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FCC + 'Redskins'

Should the FCC ban usage of the word 'Redskins' in broadcasts?

  • Total voters
    57
Gaius46 said:
The FCC may bar material whose content is offensive, though both Scalia and Ginsberg think the decision that allows the FCC that power should be overturned. \

In any case while it may bar offensive content it cannot bar offensive viewpoints even when the content is similarly offensive. Viewpoints represent ideas and are protected by the first amendment.

"Redskins" is offensive not because the word itself is offensive - like one of the seven dirty words - but because it represents a (potentially) racist viewpoint. As such it is protected speech.

Further the FCC itself has published rulings where they state they will not censor racist material.
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Racist material and racist words are different things. Stopping a viewpoint and stopping an ethnic slur over public airwaves aren't the same.
 
I'm sure they go through with this petition (they won't) they'll follow suit with other slurs like Yankee and Canuck (note, they won't).

There's also a question of the difference between it's use as a PROPER noun (as in Washington Redskins) and as opposed to it as a simple noun (as in "In the early days of the country native americans were called names such as indian or redskin). There's significant disagreement on whether or not the team name "Redskins" is an "offensive" term with sizable evidence on both sides of the issue. It is absolutely ridiculous on the part of the government if it comes out and declares it as such for broadcasting purposes at this point in time. I'm not one to typically pull the "political correct" card, but to do so at a time when overwhelmingly there is evidence that a majority of people, and to a lesser degree of evidence a majority of those it supposedly slurs, do NOT find it offensive would be nothing but a move in the name of political correctness.
 
Unrepresented said:
Racist material and racist words are different things. Stopping a viewpoint and stopping an ethnic slur over public airwaves aren't the same.
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Racist words are racist because they represent the attitude of the speaker. The N word is not considered racist when spoken by a rapper but it is when spoken by a white person. It represents a point of view. That makes it protected speech to me.
 
Unrepresented said:
Not if they're using public airwaves. We provide them with a public spectrum, they agree to adhere to public standards.
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How does that make sense? If the first amendment applies to public schools why wouldn't it apply to public airwaves?
 
The USA in modern times has not imposed censorship for anything but descriptions or depictions of sexual conduct or excretory functions. I do not support that censorship, and I can not support expanding to broader censorship. I doubt that courts will allow such an expansion. I support changing the Red Skin's name, but it is not something that government should impose. Criticism and boycotts will prevail eventually.
 
Quote Originally Posted by Gaius46 View Post
Most probably a 1st amendment violation.

Unrepresented said:
Not if they're using public airwaves. We provide them with a public spectrum, they agree to adhere to public standards.
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The public standards for broadcast (which exclude late night programming) have never banned anything but sexual/excretory content and should not start doing so.
 
NO

This is taking the entire REDSKINS debacle to a higher level of stupid.
 
Perotista said:
What do you think about the word crackers?
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Racial bigotry against the majority power has no impact at a societal/systemic level. It's pissing in the wind.
 
ecofarm said:
Racial bigotry against the majority power has no impact at a societal/systemic level. It's pissing in the wind.
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Hmm, so you feel that in the United States it is perfectly okay for all minorities, black, hispanic, asian, indian and so on to be bigoted, discriminatory and racist against whites. But when returned it is wrong. In other words, what is good for the goose is not good for the gander.

got you.
 
Perotista said:
Hmm, so you feel that in the United States it is perfectly okay for all minorities, black, hispanic, asian, indian and so on to be bigoted, discriminatory and racist against whites. But when returned it is wrong. In other words, what is good for the goose is not good for the gander.

got you.
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Wow, that's a warped and sick interpretation of my words.

I oppose all racial bigotry, and I recognize that racial bigotry against the majority power means nothing at a societal/systemic scale.

One can, despite some people's apparent cognitive limitations, oppose racial bigotry and still possess a social view of the subject. I realize one must think critically a bit, and understand context and scale, but it really should be within everyone's grasp. I've explained it to children and they understand, but some adults pretend they cannot.
 
Perotista said:
As a kid growing up south of Atlanta I had a goal of becoming an Atlanta Cracker. You see we used to have a AA baseball minor league team that played in Ponce De Leon Field known as the Atlanta Crackers. Then to top that off, the old negro league team in Atlanta was named the Atlanta Black Crackers.

