>On Fri, 11 Feb 1994, Dave Hendrickson wrote:
 
>> Even more so, if a
>> Canadian team can name themselves "Canucks", a term considered so pejorative
>> that the rumor that he *might* have used it was a precursor to Muskie bowing
>> out in the '72 presidential election, then perhaps the PC police should relax
>> and stop finding offense where none exists.
>
>I was wondering if anyone would bring up the Canucks!  Anybody know how
>that name was chosen?
 
Well, Vancouver had a minor-pro team that was called the Canucks before they
got their NHL team. Personally, I have never heard of the term Canucks being
offensive or derogatory. At least, no one I know of up here takes being called
a Canuck as an insult. I have always thought of the term Canucks as sort of
a Canadian equivalent of Yankee.
 
Despite that, I think the difference here is self-identification versus taking
someone else's name. If UND or Lowell were Native schools, I don't think there
would be any problem. I doubt there would be any problem with UND calling
themselves the Fighting Sioux if indeed they *were* Fighting Sioux.
 
To go back to my Canucks example, it is OK for Canadians to use that name, but
if an American team did it, made the mascot a Mountie in full red serge, and
made their fight song "The Lumberjack Song" there might be a problem. Of
course, it might mean their beer would improve....
 
>Even so, yes, the word Warrior in itself needn't be offensive.
 
Golden State seems to have done a decent job of de-Native-fying their name.
 
To respond to another related thread, Bri is right, the Oregonian and Star-
Tribune should report the team name as long as they are there. You can't
pretend that the names don't exist, if they do.
 
See you later,
John
 
--
John C.K. Edwards         Stats Geek, Ottawa Jr. Senators (CJHL, Jr. A)
Poli Sci/Law III      Recently re-elected Arts Rep. Thanks for your support.
CUSA Arts/SS Rep  [log in to unmask]       [log in to unmask]
Ottawa, ON       Unfortunately, my opinions aren't those of CUSA or Carleton U.