The Washington Redskins are telling Senate Democrats to pound sand when it comes to the team’s name. The 49 Democratic Senators claim the name ‘Redskins’ is a racial slur and must be changed.
In a letter to Senator Harry Reid, team President Bruce Allen wrote: “Our use of ‘Redskins’ as the name of our football team for more than 80 years has always been respectful of and shown reverence toward the proud legacy and traditions of Native Americans.”
It also notes that the team’s logo was designed by Native American leaders and cites surveys that Native Americans and Americans as a whole support the name, including a 2014 Associated Press poll that showed 83 percent of Americans favored keeping the name.
After taking to the Senate floor to complain that the name ‘Redskins’ is ‘racist,’ Reid and Senator Maria Cantwell, of Washington, led a letter-writing effort. In it, the senators mentioned the NBA’s quick action recently to ban Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life after he was heard on an audio recording making offensive comments about blacks.
They said Roger Goodell should formally push to rename the ‘Redskins.’
“We urge you and the National Football League to send the same clear message as the NBA did: that racism and bigotry have no place in professional sports,” read the letter.
The senators noted that tribal organizations representing more than 2 million Native Americans across the U.S. have said they want the ‘Redskins’ name dropped.
Despite federal laws protecting their identity, “Every Sunday during football season, the Washington, D.C., football team mocks their culture,” they wrote. “The NFL can no longer ignore this and perpetuate the use of this name as anything but what it is: a racial slur.”
In the past, Redskins owner Daniel Snyder has resisted pressure to change the name, citing tradition. However there has been a renewed attempt in recent weeks to force Snyder to change the name by President Obama, lawmakers in both parties and civil rights groups.
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