It seems to me today all the emphasis is on making people feel good and not to offend them in any way with words. Very little emphasis on making their lives better and solving their problems. By solving their problems I don't mean just throwing money at the symptoms, I mean getting at the roots of the problems and and doing something about the causes.
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That's the very reason I left the teaching profession. The public educational system had evolved into one where the system was more interested in not hurting someone's feeling by telling them they didn't work up to par than in educating them. Very little emphasis was placed on the basics for which people needed regardless of the profession they chose. More was put on making sure they "felt good" and were happy. I don't know about you, but if I couldn't read, write, or do basic math on more than a 5 - 6th grade level, I wouldn't feel good about myself.
 
Conservative65 said:
That's the very reason I left the teaching profession. The public educational system had evolved into one where the system was more interested in not hurting someone's feeling by telling them they didn't work up to par than in educating them. Very little emphasis was placed on the basics for which people needed regardless of the profession they chose. More was put on making sure they "felt good" and were happy. I don't know about you, but if I couldn't read, write, or do basic math on more than a 5 - 6th grade level, I wouldn't feel good about myself.
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That is probably one of the reasons the United States has dropped from 1st in the world in math and science to around 26th and 30th and falling. Kids are graduating from school feeling real good about themselves but have learned little and are completely unprepared for the real world in the cut throat job market.
 
Perotista said:
That is probably one of the reasons the United States has dropped from 1st in the world in math and science to around 26th and 30th and falling. Kids are graduating from school feeling real good about themselves but have learned little and are completely unprepared for the real world in the cut throat job market.
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Greetings, Pero. :2wave:

:agree: Talk to almost any Human Resource person these days to hear lots more on the subject. India and China are graduating 20 times the engineers and scientists than we are on a yearly basis, as one example. We used to set the standard for most of the world, but not so much these days. Asians today seem to have the work ethic that we used to have 50 to 75 years ago, which made us the world leader in manufacturing. One HR Director told me that she was shocked that the schools are not better preparing students for the real world of cut-throat competition for jobs, especially since so many businesses are leaving our shores for other parts of the world. Did we become complacent and unaware that the world was changing, and not in our favor??
 
Simpleχity;1063825346 said:
There you have it. The FCC is considering banning the word 'Redskins' from the broadcast mediums it regulates.

What say you?
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Just another reason why the FCC should be abolished with anti-freedom of speech stance.
 
polgara said:
Greetings, Pero. :2wave:

:agree: Talk to almost any Human Resource person these days to hear lots more on the subject. India and China are graduating 20 times the engineers and scientists than we are on a yearly basis, as one example. We used to set the standard for most of the world, but not so much these days. Asians today seem to have the work ethic that we used to have 50 to 75 years ago, which made us the world leader in manufacturing. One HR Director told me that she was shocked that the schools are not better preparing students for the real world of cut-throat competition for jobs, especially since so many businesses are leaving our shores for other parts of the world. Did we become complacent and unaware that the world was changing, and not in our favor??
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Perhaps we are the cause by putting feelings ahead of education for so many businesses moving overseas to areas which put education ahead of feelings. Just a thought.
 
Simpleχity;1063825346 said:
There you have it. The FCC is considering banning the word 'Redskins' from the broadcast mediums it regulates.

What say you?
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It's stupid. Besides, how much does the FCC control anymore anyhow? Most football is on cable, where the FCC has no control at all. BFD.
 
It must be a slow year in things to be offended about. The only problem is, if the Washington redskins are changed to the Washington generic non insulting name number 23165078, what will the professionally offended people have to cry about?
 
wow 90% voted against. Wonder how'd it turn out if the team was named "Washington N*ggers" and FCC was knocking on their door. 77 tribes have also asked for a name change, but who cares about the opinions and sensibilities of the people you're supposedly (*cough* marketing ploy) honoring right?

Look, the name didn't just pop up yesterday. Even years later, "Peter Pan" had a song called "what makes the red man red" or something, with dark red-faced characters. That was the climate in which the name came about. It's completely racist, from a culture that was totally ignorant of native americans. Look at context. No, "Indians" is not inherently racist, but a damn red faced logo of a cartoonish native alongside it sure is.

And if you ask me, the FCC and lawmakers and sponsors should go after the cleveland mlb team next
 
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CLAX1911 said:
It must be a slow year in things to be offended about. The only problem is, if the Washington redskins are changed to the Washington generic non insulting name number 23165078, what will the professionally offended people have to cry about?
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Yeah, if they were called "Washington F*ggots" that wouldn't bother you at all then?

I think it's a small request from a people who were very nearly wiped out by white invaders.
 
Cephus said:
It's stupid. Besides, how much does the FCC control anymore anyhow? Most football is on cable, where the FCC has no control at all. BFD.
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it would be a BFD if they made the super bowl.
 
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