The Way I See It!

Separation of Church And Baseball Next?

Posted by Randy Hollenbeck on May 19, 2010

Culture, Political Correctness, school, Religion, Sports, Wisconsin

So the lefties have pushed in Wisconsin to ban Indian, sorry Native American (they were truly not native, they just migrated earlier) sounding names in sports.  Marquette Warriors – Gone, Golden Eagles.  University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks next to go?  Maybe?

Now even High Schools with just one complaint will have to defend it and might have to change the name and/or mascot.

Bill narrowing use of Indian names, mascots advances

Feb. 23, 2010

Madison — Wisconsin schools could no longer use Indian mascots and team names in many cases under a bill the Assembly signaled preliminary support for in a series of votes Tuesday.

Republicans blocked the likely final passage of the bill, pushing off the vote until Thursday.  The bill would allow residents to complain to the state schools superintendent if their school district used a race-based team name, nickname, mascot or logo.

The school district could continue to use the name, nickname, mascot or logo if it showed in a hearing the depictions did not promote discrimination, student harassment or stereotyping.  Otherwise, it would have to stop using them within a year.

Supporters of the bill said it is needed to curb discrimination, while opponents argued that Indian names for schools honor tribes and long-held names boost hometown pride.

Legislators tweaked the bill to allow schools to keep their names if they depict a specific tribe and that tribe has approved the use of its name.  The amendment, by Rep. Amy Sue Vruwink (D-Milladore), would help the Auburndale Apaches in her district keep their name.

There were 36 Wisconsin schools with Indian names, nicknames, logos or mascots as of October 2009, according to the Wisconsin Indian Education Association.

The bill may face difficulty in the Senate, which like the Assembly is controlled by Democrats.  Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker (D-Weston) said he was "not really focused" on it and noted the legislative session is winding down.

Ertl: Red Raiders nickname won't change

New state law allows anyone to challenge team names, logos, mascots as offensive

Posted: April 28, 2010

Though Wauwatosa East High School's Red Raiders nickname was once associated with a controversial American Indian mascot and logo, district officials said the school's identity no longer has ties to that culture and therefore won't be affected by state legislation passed last week.

Over the past two decades, Tosa East has changed its mascot from an Indian to a pirate, and its logo from a caricature of an American Indian to a spear and arrowhead to its current incarnation: a red-and-white shield-shaped crest with the letters "T" and "E" inside it.

The school's nickname hasn't changed, but it no longer references American Indian culture, Superintendent Phil Ertl said.

"The direction of the (School) Board and the understanding of the community is that the color relates to … just red," Ertl said, "and our mascot is a pirate.  I think we've done everything we can to eliminate anything that could be considered offensive."

Only one complaint needed

The legislation, which Gov. Jim Doyle has said he plans to sign, says any district resident can file a complaint with the state if they find a school's nickname, logo or mascot offensive.  If the defending district can't prove in a hearing that its symbols do not promote discrimination, harassment or stereotyping, it has one year to change the symbol or face a fine of up to $1,000 per day.

Ertl said there have been no complaints so far, and the district has no plans to change the nickname.

Consensus hard to find

State lawmakers were divided on the legislation.  The Senate narrowly passed the bill on a 17-16 vote April 13.  Last week, the Assembly approved it 53-45.

Among those who voted against it was state Sen. Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin), who objected to the financial burden the bill places on districts ordered to change.  If a name or mascot is found to be discriminatory, the offending symbols would need to be removed from athletic uniforms and helmets, business cards, scoreboards and more.

"The most important thing schools should be doing is educating children, and that's where we should be devoting all of our energy," Lazich said.  "This is not in the best interest of education. It is not in the best interest of students."

Lazich added that she thinks school nicknames and mascots that reference American Indians are an honor to the people, and ending the practice will take away recognition from them.

Wauwatosa School District students by race/ethnicity

Source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

So it is only time before the NFL and MLB are next.  Washington Redskins, Kansas City Chiefs, Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds

That time is now!!!

The war over the Washington Redskins -- the most offensive team name in professional sports -- might finally go to the U.S. Supreme Court.

A group of American Indians is asking the highest court in the land to cancel the trademarks on the Redskins team name and logos -- due to the fact that they're extremely defamatory toward Native Americans.

The American Indian group has been fighting this battle since 1992.  They won a ruling in 1999 ... but the decision was defeated soon after by judges who decided they waited too long to bring their case to the courts.

The Redskins -- worth a reported $1.5 billion -- have been using the name since 1933.

Now, the Native American group wants SCOTUS to review the lower court decision -- and finally force Washington to understand why naming an NFL team after the color of someone's skin could be offensive.

What is next? 

I think the left will take a shot at Religion in Baseball (it could come down some day that allowing players to pray and draw the sign of the cross will be banned).  Sorry, I mean religious names in MLB.

You have the San Diego Padres.  Padres as in the Chicano priests' organization.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.  Their logo will have to go as well.  A halo.  That must go! 

Don’t forget the city Los Angeles.  Lost Angels.  Nope cannot have it.

At some point, we need to stop and take a good step back and think about things. 

Someone is always going to be offended and upset, but what is the intent of it?  Was it to be mean?  Was it to show pride?  Was it meant to be a compliment?

Do we have to rename cites like Los Angeles because of a religious name?  Someone might think so.  Someone doesn’t like the “In God We Trust” on our currency or the Pledge of Allegiance “One nation under God” so anything is possible.

I am sure ABC gets people upset that during the holiday season the 1956 movie ‘The Ten Commandments” with Charlton Heston is shown on TV.

What about Pontiac, Milwaukee, Oconomowoc, or Mukwonago?  Do we need to change those names?  No, they are just fine to most people, unless they aren’t!  Could someone be upset about the crime in Milwaukee that it could offend someone?  Sure anyone can be offended by anything and yes I am being absurd and over dramatic here on the city names, but it does bother someone somewhere some time!

Don’t forget offensive car names!

Dodge Kahuna

10 Most Unfortunate Car Names

What happen to the being tolerant?  That is right; it is only tolerant to be intolerant if you don’t agree.

I am sure someone will not like this post and I am sure I offended people.  For that, I am sorry that you feel that way, but there is very little I can do for you.