Anti-Redskins campaign: Team shouldn't profit off 'dictionary-defined racial slur'
Despite a recent survey, there are Native Americans who vehemently oppose the term 'Redskins'
By
Ryan Wilson
•
1 min read
Nine out of 10 Native Americans may not be offended by the term, "Redskins," according to a recent Washington Post poll, but that shouldn't be misinterpreted as everyone thinking Washington's NFL team name is acceptable. The Change the Mascot campaign issued a statement hours after the Post 's findings were published.
"The results of this poll confirm a reality that is encouraging but hardly surprising: Native Americans are resilient and have not allowed the NFL's decades-long denigration of us to define our own self-image," National Congress of American Indians Executive Director Jackie Pata and Oneida Nation Representative Ray Halbritter said, via Sports Bog. "However, that proud resilience does not give the NFL a license to continue marketing, promoting, and profiting off of a dictionary-defined racial slur -- one that tells people outside of our community to view us as mascots.
"Social science research and first hand experience has told us that this kind of denigration has both visible and unseen consequences for Native Americans in this country. This is especially the case for children, who were not polled and who are in a particularly vulnerable position to be bullied by the NFL. It is the 21st century - it is long overdue for Native Americans to be treated not as mascots or targets of slurs, but instead as equals."
Halbritter has long been a proponent for the Redskins changing their name, saying in 2013 that,"Any other ethnic would not tolerate this kind of language being used about them that's so denigrating and dehumanizing."
Meanwhile, Redskins owner Dan Snyder welcomed the latest poll results, which mirror the findings from an 2004 Annenberg poll.
"The Washington Redskins team, our fans and community have always believed our name represents honor, respect, and pride," Snyder said in a statement. "Today's Washington Post polling shows Native Americans agree. We are gratified by this overwhelming support from the Native American community and the team will proudly carry the Redskins name."
