So I came across an article that said “Etsy Bans Washington Redskins”, not the team itself but rather the use of the team name and any products that carry the team’s logo, etc.
The title immediately caught my attention because I initially thought “wow, Etsy banned something…? How bad could it be?” I’ll be honest, I did not know what the Washington Redskins were, I thought it was a variety of Washington apples. I know, I know, how pathetic could I really be? So for those who also are on the same level of cluelessness as I am, the Redskins are actually a football team and they are based in Washington D.C., not the state of Washington… And now we’ve been schooled.
Okay, so now I know.
So Etsy said it made this move because Native Americans had been involved in a fight against the football team name and mascot, which they considered offensive, disparaging, and racist, and in fact had been engaged in this fight for a while (this apparently was not a new thing). Etsy agreed, though they also made it clear that they did not think that fans of the team had any racist feelings or intent.
But then there are those who believe the name pays homage to the Native Americans, but the fact still stands that the group affected does not feel that way. So the name and the logo are banned from Etsy.
Here are my thoughts: I unabashedly agree with Etsy. If someone called me a name that I felt was derogatory or offensive, then regardless of whether or not that person meant it as an insult or an honor, the fact that I felt insulted by it should be enough to cause that person to stop referring to me that way.
As for Etsy’s decision to ban the name and logo from it’s site… I have to say I support their decision. If someone was being called an offensive name and I had the power to stop it if the offended person expressed their displeasure, then by me not putting a stop to it in the realm that is within my scope of influence might imply that I am in agreement with the offender. So if I’m not, I need to take a stand and say that I am not.
Are we right? Are we wrong? What are your thoughts on the issue?