Greentext

ELI5: It's politically incorrect to use a group of people as a mascot.

ELIHypocrisy: This mostly gained momentum after an NFL team called the Redskins started getting flak for basically using what became a derogatory name for native americans as a mascot/team name. Pejoration is neat.

The pendulum kept swinging and it removed even non-derogatory names as mascots.

So what could be a different legitimate name used to represent being awesome and excelling on a team where you're supposed to win constantly started getting shut down. Think Chiefs, Blackhawks (switched to the bird not the people), but they keep the name because these are okay despite plenty of people being able to use almost any cultural group in a derogatory way.

I understand it, but it felt like the usual smart changes that went too far. I blame white people white knighting / virtue signalling too much.

RIP Mia from Land O Lakes butter. You can understand it, you don't have to like it. The opinion of the masses doesn't require logic, only momentum. Doesn't matter if the mascot was an accurate representation of someone, by those people, paid, generally loved, white folk will still kill it.

E: It's okay if they're primarily associated with white people or the in-group... or certain country people... not some white people though... or some people from certain countries... or some people from certain geological areas.

Americans, Texans, Yankees? Fine.

Irish, Canucks, Indians? You'll need context.

Turks, Sicilians, Confederates? Probably not fine since they're too brown or too American. Americans? That's fine though, even though Americans killed far more natives than Confederates ever did through systematic governmental genocide... Indians? Ok, Dot not feather Indians get that one now... turns out racism is pretty universal but it's okay if you're part of the in group. Don't emphasize what makes them unique or it's racist... New characterization requires that you don't emphasize what makes someone unique even if it's a point of pride or completely relevant to their people.

Does it matter if you name your team after yourselves? No. Still not fine. You have to first remove the name, wait a period, then give yourself the name back. It has to be allowed to marinate in PC limbo like colored people, african american, black, or people of color.

You have to know what arbitrary linguistic rules people decided are more correct despite them all attempting to describe the same thing. Like trying to approximate someone's skin color/genetic heritage and/or ethnicity.

People first language! Because it's better if X is first and not Y...despite describing the same thing and fuck you for not knowing any better by not being part of the In-Group!

Conclusion: People can try to logic their way through it all the way they want, but the ELI5 is the true part. They'll want exceptions for everything though as long as it's about yourselves... despite some people being forced to be those things against their will or having no to little ability to change where they we from or what professions they got into. Or that names and terms change meaning constantly and it's a futile attempt to give yourself an exception because it's all about you, not about others... even though it is lol.