Politically Correct Legislation Would Prohibit 'Redskins' as Team Mascot
by Jim Brown
February 9, 2004
(AgapePress) - A California lawmaker is criticizing the state assembly for banning schools from calling their sports teams "Redskins."By a vote of 43-20, legislators recently passed AB 858, which prevents elementary and secondary schools in the Golden State from using the Redskin mascot. Proponents of the bill argue the term "Redskin" is derogatory toward American Indian tribes. Earlier versions of the bill, sponsored by Los Angeles Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg, sought to ban other American Indian names as school mascots.
Assemblyman Bill Maze says it is no surprise his mostly liberal colleagues in Sacramento approved what he calls a politically correct measure.
"They pretty much are brow-beaten [by] and vote in lockstep with their leadership," Maze says. "And rather than being independent-thinking individuals ... who use common sense and self-discipline in representing their general public constituency, they just fold and go along with their leadership."
The lawmaker says even though the bill contains politically correct language, it is likely to breeze through the State Senate just like it did in the Assembly. "They will probably go along with the lower house majority that thinks this is a significant issue that they need to work on," he says.
Liberals, he says, think the issue is "just socially devastating" to the state, while at the same time "all they do is they take their eye off of the really critical issues going on here in this state."
Maze says instead of banning Indian names, his colleagues should be more concerned about dealing with the state's out-of-control budget and burdensome regulations on businesses.
Five public high schools in California, all in the Central Valley, are currently using a Redskin mascot. In all, about 120 teams statewide have mascots that use American Indian terms or tribal names. Those teams, which use names such as Braves, Indians, or Comanches, are not affected by the legislation.
