Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Of Liberals And Redskins

One of the sites I follow is a football site. It’s unfortunate that this site has such good information because I really despise the guy who runs it. He’s paranoid. He’s a rumor monger who is prone to fantasy. He’s a lousy human being. And he’s liberal. His latest blast of liberalism involves the Washington Redskins and is worth discussing.

The guy’s name is Mike Florio and he’s a barely competent (I’m begin generous here) West Virginia lawyer who converted connections to NFL agents into a rumor site that NBC eventually bought. The guy is a real piece of work. Basically, he spends his days trying to spin everything he can into paranoid fantasies and worst case conspiracies. He’s also barely literate, which is why it’s good he’s got assistants because they’re the only ones worth reading.

Like many other liberal sports “writers” he’s also a race baiter extraordinaire. To give you an example, he “wrote” a book about a talented black quarterback and an average white quarterback who get sent back in time and discover just how racist football was in the past – writing books on racism in sports is apparently the easiest way to become a “journalist” in the sports world and you’ll find that most of them have written such a book. Moreover, every year, once the NFL season ends, Florio dives into the issue of how many black coaches there are in the league – he uses the word “minority” but he only counts blacks... Asians, pacific-islanders, women, Hispanics, Muslims need not apply. And no matter how many black coaches he finds, he always finds the number to be shockingly lacking. He’ll then typically pimp for some black coach who didn’t get enough interviews in Florio’s mind. This year, it was Lovie Smith who was fired as the Bears coach after not winning a playoff game in 7 seasons... gee, who wouldn't want to hire him?

Anyway, this year, he came up with a new way to race bait. See, it turns out that the name “Washington Redskins” is offensive to some people. Hence, the dictates of political correctness tell Florio that something must be done to eliminate this evil.

Now, before we go further, let me say this. First, I don’t doubt that the name is offensive to some people, though I know it was never meant to be offensive. . . team names are always meant to honor something. Secondly, I firmly believe those people have the right to be offended and to demand that the Redskins change their name. Third, I firmly believe that the Redskins have the right to use the name even if people are offended. Fourth, I honestly don’t care. This is the great thing about America. Everyone has a right to be upset about whatever they want, and the rest of us have the right to ignore them. If you can get enough people on your side that a business or sports team thinks it’s smart to change, then more power to you. . . just don’t use the government. Indeed, this is exactly what freedom is about: the right to insult, the right to be insulted, the right to not care, and the right to bear the consequences of your words and deeds.

Now, back to Florio. Florio is a typical liberal and this issue really highlights what is wrong with liberal thinking.

First, like all liberals, Florio pretends he’s nonpartisan even though he’s a heavy partisan hack. He’s like another idiot sports writer (and friend of Florio) Peter King, who claims to be nonpartisan and then goes on anti-gun rants, pro-Al Gore rants, pro-union rants, etc. So realize that he starts by lying about his biases.

Secondly, like liberals who seek to “raise awareness” and that garbage, Florio doesn’t actually take a stance himself. Nope. He doesn’t decide not to use the name or to stop showing the team logo. No, sir. He’s not a man of principle until he can get someone to force everyone else to stand on principle with him. It’s like a vegetarian who eats meat until everyone else is forced to give up meat as well. So much for principles.

Third, like all liberals who love to use other people to achieve their ends (see e.g. taxing the rich so liberals can spend their money and feel smug about helping people), Florio doesn’t even undertake this crusade himself. No, sir. Florio tries to force Washington Redskin quarterback Robert Griffin III to do it. Indeed, that’s what got this issue noticed. Rather than saying “the Redskins should change,” Florio takes the position that RGIII need to be advocating for the change.

How nice is that to dump this on a kid who is new to the NFL and tell him that he better be out there running your crusade for you? Indeed, what a typical liberal ass to (1) try to hijack someone else’s popularity for his own cause, and to (2) dump his own responsibilities onto another person – responsibilities Florio himself won’t even partake in until RGIII changes the world so everyone needs to do as Florio wants

Moreover, did you notice that Florio simply assumes RGIII must agree with him? Indeed, it never occurs to Florio that anyone could disagree except for the Redskins’ owner who must be a racist. Let me suggest that there is actual racism in Florio picking RGIII. RGIII is black and it very much strikes me that Florio assumes that blacks must have solidarity with this issue because political correctness and identity politics assumes groupthink among minorities. In other words, because RGIII is black, Florio assumes he must be a fellow traveler.

