Washington Redskins name controversy

Washington Redskins game at FedExField, Landover, Maryland, October 2006

The Washington Redskins name controversy involves the name and logo of the National Football League (NFL) franchise located in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Native American individuals, tribes and organizations have been questioning the use of the name and image for decades. Over 115 professional organizations representing civil rights, educational, athletic, and scientific experts have published resolutions or policies that state that the use of Native American names and/or symbols by non-native sports teams is a harmful form of ethnic stereotyping that promote misunderstanding and prejudice which contributes to other problems faced by Native Americans. The Washington, D.C. team is only one example of the larger controversy, but it receives the most public attention due to the name itself being defined as derogatory or insulting in modern dictionaries, and the prominence of the team representing the nation's capital.

Those officially censuring and/or demanding the name be changed include 23 Native American tribes and more than 50 organizations that represent various groups of Native Americans, the full list of which can be found here. There is also a growing number of public officials, sports commentators and other journalists advocating a change. In addition to picketing and other forms of direct protest, opponents took legal action to cancel the trademarks held by the team. On June 18, 2014, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) again voted to cancel the Redskins federal trademark registrations, considering them "disparaging to Native Americans". On July 8, 2015 the U.S. District Court in Alexandria, VA upheld the TTAB decision.

Support for continued use of the name has come from the team's owners and a majority of fans, which include some Native Americans. Supporters say that the name honors the achievements and virtues of Native Americans, and that it is not intended in a negative manner. Some, such as team president Bruce Allen, also point to the use of Redskins by three high school teams, two on reservations, that have a majority of Native American students. Since 2004 supporters have been asserting that a majority of Native Americans are not offended by the name based upon a single national poll, although it has been repeatedly discredited by public opinion professionals, now including the company that collected the data. In a commentary published soon after that poll, fifteen Native American scholars collaborated on a critique that stated that there were so many flaws in the Annenberg study that rather than being a measure of Native American opinion, it was an expression of white privilege and colonialism. National public opinion polls consistently find that a majority of the general public support the team's continued use of the name, ranging from 89% in 1992 to 71% in September 2014.

History

See also: History of the Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins were originally known as the Boston Braves. In 1933, the team moved from Braves Field, which they shared with baseball's Boston Braves, to Fenway Park, already occupied by the Boston Red Sox. Co-owner George Preston Marshall changed the name to the Redskins, possibly in recognition of the then–head coach William Henry "Lone Star" Dietz, who claimed to be part Sioux. On July 6, 1933, the Boston Herald reported that "the change was made to avoid confusion with the Braves baseball team and the team that is to be coached by an Indian (Dietz)... with several Indian players." Dietz's ancestry has been questioned by some scholars, as a birth certificate and census records recorded his parents as white. This does not preclude his having had Sioux ancestry as well; however, he served a month in jail when the documentation of his ancestry he presented to claim an exemption from the draft during World War I could not be authenticated. John F. Banzhaf III, Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University Law School, cites a newspaper article from 1933 in which Marshall is quoted as saying the name was selected only to save money by not having to change the logo of the Braves, and not to honor Dietz or the Indian players. The logo for the NFL Braves when Dietz became coach was similar to the current logo, a Native American head in profile with braids and trailing feathers. The current logo, proposed by Walter Wetzel, a former Blackfeet tribal chairman and president of the National Congress of American Indians, was introduced in 1972 and is modeled after the likeness on the Buffalo nickel. Members of the Blackfeet tribe today express a range of opinions, from support to indifference to strong opposition to the Redskins name based upon their personal experiences.

Origin and meaning

Script logo used by the Redskins (1972–present)

Main article: Redskin (slang)

Much of the public debate is over the meaning of the word "redskin". Frequently cited is the paper by Ives Goddard, a Smithsonian Institution senior linguist and curator emeritus, who asserts that the term was originally benign in meaning, and citing historical instances of Native Americans identifying as red men, or RED-SKIN, and redskins. However, in an interview Goddard admits that it is impossible to verify if the native words were accurately translated. Dr. Darren R. Reid a history lecturer at Coventry University presents an alternative view. To begin with, it is difficult for historians to document anything with certainty since Native Americans, as a non-literate society, did not produce the written sources upon which historians rely. What is cited as Native American usage was generally attributed to them by European writers. Also, the division of human beings into different races with essentially different, immutable characteristics was evolving during the period of European colonization; thus there were some that did not think of "Indians" as a race at all, but people who could become members of colonial society though re-education. Reid also states that the team logo works together with the name to reinforce an unrealistic stereotype: "It is not up to non-Indians to define an idealized image of what it is to a Native American." The "positive" stereotypes allow fans and supporters to honestly state that they are honoring Native Americans, but this is "...forcing your idea of what it is to honour those people onto them and that, fundamentally, is disrespectful."

A controversial etymological claim is that the term emerged from the practice of paying a bounty for Indians, and that "redskin" refers to the bloody, red scalp, of Native Americans. Although official documents do not use the word, at least one historical association between the use of "redskin" and the paying of bounties can be made. In 1863, a Winona, MN newspaper, the Daily Republican, printed an announcement: "The state reward for dead Indians has been increased to $200 for every red-skin sent to Purgatory. This sum is more than the dead bodies of all the Indians east of the Red River are worth." This association can evoke strongly negative sentiments. In a 2014 interview after the Trademark decision, Amanda Blackhorse the lead petitioner expressed her opinion: "The name itself actually dates back [to] the time when the Native American population was being exterminated, and bounty hunters were hired to kill Native American people... So, in order to show that they made their kill, they had to bring back a scalp or their skin."

Controversy

Main article: Native American mascot controversy

The issue is often discussed in the media in terms of offensiveness, which reduced it to feelings and opinions, and prevents full understanding of the history and context of the use of Native American names and images and why their use by sports teams should be eliminated. Social science research says that sports mascots and images, rather than being mere entertainment, are important symbols with deeper psychological and social effects. Stereotyping may directly affect academic performance and self-esteem of Native American youth, whose people face high rates of suicide, unemployment, and poverty. Euro-Americans exposed to mascots may be more likely to believe not only that such stereotypes are true, but that Native Americans have no identity beyond these stereotypes. Research demonstrates the harm of stereotyping, with studies showing that exposure to any stereotypes increased the likelihood of stereotypical thinking among citizens with regard to other groups.

