Whither Redskins?

THE WASHINGTON REDSKINS, an American american-football team of great fame, has a very big problem. Namely, its name. Not only is it politically incorrect, it is so terribly politically incorrect, so vile, so heinous, so insulting, that it absolutely must be changed.

The name " washington redskins" is no better than the name "detroit niggers', or "san francisco queers" would be, if you think about it, even briefly. By far, its the most insulting nickname in sports. Even now, an increasing number of members of congress are insisting that the name be changed, including a republican congress person from Oklahoma, which is formely indian territory, and steeped in native american tradition.

Members of congress have not only sent a petition to the team itself, but also to every team in the national football lague. That means that they mean business, buddy. If a very conservative republican congress person wants the name changed, then who among us can disagree? After all, never was seen a conservative republican who disliked political incorrectness.

The owner of the washington native american football team is staunchly, absolutely, categorically refusing to change the name; he insits it will never happen. He's wrong, of course; it will happen, kicking and screaming, probably.

The enormous problem is that to change the name is utterly unthinkalbe, not only to fans of the washington native americans, but to NFL fans in general, one suspects. The name is very ,very deeply engraved in football lore, like the new york yankees in baseball, or the bosten celtics in basketball.

but yankees and celtics are not politically offensive. not too much , anyway. The word "yankee" was first used by the british as a condescending insult to americans; but the americans, in true american fashion, embraced it, made it their own, turned lemons into lemonade. This is the genius of america!

Oh, what will ever become of the washigton....er..redskins? Even now the name begins to feel as if it must be whispered only, and behind closed doors. Something will become of them, and whatever it is, they will never be the same again.