Unless the team runs out in all white ,wearing hoods and kicking the crap out of people, what is the problem with this teacher- scares me this kind of of person teaching my kids, influencing them. She cannot see the difference between The Clan and The Klan.
Donnie Scott - 7 years ago
Mr. Gant Walker, you just made my day! There could not be a truer analysis, and I will forever more have difficulty watching USC vs Oregon....
As a 3rd Gen Canadian by way of Scotland, I still affectionately maintain "clan" in my vocabulary, and am alarmed by the lack of true knowledge behind the SFU movement (ok, not movement, but a single drum/voice being permitted a foothold).
John McCallum - 7 years ago
What is frightening is that this woman holds a teaching position. The evolution of society does not lie in the pampering of the brainless.
Frank Dixon - 7 years ago
Way to trivialize a serious topic, Holly. Racism is a serious issue, but this isn't the way to fight it. Language is contextual and there's nothing in the context of SFU's use of the term "clan" that can remotely be associated with the KKK or racism.
Kent - 7 years ago
In a world full of unrest and poorly run governments, I cannot believe an educated individual would focus energy on something as stupid as a possibly offensive reference in a team name. The name is created out of respect and pride of a highland clansmen from what I understand. What kind of world are we raising our children in when we allow this BS to take place. it is the Actions of individuals and hatred spread by these groups such as the KKK that is unsettling, not the name. Sticks and stones may break bones but names can never hurt. Unless you are a narrow minded idiot. Instead of starting a petition to change a name that had no reference of any kind to a racially motivated bunch of violent idiots, instead focus your energy on awareness. Raise money for those less fortunate, go offer help to inner city kids and groups, offer hope through your actions to people not your attack on a prideful name. If educated individuals have enough time to perform actions like this, perhaps they should be fired because they are not doing their job. Names are names, it is the actions of human beings that is at issue. Grow up, get a life and focus your energy on helping humans rather than wasting people's time!
Kent - 7 years ago
In a world full of unrest and poorly run governments, I cannot believe and educated individual would focus energy on something as stupid as a possibly offensive reference in a team name. The name is created out of respect and pride of a highland clansmen from what I understand. What kind of world are we raising our children in when we allow this BS to take place. it is the Actions of individuals and hatred spread by these groups such as the KKK that is unsettling, not the name. Sticks and stones may break bones but names can never hurt. Unless you are a narrow minded idiot. Instead of starting a potion to change a name that had no reference of any kind to a racially motivated bunch of violent idiots, instead focus your energy on awareness. Raise money for those less fortunate, go offer help to inner city kids and groups, offer hope through your actions to people not your attack on a prideful name. If educated individuals have enough time to perform actions like this, perhaps they should be fired because they are not doing their job. Names are names, it is the actions of human beings that is at issue. Grow up, get a life and focus your energy on helping humans rather than wasting people's time!
Jim Brown - 7 years ago
Shall we get all the clans in Scotland to cease using the word "clan" as well? After all, it may offend someone. Total stupidity.
Kit - 7 years ago
How bout cutting to the chase. Let's focus on the fact that English language DICTIONARIES , in N.America are slithering with racial slurs.
Watch the children in grade school learn intolerance. Let's get on that problem, Holly.
Grant Walker - 7 years ago
Here is an e-mail sent to Clarence Page of the Chicago Tribune after an article he published concerning a name change for the Washington Redskins.
Dear Mr. Page: I agree with our Native American population. I am highly insulted by the racially charged name of the Washington Redskins. One might argue that to name a professional football team after Native Americans would exalt them as fine warriors, but nay, nay. We must be careful not to offend, and in the spirit of political correctness and courtesy, we must move forward
Let's ditch the Kansas City Chiefs, the Atlanta Braves and the Cleveland Indians. If your shorts are in a wad because of the reference the name Redskins makes to skin color, then we need to get rid of the Cleveland Browns.
The Carolina Panthers obviously were named to keep the memory of militant Blacks from the 60s alive. Gone. It's offensive to us white folk.
The New York Yankees offend the Southern population. Do you see a team named for the Confederacy? No! There is no room for any reference to that tragic war that cost this country so many young men's lives.
I am also offended by the blatant references to the Catholic religion among our sports team names. Totally inappropriate to have the New Orleans Saints, the Los Angeles Angels or the San Diego Padres.
Then there are the team names that glorify criminals who raped and pillaged. We are talking about the horrible Oakland Raiders, the Minnesota Vikings, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Pittsburgh Pirates!
Now, let us address those teams that clearly send the wrong message to our children. The San Diego Chargers promote irresponsible fighting or even spending habits. Wrong message to our children.
The New York Giants and the San Francisco Giants promote obesity, a growing childhood epidemic. Wrong message to our children.
The Cincinnati Reds promote downers/barbiturates. Wrong message to our children.
The Milwaukee Brewers. Well, that goes without saying. Wrong message to our children.
So, there you go. We need to support any legislation that comes out to rectify this travesty, because the government will likely become involved with this issue, as they should. Just the kind of thing the do-nothing Congress loves.
