SUBSCRIBE NOW WELCOME BACK. Do you want to continue reading where you left off? New Republic subscribers can pick up where they left off no matter which device they were previously using. SUBSCRIBE NOW

Go Home Perry's Hunting Camp and DC's Glass House

TIMOTHY NOAH OCTOBER 4, 2011

Perry's Hunting Camp and DC's Glass House

BY TIMOTHY NOAH

I can't defend Rick Perry's (or his father's) apparent slowness to paint over the word "Niggerhead" on a rock by the entrance of a West Texas hunting camp that his family leased. It's deplorable, and it doesn't speak well for his racial sensitivity. But I do feel a slight twinge of sympathy for the Texas governor when I imagine him thinking, "I have to take this from a bunch of people who root for a football team called the Redskins?"

One of the enduring mysteries of our age is why the supposedly enlightened inhabitants of our nation's capital tolerate a name for their football team that, while perhaps not as offensive as the N word, is certainly comparable to "darkie." In recent years I suppose the issue has commanded less attention because the team itself has, through poor performance on the gridiron, commanded less attention. But nobody is asking how much game Perry managed to bag in the years when his hunting camp carried its unfortunate name. It's not really relevant.

Some Native American activists sued the Redskins in the 1990s on the grounds that trademarks cannot be maintained if they're racially defamatory. They won an initial judgment in 1999, but it was overturned in 2003. Since then the courts have rebuffed other challenges to the name. A couple of polls have been conducted by Sports Illustrated and the Pew Center that purportedly show that Native Americans don't actually mind what Washington calls its football team. I don't actually believe this. Try greeting the next Native American you see by saying, "Hail, Redskin!" You're liable to get punched in the nose.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

Show all 13 comments

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

13 comments

wow, Timothy, sorry but this is absolute horseshit. The Redskins are owned by Daniel Snyder and before him Jack Kent Cooke, only they (and maybe the league offices) have the power to change the teams name and to blame the Washington Post political writers for this is such a reach that it is laughable. What evidence do you have that the writers of the piece are fans, much less approve of the name of the team? A few years back St. John's Redmen, which referenced the red uniforms worn by its teams in competition, changed their name to Red Storm. The Church realized that Redmen had a nasty connotation and did something about it, however does that mean everyone who rooted for them prior to the name change was a racist? As to Perry, it all comes down to proving that he lied, which so far no one has done, but if a digital photo taken around 2005 comes out with that rock as it was proving he did lie, then Perry will be toast. As it is, if they leased it and painted over the rock from day one, than I have no problem with Perry over this.

- blackton

October 4, 2011 at 12:59pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

I don't see how rooting for a football team with a derogatory nickname is comparable to owning property with the N-word on it. I root for the Redskins because I was born in DC, grew up in the area, went to university and law school in the area and still live in the area today. I don't like the name, but I don't have the power to change it and I'm not going to root for the Bills or Seahawks -- or any other team I have no ties to -- because of a name I don't like, but can do nothing about. Rick Perry could have changed the word on that rock, gotten rid of it. I could go on, but I don't think it is necessary.

- DC Spence

October 4, 2011 at 1:29pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

Its just too strained of a simile? metaphor? comparison not to start giggling. Rick Perry sounds like a guy who was marinated in West Texas hate-everybodyness and came out with the sort of bifurcated perspective on race that many Americans have. I read a few convincing defenses of him yesterday from people who counts themselves as ideological enemies of him to give him a pass. Calling someone a racist is the most serious charge out there and should not be done lightly. There just isnt enough evidence to convict in this case.

- WandreyCer

October 4, 2011 at 1:58pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

What are you talking about, b.? What piece? Timothy didn't link to an article concerning the Redskins; he referred to a couple of polls. Have you been drinking too much Mexican beer this morning? Not for the first time are you having problems with basic hermeneutic skills. So DC, if your fav team had the name that Rick Perry is in hot water over, would you throw up your hands and say that you wouldn't have any influence over the name and continue to root for the team? You make an ignoratio elenchi move here that allows you to go on rooting for the R------- and to slam Perry at the same time. Your post conforms to your usual standard of intellectual integrity.

