At first glance, it read like a headline concocted by The Onion:
“New poll finds 9 in 10 Native Americans aren’t offended by (slur of Native Americans) name.”
Ha! What will they think of next?!
As it happens, though, that was an actual headline last week in The Washington Post.
And the Post doubled down on the idea by treating the results of a sampling of 504 people who identified themselves as Native American as the absolute, irrefutable gold standard on the topic.
“Even as the name-change movement gained momentum among influential people, The Post’s survey and more than two dozen subsequent interviews make clear that the effort failed to have anywhere near the same impact on Indians,” the Post wrote. “Across every demographic group, the vast majority of Native Americans say the team’s name does not offend them, including 80 percent who identify as politically liberal, 85 percent of college graduates, 90 percent of those enrolled in a tribe, 90 percent of non-football fans and 91 percent of those between the ages of 18 and 39.”
Naturally, team owner Daniel Snyder seized the opportunity to declare victory and vindication.
“The Washington (slur) team, our fans and community have always believed our name represents honor, respect and pride,” the owner said in a statement. “Today’s Washington Post polling shows Native Americans agree. We are gratified by this overwhelming support from the Native American community, and the team will proudly carry the (slur) name.”
But let’s hold on here.
Is a poll of a few hundred people really supposed to somehow stand as proof that the dehumanizing term instantly became inoffensive and suddenly is just a trifling matter of “political correctness,” as some like to dismiss it?
Is something that is so fundamentally wrong and clearly disparaging less so simply because such a basic poll of an intricate, multi-tiered issue suggests so?
That’s how right and wrong are to be measured?
Of course not.
“There’s no validity to this poll. Stereotypes are wrong, and they’re demeaning. The Washington Team name is a dictionary defined racial slur, that we do know,” Amanda Blackhorse, an activist and graduate of Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, told the Post. “If the Washington Post knew anything about the native community, they would know it is almost impossible to poll our nations. And it may come as a surprise, but there are more than just 500 of us.”
For argument’s sake, let’s assume that the methodology of the poll was sound — or at least as sound as it could be for such an elusive undertaking surveying a diverse group of 5.4 million people.
A relatively small number polled is common practice in establishing statistical significance … though it seems curious to see this tidbit as somehow definitive.
But, OK, even sticking with a devil’s advocacy that says this poll is revealing, common sense and decency say otherwise.
This remains an ethnic smear, rooted in a caricature, that can’t be condoned.
No matter what a poll tells you how to think.
