>         I couldn't agree with you more.  Living in the New York
area, I just
> recently saw the changing of St. John's Redmen to St. John's Red
Storm.
> While this isn't college hockey, this principal of catering to the
whims of
> special interest groups is seen throught all of sports.  The Redmen
had a
> lot of tradition, and, if I were an alumn, I'd be outraged.
 
I'm disappointed to see my fellow Hockey-L'ers, WAY off base on this
one.
 
There is a distinct difference between the term "Chiefs" or
"Warriors" and the term "REDSKINS" -- I agree wholeheartedly that St.
John's having to change Redmen (which were named for their red
jerseys and not having anything to do with American Indians) was
ludicrous. And I shake my head when teams change from Warriors or
whatever.
 
But REDSKINS is an entirely different matter.  It is the one term
that is so clearly Offensive, that it's amazing it's lasted this
long.  Same with the Washington Redskins.
 
There's a local high school here with the nickname Redskins, and in
writing for the local newspaper, I refuse to use the nickname when
referring to the team.
 
This is a racist term along the lines of "nigger" or "honkey" - plain
and simple.
 
I don't think anyone wants to see a team called the San Francisco
"Japs" -- in deference to their Japanese population or Jewish
population, take it either way.
 
Sure some people in society are over-sensitive --- but most of the
time they are like that because of a good reason - as a reaction to
someone else's lack of sensitivity.
 
AW
Strat-O-Matic Home Page ... "http://www.enter.net/~adamw/strat.html"
**** "Every Child Counts" ****
**** "No amount of statistical evidence
       will make a statement invulnerable
       to the laws of common sense."   *****
 
HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey;  send information to
[log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.