- liberalref

October 4, 2011 at 2:05pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

I have this dark little fantasy. A struggling NFL team is bought by a wealthy fellow who, the day after the sale is official, holds a news conference in which he announces that he, as a member of the (fill in the blank) nation/tribe, is going to rename his newly acquired team the N_____s, and that he has enough lawyers to drown the NFL forever, unless that team in Washington changes its equally offensive name. Not my favorite fantasy, but it is fun.

- cspencef

October 4, 2011 at 2:40pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

Wow, DC, that's self-justifying. But I guess if you like to watch over-weight men shorten their life span for your entertainment, conveniently ignoring a racial slur is the least of your problems.

- polcereal

October 4, 2011 at 3:27pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

I maintain that the NBA should bring back the Washington Bullets. I mean, c'mon, the "Wizards"? Where's the outrage that David Stern promotes belief in witchcraft? DC is full of nothing but racist heathens.

- Konstantin

October 4, 2011 at 3:48pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

"A couple of polls have been conducted by Sports Illustrated and the Pew Center that purportedly show that Native Americans don't actually mind what Washington calls its football team. I don't actually believe this. Try greeting the next Native American you see by saying, "Hail, Redskin!" You're liable to get punched in the nose." You really think these two things are comparable? Granted "Redskins" might be offensive, but it's not personally offensive, as in, I'm looking at you specifically and calling you specifically something meant to offend. Spence: I kinda like the idea of a team called the South Side Niggers - particularly if they were a bunch of black guys (and what professional team other than hocky isn't 2/3 black?) and whupped ass on their competition. Nothing to take the history out of a slur by claiming it and rubbing the other guy's face in it.

- IowaBeauty

October 4, 2011 at 4:41pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

I hate the R*dsk*ns. Here are eight of my reasons: 1. That #%^*@! song. 2. Richard Nixon was a R*dsk*ns fan. 3. George Allen. 4. "Baseball in DC." 5. That #%^*@! song again. 6. They cut Art Monk right before he was going to break several receiving records. 7. "John 3:16." 8. Most important, at some point your congressman's or senator's vote was bought for a couple of skybox seats.

- Mikelawyr22

October 4, 2011 at 5:35pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

But I do feel a slight twinge of sympathy for the Texas governor when I imagine him thinking, "I have to take this from a bunch of people who root for a football team called the Redskins?" Libref, Who is the they he thinks that Perry is referring to if not the writers of the Wapo article?

- blackton

October 4, 2011 at 6:51pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

Even better is the millionaire buying the team and changing the name to The Crackers.

- ironyroad

October 4, 2011 at 8:26pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

Libref: Actually, I did not "slam" Rick Perry, I merely pointed out the obvious fact that he could have removed that word from the rock on his property at any time and thus he had a degree of control over the situation that Redskins fans clearly do not. I know reading comprehension -- or, indeed -- any sort of comprehension, is not exactly your strong suit, but this is lame even by your standards. Polcereal: NFL players do not "shorten their lifespans" for me, they do it for money, if they do it all. Not quite the same thing. In addition to following the NFL I also write about the team and discuss them in local media and have had the opportunity to watch the players and talk with them up close. Virtually none of them are "overweight." They are, in fact, in superb physical shape, almost every one of them. You would understand this if you had ever seen a 315-pound lineman sprint past you in a flash. It isn't always easy to explain the game and its players to effete ignoramuses who imagine they are above such things. THAT is actually the least of my problems. I don't like the name Redskins and would change it if I owned the team. But I don't so I can't. I grew up rooting for the team and I'm not ditching them now, even if it might give me a fleeting moment of satisfaction to announce my defection to a crowd of pompous jackasses at my next dinner party. But since I don't invite pompous jackasses to my dinner parties such an announcement is about as likely as me ever being able to change the name of the team. Finally, there are degrees of offensiveness and Redskins is not as offensive to me as nigger. The U.S. legal system appears to agree with me. If you don't like it, take it up with them. Or go fornicate yourself with an iron stick. I'm cool either way.

- DC Spence

October 4, 2011 at 8:57pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

I'm not referring to the writers of the Wash Post article when I imagine Perry saying "I have to take this from people who cheer the Redskins?" I'm imagining the entire Washington commentariat.

- Timothy Noah

October 4, 2011 at 9:47pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

SHARE HIGHLIGHT

0 CHARACTERS SELECTED

TWEET THIS

POST TO TUMBLR

SHARE ON FACEBOOK

Close