Fourth, when Florio started drawing heat for this, he started phrasing his articles in the third person to suggest that this wasn’t an issue he had made up, but was instead an issued which everyone was already talking about. For example, if he asked person X about this in an interview, he wouldn’t say that he asked person X, he would instead describe it as if “people” were talking about this including person X. This is the same garbage leftists have been doing for a century – pretending that groups of people are clamoring for something they aren’t.

Fifth, the Washington Redskins responded by pointing out that a great many high school teams across the country use the same name and logo and that none of them have ever had a problem with it. Florio pounced on this by claiming it doesn’t matter how many people find the name non-offensive since that defense is “the equivalent of saying, ‘Well, some of my best friends are Redskins.’” See what he did there? He’s implying that if you agree with the Redskins, then you’re a racist. Further, think about this point. Florio claims that it doesn’t matter how many others aren’t bothered, so long as someone is bothered. If we take this at face value, then it’s a ludicrous position to take. All anyone needs to do is claim offense then everyone else would need to adjust. Essentially, Florio is advocating a world where we can all hold each other hostage by calling ourselves victims. This, of course, is exactly what political correctness is all about. It’s about letting tiny minority groups terrorize and demand concessions from whomever they want. It’s about letting the hypersensitive control the language and the culture.

Moreover, let me assure you that Florio’s position is disingenuous. In his world, he’s the arbiter of what is offensive and what isn’t, a right he denies the rest of us. If I contacted him tomorrow and I said that I found the name Florio offensive because it reminds me of hillbilly rapists, I can assure you he would not say, “well, Price is offended and it doesn’t matter how many people aren’t, the name needs to change.” No, he would say, “I’m not offended and I don’t believe other people will see the offense either, so I’m not changing.” But Mike, that’s like saying, “some of my best friends are Florios.” Assh*le.

Anyway, I expect this campaign will continue to go nowhere, but I thought it was worth pointing out this turd’s thinking because we see it over and over across the liberal spectrum. Liberals really are vile people who lie, distort, mislead and try to use others for their own purposes, all in the name of forcing others to “do the right thing,” a thing they don’t feel obligated to do themselves. Don’t ever believe it.

35 comments:

Tennessee Jed said...

I've never believed it and never will. Flame on Florio, flame on.

AndrewPrice said...

Good for you Jed. :)

You know what's funny is that a LOT of liberals can't recognize other liberals like Florio. They assume that because he's white, a lawyer, and sold his company to NBC, he must be a conservatives. So they squeeze everything he says through the conservative filter and they actually attack him for being a conservative. It's pretty hilarious. Liberals are stupid.

T-Rav said...

I read a story from a few years back where a West Virginian called into a radio show discussing the controversy over the Redskins and suggested changing it to the Washington Rednecks so everyone could go to the games. Not that there's a point to me bringing that up....just saying.

Anyway, there are a lot of names more "offensive" than this. A town up the road from where I live, and directly on the old Trail of Tears, is called Jackson, and its mascot is the Indians. Think about it.

AndrewPrice said...

T-Rav, While I don't disagree that some people find "redskins" offensive, the truth is that you can find offense anywhere you want really. The human mind is wonderful at drawing connects that don't really exist and insisting that those things must be real and intentional.

As for the Rednecks, I would be offended on principle frankly. If we're going to change the name of a Washington, DC team, we should call them the Taxpayer-Rapists or the Intern-Diddlers. :)

AndrewPrice said...

Or how about the Porkies?

Koshcat said...

With having 1/32 native American blood I find the Redskins and this blog offensive. Being 1/2 Irish, I also find the Fighting Irish offensive-we don't all get drunk and fight. I demand a world with glittery sunshine and filled with unicorn farts.

I will abandon this blog until you say sorry or at least until the next interesting article. Ooooh, Bond movie discussion...

AndrewPrice said...

Koshcat, LOL! If an apology would help... well, you're not getting one. ;P

What amazes me is not only how much some people need to find offense, but how so often the people pushing the "this is offensive" button are doing it by proxy. Think of how many times it's a white liberal claiming to speak on behalf of someone else.

But even leaving that aside, I thought it was interesting how Florio really highlights the liberal path on all of these issues -- he's a hypocrite who wants other people to do the work for him and then he'll latch onto the credit (and follow his own rules) if and when everyone else is made to follow them first.

