Gregorian Chants: Poll is a misleading way to view name of Washington’s NFL team

At first glance, it read like a headline concocted by The Onion:

“New poll finds 9 in 10 Native Americans aren’t offended by (slur of Native Americans) name.”

Ha! What will they think of next?!

As it happens, though, that was an actual headline last week in The Washington Post.

And the Post doubled down on the idea by treating the results of a sampling of 504 people who identified themselves as Native American as the absolute, irrefutable gold standard on the topic.

“Even as the name-change movement gained momentum among influential people, The Post’s survey and more than two dozen subsequent interviews make clear that the effort failed to have anywhere near the same impact on Indians,” the Post wrote. “Across every demographic group, the vast majority of Native Americans say the team’s name does not offend them, including 80 percent who identify as politically liberal, 85 percent of college graduates, 90 percent of those enrolled in a tribe, 90 percent of non-football fans and 91 percent of those between the ages of 18 and 39.”

Naturally, team owner Daniel Snyder seized the opportunity to declare victory and vindication.

“The Washington (slur) team, our fans and community have always believed our name represents honor, respect and pride,” the owner said in a statement. “Today’s Washington Post polling shows Native Americans agree. We are gratified by this overwhelming support from the Native American community, and the team will proudly carry the (slur) name.”

But let’s hold on here.

Is a poll of a few hundred people really supposed to somehow stand as proof that the dehumanizing term instantly became inoffensive and suddenly is just a trifling matter of “political correctness,” as some like to dismiss it?

Is something that is so fundamentally wrong and clearly disparaging less so simply because such a basic poll of an intricate, multi-tiered issue suggests so?

That’s how right and wrong are to be measured?

Of course not.

“There’s no validity to this poll. Stereotypes are wrong, and they’re demeaning. The Washington Team name is a dictionary defined racial slur, that we do know,” Amanda Blackhorse, an activist and graduate of Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, told the Post. “If the Washington Post knew anything about the native community, they would know it is almost impossible to poll our nations. And it may come as a surprise, but there are more than just 500 of us.”

For argument’s sake, let’s assume that the methodology of the poll was sound — or at least as sound as it could be for such an elusive undertaking surveying a diverse group of 5.4 million people.

A relatively small number polled is common practice in establishing statistical significance … though it seems curious to see this tidbit as somehow definitive.

But, OK, even sticking with a devil’s advocacy that says this poll is revealing, common sense and decency say otherwise.

This remains an ethnic smear, rooted in a caricature, that can’t be condoned.

No matter what a poll tells you how to think.

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▪ In general, I believe the Chiefs to be an entirely different matter, starting with a difference in what the name conveys and efforts they have made to engage American Indians.

But I find it hard to get this out of my mind, something that undeniably is connected to the name: When a handful of American Indians were protesting at the Chiefs-Texans playoff game last year in Houston, several sets of Chiefs fans went out of their way to verbally joust with them. And one man in a Chiefs jersey, with his young child alongside, made it a point to extend a tomahawk chop their way.

▪ Terrific work last week by The Star’s Eric Adler and Laura Bauer, revisiting Joplin five years later. Was particularly struck by Laura’s story on former Chief Kendall Gammon and The Will Wall, especially the end that offers some fine words to consider every day: “What have you done that makes someone put your number on their wall?”

▪ Mysteries of the universe: the Royals’ void at second base. In the first seven full seasons of Dayton Moore’s tenure as general manager, 19 men started there for the Royals. That was supposed to be stabilized by the signing of Omar Infante.

But, alas, that four-year, $30 million deal was a miscalculation that continues to handcuff the Royals. Five other men played second base in 2014, three others (including Ben Zobrist) did last year.

With Christian Colon still found wanting and optioned to Class AAA Omaha, Whit Merrifield is next up for more time … at least until Cheslor Cuthbert earns more by playing the spot for Omaha.

It’s just a strange place to have such a gap for such a long time.

▪ If you’re a dog lover, you must take them to the Shawnee Mission Park dog park/beach. Had to be hundreds of dogs roaming and playing there Sunday. Never seen anything like it.

▪ Was privileged to see 93-year-old Marvel Comics guru Stan Lee speak Saturday at Planet Comicon. Can’t begin to say how much his comic books meant, and mean, to me, from spurring curiosity and imagination to just the love of words. They also made me feel like somebody understood me (largely because of Peter Parker) when it was hard to feel like I fit in anywhere as a kid with an unusual name whose family moved a lot.

This story was originally published May 23, 2016 at 2:32 PM with the headline "Gregorian Chants: Poll is a misleading way to view name of Washington’s NFL team."