seminoles of FL, and speaking up at the council meetings. Native politics are still politics.
Money talks.
They aren't amused at stadiums full of fans tomahawking, screaming "scalp 'em!", or having their tribal name referred to as being "on the warpath", as these are the very caricatures the media used in the 19th century to throw the Natives into reservations because they were savages and not capable of transitioning into a peaceful society. Not to mention having their namesake and heritage referred to as "Noles".
Take their pre 1970 mascots: Sammy Seminole and his sidekick Chief Fullabull (really?) later changed to Chief Wampumstompem (a clever little name that makes a mockery of the highly regarded Chief Wampum).
What it boils down to is the tribes can take the high road and risk resentment and state officials ripping their gaming money out from under them, or they can play along. Sad really, but at least in the FSU case there's compensation for their shame.
