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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Give and Take: Sunday letters

Time to ban ‘R’ word

Finally, the topic of the NFL team name, which owner Daniel Snyder refuses to change, is being seen by the national news media as not just a sports story. It is, after all, a matter of racism.

While I believe education and social media have helped overcome many of our biases, I’m afraid it has excluded Native Americans. How and why we do, as an ever inclusive society, use a racial slur toward a group of people who’s land was stolen and who were put on reservations to die. And though I have no Native American blood in my body, I respect their culture and value of family. I honestly feel sorrow when I see or hear the ignorance of people who believe it is appropriate to use a known racial slur.

It was not political correctness that stopped the use of the “N” word, it was our society’s disgust with that racist word. Now would be an excellent time to rid another racist slur from our diction, and change the name of the NFL team.

If you accept the “R” word and don’t understand or believe it is a racist slur, then guess what, you may be racist.

I want to live the rest of my life in a society of people that do not tolerate racism in any form. Daniel Snyder should choose to do the right thing and change the racist name.

Tom Johnson

Spokane Valley

Salaries misleading

The Spokesman piece, “College coaches state’s highest-paid employees,” (June 17) was interesting but misleading. 

After we learn that Steve Sarkisian of UW was paid $2.6 million in 2013, the article reassures us that athletic salaries are “paid from ticket sales and other income, not from the state’s general fund.” 

While this may be true in the narrowest possible sense, the NCAA itself reports that in 2012 only 23, among its more than 1,000 member institutions, ran athletic program surpluses.   Though the coach might be paid from ticket sales, much else is subsidized at the vast majority of NCAA colleges (see Academe, March-April 2014, page 14).

Paul De Palma

Spokane

First-class Seahawk

Kudos again to Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman who last week on a flight to Seattle graciously gave up his first-class airplane seat and all of its comfort, food and beverage amenities to a coach-seated Marine who obviously graciously appreciated the gesture.

There are hopefully a lot more people out there in the professional sports world like Coleman, though such polite gestures seemingly either seldom occur or are seldom reported. Not only are the Seahawks world champions on the field, but, in the case of Coleman at least, one of their own is obviously indeed a world champion off the field too … especially in sacrificing a roomy and plush first-class airplane seat for a tight coach seat to wedge his 6-foot and 233 pound body into.

Jeff Clausen

Spokane

Letters policy

We welcome letters of up to 200 words on all sports and outdoors topics. All letters are subject to editing. Writers are limited to one letter every 30 days. Please include your signature, street address and telephone number where you can be reached for verification.

Send to: Letters to the Sports Editor, The Spokesman-Review, 999 W. Riverside Ave., Spokane, WA 99201, or fax to (509) 744-5655, or email to sports@spokesman.com.