K said...

Why name the team the Redskins at all? It has no relevance to Washington.

Personally, I would suggest going with the Washington Liberals. Every time they lose they go to court to get the ruling overturned. They would organize their fans to picket the NFL owner's houses until the rules were changed to make a different team champion each year in the name of fairness. They would lobby to get the law changed such that each team would be mandated to have 50 percent women players ...



Patriot said...

K...That is the best suggestion I have heard so far on the name change! I love it!!

One could have a lot of fun with this......Team player personnel must reflect the national demographic. So on a team with 60 players you would have 7 blacks, 32 whites, 2 Asians and the rest Hispanic and assorted third worlders. Of course half the players would be female.

Then by following your "common sense" rules stated above, "we could not stand by while privileged few teams win all the games" everyone would have a .500 win/loss record "to be fair."

"Everyone agrees" that your solution is "fair and balanced."

America is demanding action now on this vitally important issue. For The Children

rlaWTX said...

K & Patriot: as a Cowboys fan, I think that your ideas for he new and improved, politically correct DC team are most excellent. Please carry on! :)

As for the "sports journalist", bah humbug.

EricP said...

Amen on something to offend everyone, AP! I'm sure even aquaphobes have something against the Lakers (who are so easy to hate just because, but I digress), but I'm a Marquette Warriors kinda guy to this day (Golden Eagles??? pshaw).

OK, now back to lamenting how much the Tribe will disappoint their Northcoast faithful in the second half ... again.

Chief Wahoo for Life!!!

AndrewPrice said...

K, I like that! Plus, why aren't there more women in the NFL? That sounds like racism to me! :P

AndrewPrice said...

Patriot, Agree, we need to do this for the children! :)

As an aside, I've always found it interesting that liberals are quick to demand proportional representation in jobs, legislatures, etc.... except in highly visible occupations like sports and Hollywood. Do you know what that is? That is because forcing sports teams to hire according to race/gender rather than merit would the insanity that is affirmative action and liberals know this.

Personally, I've always felt that the best way to kill a law is to enforce it strictly against the most high profile groups as well as the groups advocating for it. NOW should need to hire something other than white lesbians. The NAACP better have enough whites and American Indians. Football, baseball... there's no excuse, it's the law. Either it's right or it's not and if it's right, then everyone should need to comply.

AndrewPrice said...

rlaWTX, Sports "journalism" has really become a world of pathetic liberals. They all claim to be unbiased, but they are probably as bad as MSNBC as a group.

As for the Washington Liberals, I figured a Cowboys fan would approve! :)

AndrewPrice said...

Eric, When I was young, we had a local high school team called the Palmer High Indians. This drew an outrage from a handful of Indians. The screamed and screamed -- they particularly didn't like the mascot because he "had a big nose." Uh, all mascots do and this one was no different than any other cartoony mascot. Anyway, the school district went PC and dropped the name because it was "offensive". Unbelievable.

So don't think that this crusade is at all interested in stopping with "Redskins." They will go after everything until everything is gone except bland names.

T-Rav said...

Patriot, you can't just have a team with 30 male and 30 female players. One or two spots have to be reserved for those who are confused, or else you're an insensitive bigot.

T-Rav said...

Andrew, Eric, Koshcat et al., to be honest, while I can understand Native American groups objecting to mascots that have derogatory names, I've never wrapped my head around why just using "Indians" as a team name is so terrible. The point is (usually) to pick a name that denotes courage and ferocity, right? ND has the Fighting Irish, a lot of schools and sports teams have predatory animals....shouldn't the use of the Indian be a source of pride? I don't get it.

AndrewPrice said...

T-Rav, That's true. You need a couple transgender spots.

As for "Indians," I think this is a classic example of false-offense. I think when everyone else climbed on the identity politics bandwagon, Indians wanted something to be upset about, so they decided that if whites described them as Indians, then that was derogatory and they would force a change. I think it also fit with this push to call themselves "native Americans" in the hopes of making all the rest of us sound like foreigners. That's what's behind this. It was an attempt to generate a false victim status to rebrand themselves as having a superior claim on the country.

AndrewPrice said...

P.S. As for mascot names being a source of pride, that's not the point. The point of political correctness is to take a dominant position by claiming victim status. Thus, even if you say "Asians are great at math," that's considered an insult in the PC world because you've singled our a group for a stereotype, and they can use that to claim you are racist.

