FanPost

Is The Term '49er' Offensive ...?

I mean this half-jokingly, semi-seriously, because the push to have a different NFL franchise renamed is gaining ground in the media and is already in the courts. Of course I'm talking about the Washington Redskins, who are being pressured to change their name because some groups find it offensive. Frankly, I find their brand of football on the field to be more offensive than their name, but I wonder if in this era of rabid political correctness, where the lines would be drawn if the Redskins had to change their name.

Would PETA demand that teams like the Cardinals, Panthers, Jaguars, Broncos, Bengals, Ravens, Falcons, and Rams change their names and logos because they depict animals in an overly aggressive manner?

Would Somali pirates sue the Raiders and Buccaneers for making money off their trade and likeness? (See EA Sports lawsuit settlement with former NCAA athletes for precedent)

Or would old white dudes that descend from even older white dudes sue the Vikings, Patriots, and 49ers for depicting uhhh...famous but extinct white dudes without just compensation? Maybe your ancestors sailed the Norwegian Sea or fought in the American Revolution or panned for gold in California's foothills back in 1849.

It's been said that where there's smoke, there is fire, and where there's deep pockets, there's a lot of lawyers too. Get offended, get a lawyer, and you get your way.

This past summer I was hiking down Stevens Trail in Colfax which takes you down to the North Fork of the American River. It's historic gold country at its finest with quite majestic views. When I reached the bottom of the trail, I noticed some old, white, dudes panning for gold in the river. I was tempted to address them as '49ers' but realized that we live in overly-sensitive California and they may hire this lady to sue me:

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This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors.