John Kelly: Fans have plenty of names for the Redskins

The Redskins beat Denver. The FedEx Field sign ban was overturned. All is right with the world.

I mean, as long as you ignore that name.

Despite the recent Landover Spring, that name still rankles some of us. With the team on a one-game winning streak it seems a good time to remind people that the name has nothing to do with Native Americans. I mean, it has something to do with them, because it's a term for Indians based on their skin color, a term the dictionary flags as offensive. The team name's derivation, however, is tied to the politics of its founding in Boston as the Braves, twin to a baseball team that played there under that name. People who now say it honors Indians are engaging in an ex post facto defense.

It might be more correct to say that we're attached to the name because it honors Washington's previous NFL squads. These are worth honoring, although using an offensive racial term to honor old football players seems a bit weird.

The Supreme Court decided not to involve itself in the Redskins' trademark dispute, but my readers continue to offer their name ideas.

"How about the Lost Italians, after Chris Columbus," wrote Gerald Fisher of Dearborn Heights, Mich. Gerald is a member of the Oneida Nation, so ponder his suggestion accordingly.

Kensington's Sandy Balintfy still can't believe the team sued holders of season tickets, "especially if, as the Redskin organization alleges, there are so many people waiting to buy them."

That recent unpleasantness inspired her name suggestion: the Washington Skinflints. "It would still fit the fight song," Sandy wrote, "but you would have to change the colors to green and gold (for money)."

Andrew Teeter of Silver Spring takes a compromise position: the Washington Warriors. He wrote: "The name Warriors can still be applied to Native American Indians and is appropriate because of the competitive fighting spirit in football games and because there would be no need to change the logo symbol showing the profile of a Native American Indian that, in my opinion, shows dignity and pride."

Joyce Arsnow thinks the team can keep the name. No, she's not one of those redskin potato people. Joyce doesn't have a tuber in mind but a legume. Her name: the Redskin Peanuts.

"Being a southern team, a redskin peanuts logo is appropriate," Joyce wrote. "Bags of redskins peanuts can be given out to the fans at the games. They are biodegradable. . . . The team can keep their colors, but their 'package' will send them into an entirely new direction, stimulate the economy with a new product name and new product line. Everyone will be happy, especially Mr. Snyder. Perhaps you can forward this suggestion to him."

No lines! No service!

A District resident who wishes to remain anonymous recently had to get her Toyota inspected. Wary of the long lines that seem to plague any transaction involving motor vehicles and bureaucracy, she first visited the District's Department of Motor Vehicles Web site. There she found this suggestion: "The best times to visit the station are Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday afternoons from 3 p.m.-6 p.m."