Advocates of changing the team's name say that use of stereotypes of Native Americans must be understood in the context of a history that includes conquest, forced relocation, and organized efforts by federal and state governments to eradicate native cultures, such as the boarding schools of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. "Since the first Europeans made landfall in North America, native peoples have suffered under a weltering array of stereotypes, misconceptions and caricatures. Whether portrayed as noble savages, ignoble savages, teary-eyed environmentalists or, most recently, simply as casino-rich, native peoples find their efforts to be treated with a measure of respect and integrity undermined by images that flatten complex tribal, historical and personal experience into one-dimensional representations that tells us more about the depicters than about the depicted."

In addition to the names and images, Native Americans opposed to mascots point to the oversimplification of their culture by fans "playing Indian" with no understanding of the deeper meaning of feathers, face paint, chants, and dancing. Dr. Richard Lapchick, director emeritus of Northeastern University's Center for the Study of Sport in Society, in an article: "Could you imagine people mocking African Americans in black face at a game? Yet go to a game where there is a team with an Indian name and you will see fans with war paint on their faces. Is this not the equivalent to black face?" The unofficial mascot of the Redskins team is Zema Williams (aka Chief Zee), an African American man who has attended games since 1978 dressed in a red, faux "Indian" costume, complete with feathered war bonnet and tomahawk. Other fans often dress in similar costume for the games. In December 2013 when the Washington NFL team played the Kansas City Chiefs an employee of a Sonic Drive-In in Missouri placed a message outside that used scalping, reservations and whiskey to disparage the "Redskins". It was quickly removed with the owner's apologies.

The Redskins controversy was revived in 2013, starting with a symposium in February on the topic at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. The Oneida Indian Nation of New York sponsored a series of radio ads in each city to coincide with games of the 2013 season, each featuring a targeted message. The campaign also began with a symposium and protest that coincided with the Fall meeting of the NFL in Washington, D.C. A broader range of persons spoke out in favor of change or open discussion, including local government leaders, members of Congress, and President Barack Obama. Statements in support of a name change have been made by Native American organizations, religious leaders in Washington, D.C.; and The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, which includes the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the American Civil Liberties Union as members.

The owner and the NFL Commissioner, supporters of keeping the name and logo, say they believe that it refers positively to Native Americans, invoking qualities of strength and courage. The majority of scholars argue that the use of any stereotype, whether positive or negative, is a hindrance to the advancement of a group. Scott B. Vickers wrote, "the use of any stereotype in the portrayal of Indians is considered ... to be contributory to their dehumanization and deracination." The national organizations representing several academic disciplines, after reviewing the research done on the issue, have passed resolutions calling for the end of all Native American mascots and images in sports. These include the Society of Indian Psychologists (1999), the American Counseling Association (2001), the American Psychological Association (2005), the American Sociological Association (2007). and the American Anthropological Association (2015).

In a report published by the Center for American Progress summarizing the research on "The Real Impact of Native Mascots and Team Names on American Indian and Alaska Native Youth", a case is made that the public debate misses the point, since individual opinions on either side do not matter given the measurable effects on the mental health of Native American young people exposed to such misrepresentations of their ethnic identity, and the often hostile or insulting behavior of non-natives that occur when teams with such names and mascots play. Clinical Psychologist Michael Friedman writes that the use of Native imagery, in particular the use of a dictionary defined slur, is a form of bullying, the negative impact of which is magnified by its being officially sanctioned.

Protests

Although often assumed to be a debate of recent origins, the local Washington, DC newspapers have published news items on the controversy many times since at least 1971, all in response to Native American individuals or organizations asking for the name to be changed. Kevin Gover, the director of the National Museum of the American Indian states that he sent a letter objecting to the name in 1973 to then owner Edward Bennett Williams. Having moved from Oklahoma to the DC area while in high school, he was shocked to find that the "nastiest thing people ever said to us had become the name of an NFL team? I didn’t comprehend it then, and I don’t now".

National protests began in 1988, after the team's Super Bowl XXII victory. Numerous Native Americans wrote letters to Redskins owner Jack Kent Cooke encouraging him to change the name. Others boycotted Redskins products and protested. Many of these events were led by Suzan Shown Harjo of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI). Cooke responded in an interview, stating, "There's not a single, solitary jot, tittle, whit chance in the world that the Redskins will adopt a new nickname."

There was a protest of about 2,000 people at the 1992 Super Bowl between the Redskins and the Buffalo Bills. The game was held in Minnesota, and many Native Americans from the region came out to protest the name. The American Indian Movement's (AIM) Vernon Bellecourt was one of the main organizers of the protest. Before and during the game Chippewa, Sioux, Winnebago, and Choctaw, and other Native Americans and other members of the local population, protested. Their signs read, "We are not Mascots", "Promote Sports not Racism", and "Repeal Redskin Racism".

With the renewed effort to eliminate the name during the 2013 football season, protest picketing at the stadiums has occurred occasionally when the Redskins have played, particularly in cities with a significant population of Native Americans; such as Dallas, Denver and Minneapolis. Coinciding with the latter protest, a number of Minneapolis politicians voiced their positions; Mayor R.T. Rybak and six members of the City Counsel condemning the name. Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton described the name as "antiquated, offensive and racist". Also participating in the Minneapolis protests were Congresswoman Betty McCollum, 1964 Olympic gold medalist Billy Mills, and American Indian Movement co-founder Clyde Bellecourt. At the team's home stadium in Landover, Maryland, a protest on November 25, 2013 was joined by representatives of other ethnic minorities.

More than one hundred Native Americans rallied against the Redskins in Glendale, AZ when the team played the Arizona Cardinals on October 12, 2014. At the game, Navajo Nation president Ben Shelly was seated next to team owner Dan Snyder wearing a Redskins cap. However, Shelly is a lame duck after one term, having lost a primary ballot for re-election. The Navajo tribal council passed a resolution in opposition to the team name. Students of the Red Mesa High School, which also uses the Redskins name, attended the game with free tickets provided by the team. They were taunted by the protestors. "I just kept my head down," said Kelvin Yazzie, a Red Mesa senior lineman who lives with his grandparents. "[The protesters] were calling me a sellout."

A large protest march and rally with thousands of Native American participants was held before the game between Washington and the Minnesota Vikings on November 2, 2014. Police estimates of the number of protestors was between 3,500 and 4,000, while organizers put the number at 5,000. Fans were confronted by the protestors at the stadium with some tension and verbal exchanges, but no violence. Some fans hid or covered Redskins attire as they passed the protestors. There was a march and protest by 300-400 Native Americans at the game in San Francisco on November 23, 2014. Participants included Clyde Bellecourt, Charlene Teters and Jacqueline Keeler. Members of the American Indian Movement of Kentucky and Indiana protested in Indianapolis on November 30, 2014. Some fans defended the Redskins name, and there were some heated exchanges.

