Author Topic: McGIll Redmen  (Read 285 times)

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Offline Pinus or Vid or...?????

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Re: McGIll Redmen
« Reply #15 on: February 06, 2019, 11:07:33 am »

The Minnesota Vikings were named to appeal to the large Scandinavian population in Minnesota. (My dad's grandparents were Minnesota Swedes, and not coincidentally the Vikings were my favorite team when I was a kid.)  Similar to the Boston Celtics being intended to appeal to Boston's substantial Irish community. 
 -k
I'm part Scandinavian, and coming from Winnipeg, the most popular  NFL team has always been the Vikings due to the relatively close proximity between Minnesota and Manitoba. You don't know heartbreak and pain like you would, if you were a lifelong Vikings fan. The 1998 NFC championship, and Anderson's missed FG is a particular sore spot for me.
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Re: McGIll Redmen
« Reply #16 on: February 06, 2019, 11:10:40 am »
You don't know heartbreak and pain like you would, if you were a lifelong Vikings fan. The 1998 NFC championship, and Anderson's missed FG is a particular sore spot for me.

You don't know you're born.  Try being a Bradford City fan.

Offline wilber

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Re: McGIll Redmen
« Reply #17 on: February 06, 2019, 11:52:15 am »
How would one know the difference between a German and a Scandinavian?

Pretty sure Germans and Scandinavians know. I'm not saying anyone should be offended but the character used as the Vikings logo originated in Wagner operas, not Scandinavia.

I guess cultural appropriation only applies if someone is offended but there seems to be a surplus of white folks who love to be offended by other cultures being appropriated.
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Offline wilber

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Re: McGIll Redmen
« Reply #18 on: February 06, 2019, 11:57:11 am »
I'm part Scandinavian, and coming from Winnipeg, the most popular  NFL team has always been the Vikings due to the relatively close proximity between Minnesota and Manitoba. You don't know heartbreak and pain like you would, if you were a lifelong Vikings fan. The 1998 NFC championship, and Anderson's missed FG is a particular sore spot for me.

I'm sure it goes back to the Bud Grant days in Winnipeg as well. Also a BC connection with Joe Kapp as QB in their first Super Bowl appearance.
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Offline Pinus or Vid or...?????

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Re: McGIll Redmen
« Reply #19 on: February 06, 2019, 12:04:24 pm »
I'm sure it goes back to the Bud Grant days in Winnipeg as well. Also a BC connection with Joe Kapp as QB in their first Super Bowl appearance.

Probably. Then again, Bud Grant led the Bombers to 4 Grey Cups. Minnesota has been to 4 Super Bowls, and about 9 or 10 NFC championship games, but never won the big game.
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Offline wilber

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Re: McGIll Redmen
« Reply #20 on: February 06, 2019, 12:15:40 pm »
Probably. Then again, Bud Grant led the Bombers to 4 Grey Cups. Minnesota has been to 4 Super Bowls, and about 9 or 10 NFC championship games, but never won the big game.

On the other hand, there are teams that have never been to the big game and Buffalo lost four in a row.
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Offline Squidward von Squidderson

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Re: McGIll Redmen
« Reply #21 on: February 06, 2019, 01:10:12 pm »
Pretty sure Germans and Scandinavians know. I'm not saying anyone should be offended but the character used as the Vikings logo originated in Wagner operas, not Scandinavia.

I guess cultural appropriation only applies if someone is offended but there seems to be a surplus of white folks who love to be offended by other cultures being appropriated.

It's not about cultural appropriation, as far as I can tell...   it's about deliberately offensive terms and stereotypes being used for sports teams.  Vikings doesn't fit that criteria.


Offline Pinus or Vid or...?????

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Re: McGIll Redmen
« Reply #22 on: February 06, 2019, 01:15:29 pm »
On the other hand, there are teams that have never been to the big game and Buffalo lost four in a row.

Buffalo is another city with incredibly bad luck. Super Bowls, Stanley Cups, OJ....
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Offline wilber

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Re: McGIll Redmen
« Reply #23 on: February 06, 2019, 01:21:32 pm »
It's not about cultural appropriation, as far as I can tell...   it's about deliberately offensive terms and stereotypes being used for sports teams.  Vikings doesn't fit that criteria.

It's not for me to determine whether the Vikings fit that criteria, I'm not Scandinavian descent. Are you?
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Offline Squidward von Squidderson

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Re: McGIll Redmen
« Reply #24 on: February 06, 2019, 01:26:48 pm »
It's not for me to determine whether the Vikings fit that criteria, I'm not Scandinavian descent. Are you?

Yes.  I can find an "indian" alive today.   Can you find a viking?  They don't exist any longer, despite some new-age nonsense you might find.  We can find their descendants...   but there are no more vikings left to be insulted.

Offline wilber

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Re: McGIll Redmen
« Reply #25 on: February 06, 2019, 01:36:44 pm »
Yes.  I can find an "indian" alive today.   Can you find a viking?  They don't exist any longer, despite some new-age nonsense you might find.  We can find their descendants...   but there are no more vikings left to be insulted.

Say's you. Ever been to Iceland? Iceland even has a naming committee that keeps a register of approved Icelandic names. https://www.island.is/en/family/having_a_baby/name_giving/Just because Scandinavians don't dress like Vikings and travel around in longships doesn't mean they aren't descendent from them or that isn't part of their history. Who are we to decide what should  be offensive to other cultures?
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Offline Squidward von Squidderson

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Re: McGIll Redmen
« Reply #26 on: February 06, 2019, 01:46:44 pm »
Say's you. Ever been to Iceland? Iceland even has a naming committee that keeps a register of approved Icelandic names. https://www.island.is/en/family/having_a_baby/name_giving/Just because Scandinavians don't dress like Vikings and travel around in longships doesn't mean they aren't descendent from them or that isn't part of their history. Who are we to decide what should  be offensive to other cultures?

Yes, I've been to Iceland.  I am 1st gen Canadian; family came from Norway.  I am related to people named Thor.

I said in my post that their descendents are there today.   I don't know if I'm descended from vikings...  probably not.  My family roots in Norway were more recent... came from the east...  northern Finland, maybe Russia.

But can you find a viking, or viking culture?  Sure...  Icelanders are proud of their heritage.  But they aren't vikings...  they're Icelanders.

The vikings also came from Sweden, Denmark and Norway.  Is there even a slur for viking?  The term itself isn't a slur.  The caricature of a viking is from a German opera, as you said.  You seem to be trying really hard to find an equivalent  caucasian offensive symbol...   I think you've failed with vikings.  Mayber Fighting Irish may be more of a slur...    but redmen is an actual racial slur, while Irish is not. 
« Last Edit: February 06, 2019, 01:50:03 pm by the_squid »

Offline Pinus or Vid or...?????

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Re: McGIll Redmen
« Reply #27 on: February 06, 2019, 02:01:25 pm »
  Mayber Fighting Irish may be more of a slur...    but redmen is an actual racial slur, while Irish is not.

Considering that the University of Norte Dame is a Catholic school built by the Irish, I would say that they would be ok with it
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Offline Squidward von Squidderson

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Re: McGIll Redmen
« Reply #28 on: February 06, 2019, 02:08:14 pm »
Considering that the University of Norte Dame is a Catholic school built by the Irish, I would say that they would be ok with it

They might be OK with it at the school...  maybe not Irish people who don't appreciate being caricatured as drunken brawlers...   then again, it's probably not an issue with people of Irish descent.  While they were discriminated against historically, it was never to the level of indigenous discrimination...
« Last Edit: February 06, 2019, 02:26:32 pm by the_squid »

Offline wilber

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Re: McGIll Redmen
« Reply #29 on: February 06, 2019, 02:34:18 pm »
Yes, I've been to Iceland.  I am 1st gen Canadian; family came from Norway.  I am related to people named Thor.

I said in my post that their descendents are there today.   I don't know if I'm descended from vikings...  probably not.  My family roots in Norway were more recent... came from the east...  northern Finland, maybe Russia.

But can you find a viking, or viking culture?  Sure...  Icelanders are proud of their heritage.  But they aren't vikings...  they're Icelanders.

The vikings also came from Sweden, Denmark and Norway.  Is there even a slur for viking?  The term itself isn't a slur.  The caricature of a viking is from a German opera, as you said.  You seem to be trying really hard to find an equivalent  caucasian offensive symbol...   I think you've failed with vikings.  Mayber Fighting Irish may be more of a slur...    but redmen is an actual racial slur, while Irish is not.

Icelanders are probably the closest thing to pure Vikings there are. I'm trying to make a point here and it's not that Scandinavians should be offended by the Vikings logo. I don't know what should be offensive to other cultures. Personally, I see nothing offensive about the Redskins logo but can certainly see why the name could be offensive. Same goes for the Eskimos.On the other hand, I don't see anything particularly offensive  about the Indians or Braves name but can certainly see that the logos could be offensive. Either way, it is not for me to say.

As far as the Irish go, everyone is Irish on St Patricks day and none of your SJW's take umbrage if Li in Nanjing dons a kilt, plays the pipes badly and recites the Ode to a Haggis while knocking back a bottle of single malt on Robbie Burns Day. Why is that?
« Last Edit: February 06, 2019, 02:37:41 pm by wilber »
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