The Washington Redskins of the NFL may have begun their season with an abysmal 1-5 record but they still must deal with the looming controversy about their team name. The word redskin is a very offensive term to call an American Indian. Based out of New York, the Onedia Indian Nation has started a movement to have the team’s name changed. “We are asking the NFL to stop using a racial slur as the name of Washington’s football team,” Onedia Indian Nation representative Ray Halbritter says. The Onedia Indian Nation is well known for their movements in preserving American Indian Rights. The Onedia’s have gained support from many fans and President Barrack Obama. However, the words of the Onedia’s and Obama may not be enough.
A huge majority of the fans and many NFL team owners are against this push for the change of the Washington Redskins team name. The owner of the Redskins Dan Snyder has been very vocal with supporting his side of not wanting the name to be changed. Snyder believes the team name stands for “tradition and pride”; many fans and even American Indian leaders support Snyder on this. The team is willing to hear everyone’s comments on this topic but believe the team name should feel like a sense of pride for Native Americans. The team released a statement, “Over the past few months, we have received hundreds of letters, calls and emails from self-identified Native Americans in support of the name ‘Washington Redskins’. Their comments make clear why our team name means so much to them and to so many in the Native American community”. Snyder has more legitimate backup from the NFL league office and one of the most influential NFL team owners, the Dallas Cowboys Jerry Jones.
Both sides do not seem to be giving in anytime soon on the touchy topic. In past months, numerous teams have dropped the name Redskin because they acknowledged the racism behind the name and wanted to change. A Washington high school dropped the name Redskin and the NCAA has banned American Indian team names and mascots. The one exception is the Florida Seminoles football team that has a blessing from the remaining two Seminole Indian Tribes for the team to use the name. Many other teams throughout sports have Indian ties to their team name such as the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks, MLB’s Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Indians and the NFL’s very own Kansas City Chiefs. American Indians have their presence felt throughout sports but in a more professional way. Is this controversy just about one side’s justice in having the name changed or the other side’s ignorance towards a racial slur?
Potential new names for the Washington Redskins if a renaming of the team eventually occurs are the Washington Senators, Federals, Braves, Warriors, Renegades, Pigskins or simply the Washington Redhawks or Washington Skins. All of these proposed names have ties to the region which the team is located and others are respectful to the history of Native Americans. Many believe this is just another chapter in racism within sports, referring to the whole Donald Sterling fiasco with his racist comments towards African Americans.
Many Native Americans have begun to protest the Washington Redskins at their games this season. The day before the start of the season, Snyder addressed fans at a rally where fans were heard chanting “keep the name”. However, the next day Native Americans were protesting the team name in front of NGR Stadium in Houston Texas where the Redskins were playing. Within a month of the start for the new NFL season, over 100 Native Americans rallied against the Redskins in Glendale, Arizona where the Redskins were taking on the Cardinals. During the game, Dan Snyder was seen enjoying the game with Navajo Nation president Ben Shelly. Shelly was seen wearing a Redskins hat which adds to the mixed feelings about the team’s name. Less than a month from the Washington Redskins vs. Arizona Cardinals game that took place on October 12th, 2014 there is another protest planned. This larger protest is planned for the Redskins game on November 2nd, 2014 against the struggling Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis. As the protests gain support from many fans and Native Americans, keeping the name Washington Redskin still has tons of support throughout the NFL and fans.