At the final game of the 2014 season, about 150 protestors held a rally and march, rganized by several Native American organizations, adjacent to FedEx Field. Fans passing the protest made dismissive comments, while a few shouted insults and obscenities at the group which included women and children. One of these fans later apologized for his actions, stating he got carried away defending his team, not the name.

Continuing calls for change

The executive board of the nation’s leading organization of scholars of U.S. history approved a resolution in April 2015: “The Organization of American Historians hereby adds its voice to the growing demands by Native American organizations, our sister disciplines, and conscientious people of all ethnic backgrounds, to change the name and logo of the Washington “Redskins.”

Civil rights

At its annual conference the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (LCCHR) passed a unanimous resolution of the 85 representatives present that, while recognizing that a business has the First Amendment right to use any name that it chooses, others need not be complicit in the use of a pejorative and insulting name; and calling upon all Federal, state and local government entities "to end any preferential tax, zoning, or policy treatment that could be viewed as supporting the franchise as long as it retains its current team name". The resolution also commended the "current and former government officials, media outlets, and other entities that have encouraged the Washington Redskins franchise to change its team name or that have refused to be complicit in promoting the current team name". In response, the team released a brief statement reiterated their previous position, and quoting two individuals as being both Native American and Redskins fans who do not want the name to change. The LCCHR issued a press release in 2014 applauding the decision to cancel the trademark protection for the team's name. The NAACP issued their own press release supporting the TTAB decision stating "The NAACP has called specifically for this name change since 1992, and will continue to stand with the Native Indian community until the derogatory moniker has been changed."

In April 2014, a United Nations (UN) expert on the rights of indigenous peoples called on the owners of the Washington Redskins football team to consider that the term "redskins" is the hurtful reminder of the long history of mistreatment of Native American people in the United States, and that the name perpetuates stereotypes that obscures understanding of the reality of Native Americans today and instead helps to keep alive racially discriminatory attitudes.

The Fritz Pollard Alliance, a non-profit organization closely allied with the NFL on civil rights issues, has decided to announce its support of a name change after repeated attempts to discuss the issue with the team owner and representatives. An attorney for the Alliance, N. Jeremi Duru, an American University law professor, made a study of the controversy in which he concluded that Native Americans are justified in finding the name offensive.

Religious leaders and organizations

Rev. Graylan Hagler, pastor of the Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ in Washington, DC has spoken against the Redskins name for 20 years, and is glad that President Obama agrees.

In 1992, the Central Conference of American Rabbis issued a resolution calling for the end of sports teams names that promote racism, in particular the Atlanta Braves and the Washington Redskins. In 2013 a group of sixty-one religious leaders in Washington, D.C. sent a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and team owner Dan Snyder stating their moral obligation to join the Change the Mascot movement due to the offensive and inappropriate nature of the name which causes pain whether or not that is intended.

In a meeting March 1, 2014, the Board of Directors of the Central Atlantic Conference of the United Church of Christ (UCC) unanimously passed a resolution proposing that its members boycott Washington Redskins games and shun products bearing the team’s logo until the team changes its name and mascot. Team spokesman Tony Wyllie offered a response, saying, "We respect those who disagree with our team’s name, but we wish the United Church of Christ would listen to the voice of the overwhelming majority of Americans, including Native Americans, who support our name and understand it honors the heritage and tradition of the Native American community." The team tried to make its case by having three members of the Blackfeet Nation call church leader Rev. John Deckenback, who said the three didn’t promote the team’s cause, and called the interaction a "somewhat weird experience." At its annual meeting in June 2014, the membership of the UCC passed a resolution supporting the boycott. In June, 2015 the United Church of Christ General Synod passed a resolution calling for a stop to using images or mascots that could be demeaning to the Native American community.

Members of the Indian Affairs Committee of the Baltimore Yearly Meeting of the Society of Friends approved a formal statement condemning the name of the Washington football team, stating that "the NFL has violated its core principles for decades by allowing the team playing in Washington, D.C., to carry the name 'redskins,' a racist epithet that insults millions of Native Americans. Continued use of the term encourages and perpetuates persecution, disrespect, and bigotry against Native men, women, and children". The Torch Committee, the student government organization of the Sandy Spring Friends School in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, voted to ban any apparel on the campus which includes the Redskins name, although the logo would continue to be allowed.

The Anti-Defamation League was one of the organizations signing a letter to broadcasters urging them to avoid using the name.

Team and NFL responses

Following the February 2013 symposium "Racist Stereotypes and Cultural Appropriation in American Sports" at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, ten members of Congress sent a letter to the team owner and the NFL Commissioner requesting that the name be changed since it is offensive to Native Americans. In response, team owner Daniel Snyder famously told USA Today: "We'll never change the name. [...] It's that simple. NEVER—you can use caps." However, team lawyer Lanny Davis stated that "never" set the wrong tone. Snyder sent an open letter to fans that was published in The Washington Post on October 9, 2013 in which he stated that the most important meaning of the name Redskins is the association that fans have to memories of their personal history with the team. Snyder also states that the name was chosen in 1933 to honor Native Americans in general and the coach and four players at that time who were Native American; and that in 1971 the then coach George Allen consulted with the Red Cloud Indian Fund on the Pine Ridge reservation when designing the logo. In 2013 the Red Cloud Athletic Fund sent a letter to the Washington Post stating that "As an organization, Red Cloud Indian School has never—and will never—endorse the use of the name "Redskins." Like many Native American organizations across the country, members of our staff and extended community find the name offensive."

In June 2013 Roger Goodell cited the nickname's origins and traditions and polls that support its popularity. On October 30, 2013, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was scheduled to meet with the Oneida Indian Nation and Dan Snyder separately to discuss the Redskins name. Snyder informed Goodell that he does not intend to change the team's name. NFL representatives, rather than the commissioner, then met with the Oneida Nation Incorporated. According to Oneida spokesman Joel Barkin, the league defended the use of the Redskins name. "We are very disappointed," Barkin said. "This is the beginning of a process. It's clear that they don't see how this is not a unifying term. They don't have a complete appreciation for the breadth of opposition of Native Americans to this mascot and name."