As a diehard Oregon State fan, my wife and I, with all of this in mind, suggest it might also make some sense to change the name of the Oregon State women's athletic teams to something other than "the Beavers." (especially when they play Southern California. Do we really want the Trojans sticking it to the Beavers???)
I always love your articles and I generally agree with them. As for the Redskins name, I would suggest they change the name to the "Foreskins" to better represent their community, paying tribute to the dickheads in Congress.
Gavin Ross - 7 years ago
As you can see by the family name (spoiler alert) I do have Scots ancestry on my father's side. I also attended SFU in the 80's. Despite these two things, I thought then, and I think now, that it was extremely tone-deaf in the first place to name SFU teams "the Clan" in 1965 as the association in the public mind then was as strong as it is now...Sure Clan and Klan are different (one hopes), but to ignore the identical sound and hope it won't be offensive is wishful thinking...Didn't have to be this way. The original choice to go with Clan was deliberately provocative imo. There are so many other names they could have used , and still can. The SFU Bravehearts for instance!!
Gavin Ross - 7 years ago
As you can see by the family name (spoiler alert) I do have Scots ancestry on my father's side. I also attended SFU in the 80's. Despite these two things, I thought then, and I think now, that it was extremely tone-deaf in the first place to name SFU teams "the Clan" in 1965 as the association in the public mind then was as strong as it is now...Sure Clan and Klan are different (one hopes), but to ignore the identical sound and hope it won't be offensive is wishful thinking...Didn't have to be this way. The original choice to go with Clan was deliberately provocative imo. There are so many other names they could have used , and still can. The SFU Bravehearts for instance!!
Martino Cavaleri - 7 years ago
I think we need to stop dumbing everything down for the lowest common denominator and start educating them instead. Let's raise our standards not succumb to mediocrity.
Corey M - 7 years ago
"unintended association", yeah, that's your problem. Don't expect everyone to accommodate your mental shortcomings..
Sfu clan fan - 7 years ago
What's more even offensive too me is their men's football and basketball records over the last two years. 0-19 in football. 0-3 this year. Basketball is 5- 47 over past two seasons.
Paul Warburton - 7 years ago
This exercise in political correctness is beyond ridiculous. It's also an insult to our intelligence. The average Canadian is capable of the simple brainwork required to tell the difference between the Ku Klux Klan and a Scottish Clan. My family refers to itself as a "clan" when we have our get-togethers. Never once have we donned white sheets and lynched a black person ..... or even considered it for one nano-second. This proposal is stupid, stupid, stupid. I could go on...
Charlie Gillingham - 7 years ago
Not only no, but hell no!!
Robert Orth - 7 years ago
The petitioner for name change is wrong. Canada is not the USA and any name change would draw us into the mess south of the border. Their issues are not ours
Unless the team runs out in all white ,wearing hoods and kicking the crap out of people, what is the problem with this teacher- scares me this kind of of person teaching my kids, influencing them. She cannot see the difference between The Clan and The Klan.
Mr. Gant Walker, you just made my day! There could not be a truer analysis, and I will forever more have difficulty watching USC vs Oregon....
As a 3rd Gen Canadian by way of Scotland, I still affectionately maintain "clan" in my vocabulary, and am alarmed by the lack of true knowledge behind the SFU movement (ok, not movement, but a single drum/voice being permitted a foothold).
What is frightening is that this woman holds a teaching position. The evolution of society does not lie in the pampering of the brainless.
Way to trivialize a serious topic, Holly. Racism is a serious issue, but this isn't the way to fight it. Language is contextual and there's nothing in the context of SFU's use of the term "clan" that can remotely be associated with the KKK or racism.
In a world full of unrest and poorly run governments, I cannot believe an educated individual would focus energy on something as stupid as a possibly offensive reference in a team name. The name is created out of respect and pride of a highland clansmen from what I understand. What kind of world are we raising our children in when we allow this BS to take place. it is the Actions of individuals and hatred spread by these groups such as the KKK that is unsettling, not the name. Sticks and stones may break bones but names can never hurt. Unless you are a narrow minded idiot. Instead of starting a petition to change a name that had no reference of any kind to a racially motivated bunch of violent idiots, instead focus your energy on awareness. Raise money for those less fortunate, go offer help to inner city kids and groups, offer hope through your actions to people not your attack on a prideful name. If educated individuals have enough time to perform actions like this, perhaps they should be fired because they are not doing their job. Names are names, it is the actions of human beings that is at issue. Grow up, get a life and focus your energy on helping humans rather than wasting people's time!
In a world full of unrest and poorly run governments, I cannot believe and educated individual would focus energy on something as stupid as a possibly offensive reference in a team name. The name is created out of respect and pride of a highland clansmen from what I understand. What kind of world are we raising our children in when we allow this BS to take place. it is the Actions of individuals and hatred spread by these groups such as the KKK that is unsettling, not the name. Sticks and stones may break bones but names can never hurt. Unless you are a narrow minded idiot. Instead of starting a potion to change a name that had no reference of any kind to a racially motivated bunch of violent idiots, instead focus your energy on awareness. Raise money for those less fortunate, go offer help to inner city kids and groups, offer hope through your actions to people not your attack on a prideful name. If educated individuals have enough time to perform actions like this, perhaps they should be fired because they are not doing their job. Names are names, it is the actions of human beings that is at issue. Grow up, get a life and focus your energy on helping humans rather than wasting people's time!
