What is the R-Word?

I've been following the ongoing debate concerning the Washington Redskins changing their name.  In reading this article commenting on Commissioner Goodell's defense of the name and this accompanying article citing support for the Redskin name I thought of the varying orders of ignorance.  This situation shows what I feel is an ignorance towards an important issue for many Native Americans. People do not even know that they are being offensive (they don't know what they don't know) when using and supporting the term "redskin" and at the very least don't feel that's it's a big deal to use it.  Somehow ignorance still reigns supreme when it comes to this and other racially insensitive references to Native Americans.  Some claim this issue as another example of American over-sensitivity when in reality it is an example of the continued oppression of the Native voice.