The team continues to cite public opinion polls showing support for the name. The 2014 annual poll of issues regarding the NFL included one question indicating 71% of the general public are in favor of keeping the name, with 18% in favor of a change. On their website the team states: "This poll, along with the poll taken among Native Americans by the Annenberg Institute, demonstrates continued, widespread and deep opposition to the Redskins changing our name. The results of this poll are solidly in line with the message we have heard from fans and Native Americans for months – our name represents a tradition, passion and heritage that honors Native Americans. We respect the point of view of the small number of people who seek a name change, but it is important to recognize very few people agree with the case they are making." The Onieda Indian Nation "believes more Americans would favor changing the team name of the Washington NFL club if they understood the full context of what the Oneidas and others consider a racial slur." Mike Florio points out that since an AP poll taken in April 2013 showed 79% in favor of keeping the name; the 71% result in the new poll is a significant decrease in support in a short time. A 2014 AP-Gfk Poll, however, showed 83% support keeping the name.

The team's general manager, Bruce Allen addressed a letter dated May 23, 2014 to Senator Reid repeating the position that the name was originated by Native Americans to refer to themselves, that the logo was also designed and approved by Native American leaders, that the vast majority of both Native Americans and the public do not find the name offensive, and the Original Americans Foundation is making contributions to the more important issues facing Native Americans. There was also a post on the team's Twitter account asking fans to send Senator Reid a message in support of the team, which apparently backfired when most of the tweets supported a name change. A number of former Redskins players have publicly defended the name: Jordan Black, Charlie Brown, Brad Johnson, Billy Kilmer, Josh Morgan, Jay Schroeder and Joe Theismann. Former Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs also supports the name. After the TTAB decision, Chris Cooley and Steve Czaban ridiculed the decision and the name change effort on their ESPN980 radio program. The station is operated by Red Zebra Broadcasting in which Daniel Snyder is the primary investor.

See also: Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation

Team highlighting of Native American support

In May 2013, the Redskins' website reported the opinions of a local fan, Stephen D. Dodson, who claimed to be a chief and "full-blooded American Inuit originally from the Aleutian Tribes of Alaska." He said that not only was "Redskins" not offensive to him and his "whole family", but it was a "term of endearment" that Indians "on the reservation [...] would call each other". On June 5, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wrote a letter to Congress, which in part pointed to "recent remarks from Chief Steven Dodson, an American Inuit chief" to indicate support for the nickname among Native Americans. Two weeks later, Dave McKenna of Deadspin reported that the Redskins' "full-blooded American Inuit chief" was "neither a full-blooded American Inuit nor a chief in any formal sense," and "Chief" was only a nickname. The only documentation McKenna found that referred to Dodson as "Chief" was on a list of AKAs from court records related to "theft, paternity, and domestic violence matters." (The same records say Dodson's middle name is "Dallas.") McKenna quotes Kelly Eningowuk, executive director of the Inuit Circumpolar Council-Alaska, who says that neither "Chief" nor "Indian" are terms used by Alaska's native peoples in self-description. She said the pow wows Dodson claims to have attended would be irrelevant to his supposed Inuit ancestry.

On November 25, 2013 as part of the NFL's "Salute to Service" month and Native American Heritage month, the Washington Redskins recognized four members of the Navajo Code Talkers Association briefly during a commercial break. Three of the four were wearing a new Redskins jacket. One of them, Roy Hawthorne, has stated, "My opinion is that's a name that not only the team should keep, but that's a name that's American." This action was criticized. In April 2014, Navajo Nation Council voted in favor of a statement opposing the name of the Washington team, as well as other disparaging references to American Indians by other professional sports franchises. The Office of the President and Vice President of the Navajo Nation recently participated in a charity function sponsored by the Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation.

The Redskins released a two minute video on YouTube entitled "Redskins is a Powerful Name" in which a number of Native Americans express their support for the team. Of the fourteen individuals; five are members of the Chippewa Cree tribe on the Rocky Boy Indian Reservation in Montana and are associated with the Team Redskins Rodeo club. Two are Mike Wetzel and Don Wetzel, Jr. (Blackfeet), descendents of the logo designer, and the six others are members of various tribes and state that they are fans of the team and find nothing wrong with the name, or think it is positive. One of the individuals in the video is Mark One Wolf, who first came to the attention of the team when he visited the 2014 training camp and proclaimed himself a Native American in favor of the name; however, it was reported he was unable to spell the name of the tribe he said he was representing, the Chiricahua Apache. Later investigations have reported that he was born Mark E. Yancey in Washington, DC of African-American and Japanese descent.

Name change as a business decision

Two professors at the Goizueta Business School at Emory University summarized their research in a New York Times editorial. Studies of college teams that have changed their names and mascots indicate that doing so has a long-term financial benefit. While vocal opponents of change often threatened withdrawal of support, these never materialized. There have been no name changes by professional teams; however, a comparison of NFL teams shows the highest negative trend in brand equity being the Washington Redskins and the Kansas City Chiefs, calling into question the business logic of retaining Native American names or logos that are offensive to even a minority. In a commentary for Forbes, Tom Van Riper states that research specifically considering the fan loyalty and traditions of the team indicates that the value of the name as a brand is significant, and unlikely to change for business reasons. However, an alternative opinion is that the team would benefit from a re-branding, but any new name would need to be carefully selected. According to Forbes the Redskins are the ninth most valuable sports franchise in the world in 2014.

Unlike local governments, there have been no public statements issued by Washington Metro Area business groups, likely due to the lack of consensus on the debate and the responsibilities of private business to take sides on such issues.

2014 sales of Redskins merchandise has shown a decline of 35%. "People are having a second thoughts about wearing a T-shirt with the logo or name that it has now been called racist," said Matt Powell, senior analyst for SportsSourceOne. A team spokesman attributes the decline to dismal performance in the 2013 season, but other teams with bad records have not seen such a steep decline in sales.

The e-commerce site Etsy has announced that in accordance with its policy prohibiting content that "demeans people based upon race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, disability, or sexual orientation" it will no longer allow merchandise with the Redskins name or logo. As of the date of the announcement, there were approximately 2,800 items listed for sale that would be affected.

Despite the name controversy, the value of the team has risen $700 million to $2.4 billion (40%) based upon the valuations published by Forbes magazine in 2014 and 2015.

Corporate sponsors

The major sponsors, including FedEx, Bank of America, Anheuser-Busch, and Sprint Corporation; have made no public response to media inquiries regarding the name of the team. Asked more recently by Mother Jones, a spokesperson for Coca-Cola stated that they play no role in the decision, and defer to the team and the NFL. The Virginia Lottery says that they have had no complaints, and are not considering altering their sponsorship; while New York Life states it will reassess at the end of the season. Ticketmaster declined to comment, while StubHub did not respond.