Shall we get all the clans in Scotland to cease using the word "clan" as well? After all, it may offend someone. Total stupidity.
How bout cutting to the chase. Let's focus on the fact that English language DICTIONARIES , in N.America are slithering with racial slurs.
Watch the children in grade school learn intolerance. Let's get on that problem, Holly.
Here is an e-mail sent to Clarence Page of the Chicago Tribune after an article he published concerning a name change for the Washington Redskins.
Dear Mr. Page: I agree with our Native American population. I am highly insulted by the racially charged name of the Washington Redskins. One might argue that to name a professional football team after Native Americans would exalt them as fine warriors, but nay, nay. We must be careful not to offend, and in the spirit of political correctness and courtesy, we must move forward
Let's ditch the Kansas City Chiefs, the Atlanta Braves and the Cleveland Indians. If your shorts are in a wad because of the reference the name Redskins makes to skin color, then we need to get rid of the Cleveland Browns.
The Carolina Panthers obviously were named to keep the memory of militant Blacks from the 60s alive. Gone. It's offensive to us white folk.
The New York Yankees offend the Southern population. Do you see a team named for the Confederacy? No! There is no room for any reference to that tragic war that cost this country so many young men's lives.
I am also offended by the blatant references to the Catholic religion among our sports team names. Totally inappropriate to have the New Orleans Saints, the Los Angeles Angels or the San Diego Padres.
Then there are the team names that glorify criminals who raped and pillaged. We are talking about the horrible Oakland Raiders, the Minnesota Vikings, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Pittsburgh Pirates!
Now, let us address those teams that clearly send the wrong message to our children. The San Diego Chargers promote irresponsible fighting or even spending habits. Wrong message to our children.
The New York Giants and the San Francisco Giants promote obesity, a growing childhood epidemic. Wrong message to our children.
The Cincinnati Reds promote downers/barbiturates. Wrong message to our children.
The Milwaukee Brewers. Well, that goes without saying. Wrong message to our children.
So, there you go. We need to support any legislation that comes out to rectify this travesty, because the government will likely become involved with this issue, as they should. Just the kind of thing the do-nothing Congress loves.
As a diehard Oregon State fan, my wife and I, with all of this in mind, suggest it might also make some sense to change the name of the Oregon State women's athletic teams to something other than "the Beavers." (especially when they play Southern California. Do we really want the Trojans sticking it to the Beavers???)
I always love your articles and I generally agree with them. As for the Redskins name, I would suggest they change the name to the "Foreskins" to better represent their community, paying tribute to the dickheads in Congress.
As you can see by the family name (spoiler alert) I do have Scots ancestry on my father's side. I also attended SFU in the 80's. Despite these two things, I thought then, and I think now, that it was extremely tone-deaf in the first place to name SFU teams "the Clan" in 1965 as the association in the public mind then was as strong as it is now...Sure Clan and Klan are different (one hopes), but to ignore the identical sound and hope it won't be offensive is wishful thinking...Didn't have to be this way. The original choice to go with Clan was deliberately provocative imo. There are so many other names they could have used , and still can. The SFU Bravehearts for instance!!
As you can see by the family name (spoiler alert) I do have Scots ancestry on my father's side. I also attended SFU in the 80's. Despite these two things, I thought then, and I think now, that it was extremely tone-deaf in the first place to name SFU teams "the Clan" in 1965 as the association in the public mind then was as strong as it is now...Sure Clan and Klan are different (one hopes), but to ignore the identical sound and hope it won't be offensive is wishful thinking...Didn't have to be this way. The original choice to go with Clan was deliberately provocative imo. There are so many other names they could have used , and still can. The SFU Bravehearts for instance!!
I think we need to stop dumbing everything down for the lowest common denominator and start educating them instead. Let's raise our standards not succumb to mediocrity.
"unintended association", yeah, that's your problem. Don't expect everyone to accommodate your mental shortcomings..
What's more even offensive too me is their men's football and basketball records over the last two years. 0-19 in football. 0-3 this year. Basketball is 5- 47 over past two seasons.
This exercise in political correctness is beyond ridiculous. It's also an insult to our intelligence. The average Canadian is capable of the simple brainwork required to tell the difference between the Ku Klux Klan and a Scottish Clan. My family refers to itself as a "clan" when we have our get-togethers. Never once have we donned white sheets and lynched a black person ..... or even considered it for one nano-second. This proposal is stupid, stupid, stupid. I could go on...
Not only no, but hell no!!
The petitioner for name change is wrong. Canada is not the USA and any name change would draw us into the mess south of the border. Their issues are not ours