Hog Heaven had the pleasure of Robert and Angelique Doore’s company at the Redskins-Lions preseason game last night. It was a privilege.
Robert wrote the two most read stories posted to Redskins Hog Heaven … and he thinks I did HIM a favor by publishing them.
The first and still my favorite is Robert’s story of how he became a Redskins fan while growing up on the Blackfeet Reservation in far off Montana. His story is Native American fan tells why he is Blackfeet Strong, Redskins Proud. Grown men who have read it tell me that Robert’s story made them cry.
It triggered a quite lively debate in the comment stream, including by relatives of the late Blackie Wetzel, the Blackfeet, Native American leader and lobbyist who approached the Redskins in the 1970s about changing their helmet logo to the Native American profile still in use.
Mr. Wetzel sought to make Native Americans more visible to American consciousness, something name-changers seek to expunge.
Doore’s next contribution was Washington Redskins Team Name: Team, Term, Truth. Doore challenged the fiction pushed – without media challenge – by the changer element:
- about the source of the term “redskin;”
- that all, or even most, Native Americans are offended by the term, though some sincerely are;
- or that Redskins fans are slurring anyone when we say, “Hail to the Redskins.”
Social media has devolved to a moralistic lynch mob about any controversial topic from Caitlin Jenner to Tom Brady. Doore comes in for name-calling vitriol and for praise. Yet, he presses on and why not?
Native Americans were fighters, often against long odds. Some readers may not see the honor in that, but it’s just the inspiration we Redskins fans need today as the mob rips our team and quarterback to shreds.
HAIL, and thank you again, Robert Doore.
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