On June 19, 2014 a group of investors filed a shareholder proposal asking FedEx to "respond to reputational damage from its association with the Washington D.C. NFL franchise team" and its name controversy. FedEx possesses the naming rights to the team's stadium, FedExField, in Landover, MD through 2026. The CEO of FedEx, Fred Smith, declined to give an answer when asked about the company's sponsorship. In response to a request from the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin that FedEx reconsider its relationship with the Washington team, 99.9% of shareholders voted in September 2014 in favor of continuing the Redskins and FedEx partnership. The Principal Chief of the Osage Nation has issued a directive that employees should no longer use FedEx due to its sponsorship of the Washington NFL team, and urging other tribal nations to take similar actions. In June, 2015 the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) also ended its use of FedEx, stating "In good conscience, NARF can no longer support our use of FedEx as our primary carrier. The FedEx Corporation’s support of the Washington NFL team has continued to contribute to the defamation of our people and contributes to the perpetual harm done to our people and especially our children." The Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes, the largest tribe of Native Alaskan peoples, announced June 25, 2015 that their employees will no longer use of FedEx services due to its sponsorship of the team using a name many view as derogatory to indigenous peoples.

Governmental and regulatory action

Political opinion

Statements by political figures have generally been expressions of personal opinion rather than recommendations for government action. There have also been non-binding resolutions proposed in New Jersey and passed in Minneapolis, New York State and California.

Although the majority of those advocating a name change are Democrats, there is no indication that the issue is of any real significance in electoral decisions given that Native Americans are such a small percentage of the electorate and are not likely to influence the outcome of any election. There are only eight states where Natives make up greater than 2 percent of the population: Alaska, Arizona, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming. However, polls show a definite political difference in the opinion of the general public, with only 58% of Democrats opposing a name change versus 89% of Republicans.

The topic came up in an interview of President Barack Obama, who stated that if he were the owner of the Redskins, he would consider changing the name because it offends many Native Americans, but that he didn't " have a stake " in the issue as he is not an owner of a professional sports team. In direct response Lanny Davis repeated the team position that no offense is intended to Native Americans, and refers to both the 2004 poll and a recent AP poll that show a large majority of people nationally support the continued use of the name. Both House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) have stated that the name should be changed. In an interview on May 2, 2014, Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) stated that he would probably change the name because there are Native Americans who are offended. Attorney General Eric Holder gave his personal opinion, as a fan of the team, the name should change, saying that it is offensive. In a television interview Hillary Clinton said that the name should change because it is insensitive.

On May 22, 2014, fifty U.S. Senators, forty-eight Democrats and two Independents, sent a letter to NFL Commissioner Goodell asking the league, referencing the Donald Sterling case, "send the same clear message as the NBA did: that racism and bigotry have no place in professional sports." Five Democratic Senators declined to sign the letter, and Republicans were not invited to do so. In his weekly conference call with Iowa reporters June 26, 2014, U.S. Senator Tom Harkin said "It has become clear to me over time that the name of the "Washington Redskins" is an affront to Native Americans and it is time to change it." No Senators have publicly supported the name, but rather have either declined to give an opinion or stated their opposition to Senate involvement in the issue.

One of the few calls for government action was made in a letter dated May 9, 2014 to the Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) called for a hearing on the name of the Washington NFL team. He said that, given the public benefits enjoyed by the NFL, the team owner and the NFL commissioner should explain why their actions are in the public interest.

Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, while expressing her personal opinion that she is surprised that the name has not changed given the racial overtones of referring to skin color, also states that tribal leaders do not bring up the issue in discussions with her. However, Jewell, in response to DC Mayor Muriel Bowser's expressed interest in having the team return to the city, stated that the National Park Service, which owns the land, would not likely allow a new stadium to be constructed without a name change.

Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush said in an interview that he did not find the name offensive, and does not think it should not change. Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, responded "The team’s name is a racial slur that perpetuates negative stereotypes of Native American people and reduces proud cultures to an insulting caricature".

Federal Communications Commission

Led by Reed E. Hundt, chairman of the FCC from 1993 to 1997, other former Federal Communications Commission (FCC) officials and experts in communications law sent a letter in 2013 to the current chairman of the FCC asking that the use of "redskin" by broadcast media be regulated in the same manner as other racially charged words. Other racial slurs are generally prohibited entirely based upon FCC rules regarding profanity and obscenity; or the name could have only limited use based upon whether its use is in the public interest. In particular, Hundt argued that Snyder should be declared unfit to own radio stations (he owns Red Zebra Broadcasting, owners of Redskins flagship station WTEM) because the FCC "has been reluctant to give broadcast licenses to people who advocate racially intolerant positions". Jessica Rosenworcel is the only current FCC commissioner so far to publicly state that she has concerns about the name, and recognizes that it is offensive to a number of people. The current head of the FCC, Tom Wheeler, agrees that the name is derogatory and should be changed, but does not plan to use the power of the agency to force the change. George Washington University law professor John Banzhaf challenged the licensing of the radio stations operated by Red Zebra Broadcasting, and those of the TV affiliates of the broadcast networks that air NFL games, on the basis of the term "Redskins" being a racial slur that should not be routinely used, particularly during prime time when children are listening. A report on the high incidence of violence against Native American children by non-natives is being cited as evidence that the use of the word Redskins is not only a racial slur but is "hate speech" which should be regulated by the FCC. The report comes from the Attorney General's Advisory Committee on American Indian and Alaska Native Children Exposed to Violence. Native American petitioners in the cases filed by Banzhaf state that they have experienced or witnessed harm to Native Americans which they believe was caused by "the frequent repetitive use of the word 'R*dskins' on the air." On December 18, 2014 the FCC rejected Banzhaf's petition regarding WWXX-FM on the basis that "Redskins" is not profanity, which is defined as being sexual or excretory in nature.

Trademark cases

Main article: Washington Redskins trademark dispute

In 1992, Suzan Shown Harjo, President of the Morning Star Institute, with six other prominent Native Americans represented by the Dorsey & Whitney law firm of Minneapolis, petitioned the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to cancel the trademark registrations owned by Pro-Football, Inc. due to their being "disparaging, scandalous contemptuous, or disreputable." In 1999 the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) judges canceled the federal registration of the mark REDSKINS "on the grounds that the subject marks may disparage Native Americans and may bring them into contempt or disrepute." The owners appealed the Harjo decision to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in Pro-Football, Inc. v. Harjo. In 2005 the court reversed the TTAB's decision on the grounds of insufficient evidence of disparagement. Subsequent appeals have been rejected on the basis of laches, which means that the Native Americans had pursued their rights in an untimely and delayed manner.

