Caliskinsfan
Burgundy & Gold Forevah
I just knew it was a no-no. And like the use of any racial term, 99% was under people's breath. So my understanding about their feelings to the word was more in a general sense than from reactions to people saying it.
Feel free to go reservations and walk around calling people Redskins. I wouldn't do it, I wouldn't recommend anyone else do it either. But if you do, take a camera with you. You may end up with a lot of smiles and pats on the back, or you could end up with a broken face.
Really though, its an old fashioned word that many don't care about generally. But if used personally, its condescending and insulting. If you went around trying to use it as some term of endearment most natives will find you quite audacious and irritating, at the very least.
Sonny, I couldn't agree with you more on the point that anyone doing this would be not only an idiot, but a rasict and bigot as well.
That was not my point. My point was who the hell does this anyway? You noted you never heard anyone use the term 'redskin' in that manner. My guess it's because anyone stupid enough to insult an Indian in the first place is not going to be choosing that word first. Drunk, dirty, poor all come to mind from conversations I've actually had with NAs on this very subject and what they been called and felt insulted about.
I'm not saying there aren't NAs who don't like the name. I'm saying the issues of poverty, education and alcoholism are much more in the forefront for most of them, when it comes to NA stereotypes. NOT the word redskin.