That said, somehow it's not racist for them to make the same claim.

Anthony said...

I'm a casual football fan (Redskins, by dint of growing up in the area) who reads Profootballtalk now and again. Lot of interesting gossip. I doubt it has much leverage over a guy like RG3 though. I only know his public persona, but he strikes me as a guy very focused on football who isn't the type to let some idiot journalist sidetrack him.

A sizable chunk of the local media (including the Washington Post, the 'paper of record') normally inveigh against the Redskins name, but no one cares.

*Shrugs* Given that the Bullets changed their name to the (flouncy sounding) Wizards nothing is impossible, but honestly, I don't care much.

AndrewPrice said...

Anthony, I don't think RGIII will feel compelled to join this crusade either because I don't think Florio has that kind of power. Nor do I see the Redskins changing. But that's not really my point.

My point in the article is more to show how twisted liberal thinking is. Notice how Florio (1) won't act according to his own supposed principles, (2) tries to force someone else to do his dirty work, and (3) espouses a standard that he doesn't really believe. That's all very typical of liberals and we see it time and again on issue after issue.

As for the Bullets, I thought it was stupid to change the name because that name wasn't why people thought DC was violent, but I honestly didn't care. I also remember when they came up with alternative names that "wouldn't offend anyone," they mentioned the Dragons, the Wizards and the Seadogs. And the first thing the local anchor (can't remember his name, but he was a black guy) said when asked, "what comes to mind when you hear Wizards and Dragons?" was "the Ku Klux Klan."

I had to laugh. If we've reached the point that dragons can be seen to be offensive, then everything is offensive.

T-Rav said...

Personally, when I hear Wizards and Dragons, I think of the gamer nerds I knew in college. Of course, a bunch of them would go along with such a statement, but they were idiots.

AndrewPrice said...

T-Rav, That was my take on Wizards and Dragons and I was pretty surprised to hear the KKK mentioned. It seems that pretty much anything is now offensive.

rlaWTX said...

Go, Hutto Hippos!!!! (small Texas high school)

AndrewPrice said...

rlaWTX, Isn't hippo offensive to husky people? Just saying. :P

My high school was the Spartans... nobody could be offended by the Spartans... except the Iranians and Roger Ebert.

AndrewPrice said...

Wait a minute... "husky"... "huskers"... Nebraska suddenly makes sense to me!

EricP said...

Exactly, T-Rav, and though my wife would smack me if she heard I was saying something positive about the baseball team in Atlanta, what's so wrong with being referred to as the Braves?

Also, as someone of Eastern European descent, I would openly embrace a team known as the Honkeys.

AndrewPrice said...

Eric, Is "honkey" Eastern European in origin?

Kit said...

Andrew,

re: Wizards and Dragons.

Funny, I would've thought "Lord of the Rings" or "The Hobbit".

AndrewPrice said...

Kit, I think this was before the film, so Tolkien was just lumped in with the rest of the fantasy world, which was pretty much all put under the heading "Dungeons and Dragons" -- the game. In either event though, I never would have thought about the KKK.

EricP said...

Could be an apocryphal story, AP, but I was told (and that wacky Wiki backs it up...for whatever that's worth) the Chicago-land Eastern European immigrants circa the late 19th century, referred to as Hunkys back in the homeland, were called "honkeys" by the black population. Things didn't really take off, though, till Richard Pryor referred to Chevy Chase as "honkey-honkey" in SNL inaugural season. ;-)

AndrewPrice said...

Eric, Interesting, I've never looked up the origin. I just knew the meaning.

T-Rav said...

Eric, you got me.

Incidentally, although I don't know much about the origins of the word "honky," Chicago a century ago was fraught with tensions between the black population and the European immigrants, and derogatory remarks on both sides were a part of that. So it's possible.

Individualist said...

I love how in the liberal's mind it is offenseive to call the indigenous peoples of North America Injun and Redskin because those are horrible names given to them by racist white men.

So what is the better term for our liberal knowbetters..... Native American. Hmmm... Native American, not Shawnee, Seminole, Arapaho, Cherokee, Hopi or any of the myriad names that these people actually used to call themselves. No no no obviously the most inoffensive term is to take the name of an Italian explorer because that has nothing to do with white people....

uh ... FAIL!

AndrewPrice said...

Indi, That's a good point. LOL! That's like calling them Native Columbus Greeters!

Post a Comment