A second case was filed, Blackhorse v. Pro-Football, Inc., with younger plaintiffs whose standing might not be hindered by laches. On June 18, 2014, the TTAB again voted to cancel the six trademarks held by the team in a two to one decision that held that the term "redskins" is disparaging to a "substantial composite of Native Americans", and this is demonstrated "by the near complete drop-off in usage of 'redskins' as a reference to Native Americans beginning in the 1960s." The TTAB majority held that the NCAI represented about 30 percent of Native Americans during the time in question, which the Board found satisfied the substantial composite test.

The TTAB also found that the term "redskin" refers to Native Americans (rather than having an "independent meaning" as the team sometimes claims) as shown by the costumes worn by both the cheerleaders and marching band from the 1960s until the 1980s, and the native imagery used on the press guides for many years.

Evidence of disparagement submitted by the petitioners in the case include the frequent references to "scalping" made by sportswriters for sixty years when reporting the Redskins loss of a game, and passages from movies made from the 1940s to the 1960s using "redskin" to refer to Native Americans as a savage enemy. A linguistics expert for the team unsuccessfully argued that the name is merely a descriptive term no different than other uses of color to differentiate people by race.

Reaction to the TTAB decision has often characterized it as government interference in a private business, or as an improper limitation on freedom of expression. The decision in fact makes no change to the team's use of the name, but withdraws the government from the responsibility to regulate the use of the name by anyone. The team retains other rights under common law, but must enforce them without government assistance. However, in the opinion of one intellectual property law firm, the team "may be hesitant to sue another for infringing its marks because of the risk that a court could possibly determine that the team has no protectable interest in the name because of its disparaging nature".

On July 8, 2015, District Court Judge Lee affirmed the decision of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, denying the team's summary judgment motions challenging the constitutionality of the Lanham Act and granted the Blackhorse Defendants' summary judgment motions, finding that "the evidence before the Court supports the legal conclusion that...the Redskin Marks consisted of matter that 'may disparage' a substantial composite of Native Americans." The decision does not bar the team from using the marks going forward, and the order itself is subject to further appeal. Team president Bruce Allen expressed surprise at the decision, and that a summary judgement was made by the judge based upon the evidence submitted rather than proceeding to a trial. While the team continues to have certain rights to its trademarks, it must take action to protect those rights individually. The cancellation of federal registration of the trademarks means that the government will no longer take any action against anyone else using the name or logo, such as blocking counterfeit goods from being imported into the country.

Public opinion

An alternative method to standard opinion polls was used by the Center for Indigenous Peoples Studies at California State University, San Bernardino. A survey was conducted of 400 individuals, with 98 individuals positively identified as Native Americans, finding that 67% agreed with the statement that "Redskins" is offensive and racist. The response from non-natives was almost the opposite, with 68% responding that the name is not offensive. Comments made by fans on the web in response to news stories tend to dismiss the controversy as political correctness, and that the name refers to nothing outside the context of the football team.

National polls

Despite protest and legal action from the Native American groups and scholars who support a name-change, the majority of the American public surveyed on the subject do not find the name offensive and do not advocate a change. However, there are those that question the appropriateness of submitting minority rights to a majority decision. Louis Gray, president of the Tulsa Indian Coalition Against Racism and an Osage Indian: "You wouldn’t [take a poll] with any other race. You wouldn’t have African-Americans vote to decide whether or not any sort of racial epithet would be offensive."

While varying from on poll to another, opinion polls consistently indicate that a majority of the general public do not advocate a name change; 79% April 2013 and 83% percent eight months later. In June 2014 the Rasmussen Reports asked the question: "Some Native American groups have complained that the Redskins’ name is offensive. Should the Washington Redskins change their name?", with 60% responding that the team should not change its name, 26% said it should change, and 14% had no opinion. A September 2014 poll conducted by Langer Research for ESPN found 71 percent in favor of keeping the name, and 23 percent in favor of a change. It also found that 68 percent think the name is not disrespectful of Native Americans, nineteen percent say it shows "some" disrespect, and 9 percent say it is "a lot" disrespectful.

2004 Annenberg survey

The survey most frequently cited by opponents of change was performed in 2004 as part of the National Annenberg Election Survey. Among other questions regarding election year issues, respondents from the 48 continental U.S. states who identified themselves as being Native American were asked: "The professional football team in Washington calls itself the Washington Redskins. As a Native American, do you find that name offensive or doesn't it bother you?" In response, ninety percent replied that the name did not bother them, while nine percent said that it was offensive, and one percent would not answer. The problem of individuals claiming to be Native American when they are not is well known in academic research, limiting the value of public opinion polls of the mascot issue. It is a particular problem when non-natives claim Indian identity to gain authority in the debate over sports mascots. Steve Russell, an enrolled Cherokee citizen and associate professor of criminal justice at Indiana University, states that both SI and Annenberg's samples of "self-identified Native Americans ... includes plenty of people who have nothing to do with Indians".

At a 2014 symposium at the Washington College of Law at American University, the topic was discussed under the title "11 Reasons to Ignore the 10-Year-Old Annenberg Survey About the Washington Football Team’s Offensive Name"

In August, 2015, the Glushko-Samuelson Law Clinic at American University published the text of a memo written by by Chintan Turakhia, Sr. and Courtney Kennedy, both vice-presidents and senior researches at Abt SRBI, the survey organization responsible for collecting the data for the 2004 survey. The memo had been prepared at the request of Ken Winneg, Annenberg’s Managing Director of Survey Research. The memo made it clear that the survey should not be taken as an accurate reflection of Native American attitudes at the time, stating that the design and implementation of the 2004 NAES was appropriate for the main research goal of the study, but did not account for any of the unique characteristics (e.g., multiple languages, unusual residential patterns) that require specialized survey designs if they are to be measured rigorously. The survey also did not account for landline telephone use on reservations are significantly lower than they are elsewhere in the United States.

Advocates of change

Further information: List of Washington Redskins name change advocates

In the 1940s the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) created a campaign to eliminate negative stereotyping of Native American people in the media. Over time, the campaign began to focus on Indian names and mascots in sports. The NCAI maintains that teams with mascots such as the Braves and the Redskins perpetuate negative stereotypes of Native American people, and demean their native traditions and rituals. The NCAI issued a new report in 2013 summarizing opposition to Indian mascots and team names generally, and the Washington Redskins in particular. In the trademark case, the TTAB placed significance on the NCAI opposition, estimating that the organization represented about 30% of the Native American population at the time the trademarks were granted, which met their criteria for a "substantial composite" of Native Americans finding the name disparaging.

In addition, many tribal councils have passed resolutions or issued statements regarding their opposition to the name of the Washington NFL team, including the Cherokee and Comanche Nations of Oklahoma, the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, the Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes, the Oneida Indian Nation (New York), the Navajo Nation Council, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe (North Dakota) and the United South and Eastern Tribes (USET)

Other Native American groups advocating change include: the American Indian College Fund, National Indian Child Welfare Association, National Indian Education Association, National Indian Youth Council, National Native American Law Student Association, Native American Journalists Association, and Native American Rights Fund (NARF)

After accepting $200,000 from the Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation for the prior year, the Indian National Finals Rodeo (INFR), which says it is the U.S.' and Canada's largest rodeo organization for Native Americans, sent a letter refusing any further donations. INFR Vice President Michael Bo Vocu stated “After much soul searching, we have decided that we cannot in good conscience accept resources from you on the terms you have offered, no matter how desperately we need it ... because, as you know, the resources you are offering are not truly philanthropic -- they come with the expectation that we will support the racial slur that continues to promote your associated professional football team’s name.” Last year the Redskins primary logo appeared at many Native rodeo events, creating a backlash from those offended by it.

Individuals

These are some of the Native Americans who have put their opposition to the Redskins' name on the public record:

• Sherman Alexie (Spokane, author): "Most, you know, at least half the country thinks the mascot issue is insignificant. But I think it's indicative of the ways in which Indians have no cultural power."
• Clyde Bellecourt (Ojibwe, co-founder of the American Indian Movement)
• Ben Nighthorse Campbell (Northern Cheyenne, Former U.S. Senator)
• Vine Deloria, Jr. (Sioux, historian/author)
• Kevin Gover (Pawnee, director of The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian)
• Suzan Shown Harjo (Cheyenne/Hodulgee Muscogee, author/activist)
• Russell Means (Oglala Lakota, activist/actor)
• Billy Mills (Sioux, Olympic gold medal winner)
• Charlene Teters (Spokane, artist/lecturer)
• W. Richard West Jr. (Cheyenne, President of the Autry National Center in Los Angeles): Redskin is "an openly derogatory term. It always is and it always has been." West also characterizes the Original American's Foundation as an "attempt to divert attention from the fact that his team’s nickname is coming under increasing heat from people who think it’s an offensive racial term."

Editorial policies regarding use of the name

The Associated Press (AP) stylebook review committee is considering whether Redskins is an offensive term that should be removed from its stories. Major news organizations continue to use the Redskins name; however, the a number publications limit their use of the team nickname, although most said they would not strike "Redskins" from quotations, and several publications, while continuing to print the name, have published editorials advocating a change.

Washington Post

The Washington Post is the oldest and largest newspaper in the team's hometown. The Post first published an editorial in opposition to the name in 1992, saying it "is really pretty offensive." An editorial on July 28, 2014 took note of the increasing number of individual and organizations advocating a change: "Every new objection to the use of the word makes it harder for Mr. Snyder to kid himself that he’s helping his team or its fans by holding onto a name that, at bottom, is a racial slur with no place in civilized society."

On August 22, 2014 The Post took the additional step of stating that the name will no longer be used in editorials, although it will continue to appear in other sections of the newspaper: "Unlike our colleagues who cover sports and other news, we on the editorial board have the luxury of writing about the world as we would like it to be." In addition, there are several writers/columnists for The Post (see section below) that have taken a personal stand in opposition to the continued use of the name.

Online publications

• DCist (February 11, 2013): The Washington-area news website DCist published an editorial announcing it would refer to the local NFL club as the Washington football team instead of its trademarked name, which DCist agreed is "distasteful, vulgar, and racist."
• Slate in a story (August 8, 2013) stated, "This is the last Slate article that will refer to the Washington NFL team as the Redskins."
• Sports Grid (September 17, 2013)
• The Capital News Service (October 31, 2013): This news wire service at the Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland said it would thereafter call the team "Washington’s NFL franchise."
• The District Sports Page, on the inevitability of the name change: "As long as this issue remains in the public conscience, the Redskins will be compelled to address it. As I said, however, they have yet to find an adequate defense for keeping the name. How much longer can they keep up the charade?"

Broadcast media

Robert Lipsyte states that there has been discussion about the use of the name at ESPN, but it is unlikely that it or any other major sports network will stop using Redskins in reporting due to a general consensus that it should report the news (including the controversy) but not take sides, and that taking sides would injure their ability to cover the games. There are also the corporate affiliations that make it unlikely. Steven Gaydos, Vice President & Executive Editor of Variety states his opinion that the broadcast networks should tackle the Redskins name issue. Both the NFL and CBS Sports state that it is entirely up to individual announcers whether they use the name when covering a game.

While not banning Redskins for it broadcasts, National Public Radio (NPR) has advised against the use of the name, stating: "As a responsible broadcaster, NPR has always set a high bar on use of language that may be offensive to our audience. Use of such language on the air has been strictly limited to situations where it is absolutely integral to the meaning and spirit of the story being told." The NPR ombudsman Edward Schumacher-Matos states that the new guideline will likely result in the name rarely being used again on NPR. At the beginning of the 2014 season, several networks report that the number of times "Redskins" was spoken during televised NFL game broadcasts has fallen 42% in 10 weeks compared to the same 10 week period in the previous year, while the use of "Washington" is up 10%. An analysis of the entire 2014 regular season shows a 27% decline in the use of the name in NFL broadcasts compared to the prior year.

Advocates in sports for changing the name

The Philadelphia Eagles did not use the Redskins team name in their media guides and online material promoting their 2015 Week 4 game against the team, referring to them only as "Washington".

Players of native decent oppose the name. Bruce Anderson is a member of the Coquille people who played for the Washington team in 1970. He faults the name and logo as perpetuation stereotypes such as thinking all tribes have a single identity; and by making that identity a commercial brand, something that is not done with regard to any other ethnic group. Joey Browner, who says he is three-fourths indigenous, is a board member of the Minneapolis-based American Indian Movement (AIM) and was involved with the November 2, 2014 rally in Minneapolis opposing the Redskins name and logo. Former quarterback Sonny Sixkiller (Cherokee): "Redskins name is racist to me."

Former Redskins players have also changed their opinions. Champ Bailey, a former Redskins cornerback, said that "When you hear a Native American say that 'Redskins' is degrading, it's almost like the N-word for a black person. If they feel that way, then it's not right. They are part of this country. It's degrading to a certain race. Does it make sense to have the name?" Former Redskins running back Calvin Hill, who played for Washington from 1976–1977: "Why do we want to use terms that make people feel bad?" London Fletcher stated that after learning some of the history of the term, he became "a little bit uneasy" with the name, but a short time later was seen smiling at Redskins fans at the 2014 NFL draft while announcing the teams draft pick, wearing a Redskins t-shirt. Tre' Johnson states "I definitely think the name should be changed ... it's offensive because a group of people that that moniker represents has said so." Art Monk and Darrell Green, former Redskins players and Pro Football Hall of Famers, think a name change should be considered. Mark Murphy CEO of the Green Bay Packers and a former Redskins player said [nickname is] "derogatory to a lot of people". Mark Schlereth, who played for Washington from 1989–1994: "It's a pejorative term. And it needs to change. I mean, you would never go into a conference of Native American people and walk up in front of them and refer to them as redskins." Jason Taylor, who played for Washington in 2008: "If you look it up in the dictionary, it's an offensive term. [...] If it offends anyone, the name should be out."

Former NFL referee Mike Carey has not officiated a Washington home or away game since 2006 due to the team name. "The league respectfully honored my request not to officiate Washington," Carey said. "It happened sometime after I refereed their playoff game in 2006, I think."

Former NFL quarterback Roger Staubach: "If that name is derogatory to the Indian nation, I say get rid of it".

Amy Trask, former CEO of the Oakland Raiders: "As a society, we should seek to inspire people to be tolerant and respectful of others, regardless of our differences. Using Redskins as the name of an NFL team does not further this goal."

Writers/commentators

The many individuals in the sports media have taken a position that the name should be changed, some also deciding that they will stop using it in their own reporting. Some of the most notable are:

3

Other journalists/commentators:

• Ruben Castaneda, (Baltimore Post-Examiner) notes both the team's racist past and the behavior of the current owner; quoting former Redskins running back John Riggins as saying in an interview that "Snyder’s a 'bad guy' with a 'dark heart.'"
• Larry King: "If it offends enough of a group of people, what’s the big deal? It’s just a name."
• Charles Krauthammer, political columnist, wrote that unlike other examples of "the language police" he dislikes, use of the term redskins has become a pejorative and that the name should be changed.
• Clarence Page, whose opposition to the name goes back to 1988, (The Chicago Tribune): "It is only a matter of how long public attitudes and generational viewpoints change to where even Snyder’s players, fans or fellow NFL owners think it’s time to give this R-word a rest."
• Bill Plaschke, (Los Angeles Times): "'Redskins' is no honor, it's an insult."
• Jim Vance, (NBC4) in Washington, DC comments on racism towards any other minority not being tolerated, using the example of Jeremy Lin.

Support for the name

Native Americans

A brother and sister in Oneida, NY state they are both Native American (Mohawk) and ardent Redskins fans. Three Virginia Indian leaders say they are not offended by the name Redskins, but are more concerned about other issues such as the lack of Federal recognition for any Virginia tribe. Robert "Two Eagles" Green, retired chief of the Fredericksburg area Patawomeck Tribe, stated on a radio talk show he’d be offended if the team does change its name. In an article in The American Spectator, the current chief of the Patawomeck Tribe, John Lightner, states that while he is not offended by the current name, he would support changing the team to the Washington Potomacs.

In the media

In 1992, columnist Andy Rooney wrote that protesting team names such as "Redskins" is silly, but after receiving many letters from Native Americans he wrote "when so many people complain about one thing, you have to assume you may have been wrong". In 2005, Marc Fisher wrote that the issue of Native American sports team names was not clear-cut given the support for some teams by native leaders. "Most people simultaneously cherish history and want to do the right thing", which for Fisher explained the results of the 2002 poll supporting the Washington Redskins name.

On Fox News, George Will commented about general complaints regarding Indian mascots: "It’s capricious action by the sensitivity police, and they ought to mind their own business." Pat Buchanan states that the image of the Native American represents "toughness, bravery and perseverance". An opinion emphasizing the view that the entire controversy is a liberal invention were stated in National Review by Rich Lowry and Dennis Prager; and by Rush Limbaugh on his radio broadcast. In response to the cancellation of the Redskins' trademarks by the Trademark Trial and Appeals Board, commentator Glenn Beck said "This isn't America anymore." Mike Ditka, in an interview with Limbaugh, said "It's all the political correct idiots in America. That's all it is."

In popular culture

The name controversy was parodied in the South Park episode "Go Fund Yourself", in which the boys name their company the Washington Redskins when they discover that the NFL team does not have a trademark to the name.

On September 25, 2014 The Daily Show aired a segment in which a group of Native Americans and a group of Redskins fans were alternately interviewed by Jason Jones on the topic of changing the name. Only a small part of the exchange between the two groups was aired, which had been previously reported as confrontational. The Redskins fans stated that they had been misled by the show's producers since they did not know they would meet with Native Americans. One of the fans later reported to the police that she felt she had been exposed to a hostile environment, although the police responded that no crime had been committed. Only hours before the airing of the show, Virginia Delegate Chap Petersen, acting as their attorney, attempted to revoke the Redskins fans' consent to appear on the show by sending a letter to one of the producers, Matt Polidoro. Also cut from the show was the footage in which Redskins fans jeered, mocked, and threatened the Native Americans when they accompanied Jones to a tailgate party at FedEx field.

A previous reference to the Redskins controversy also occurred on Comedy Central when a segment of The Colbert Report attempted to satirize the establishment of the Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation by proposing a foundation called the "Ching-Chong Ding-Dong Foundation for Sensitivity to Orientals or Whatever". The resulting campaign to "CancelColbert" by Asian Americans overshadowed the initial response from Native Americans opposed to the Redskins foundation.

See also

• Hail to the Redskins
• List of sports team names and mascots derived from indigenous peoples

References

• King, C. R., and Charles F. Springwood, eds. Team Spirits The Native American Mascots Controversy. New York: University of Nebraska, 2001. 191-207. Print.
• Ming, Robert D., ed. "How Politically Correct Must a Trademark Be?" Pepperdine Law Review 22.4 (1995): 13-19. Hein Online. Web.
• Delacruz, Elizabeth M. "Racism American Style and Resistance to Change: Art Education's Role in the Indian Mascot Issue." Art Education 56.3 (2003): 16. Web.
• Vickers, Scott. "American Identities: From Stereotype to Archetype in Art and Literature." Michigan Civil Rights Commission Report (1998): 68-69. Print.
• Miller, Jackson B. ""Indians" "Braves" and "Redskins". A Performative Struggle for Control of an Image." Quarterly Journal of Speech 85 (1999): 188-202. JSTOR. Web.

External links

• Change the Mascot, a national campaign launched by the Oneida Indian Nation
• American Indian Sports Team Mascots
• Redskins Facts