When a call went out to Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder to change the offensive name of D.C.'s football team, he immediately rebuked it, vowing not to change it. The league also turned a blind eye towards the racism that the name emits to Native Americans by coming up with this excuse.
“The intent of the team's name has always been to present a strong, positive and respectful image,” the league said in a statement. “The name is not used by the team or the NFL in any other context, though we respect those that view it differently.”
Roger Goddell thinks the derogatory term is not being used in a derogatory manner so "up yours" whiners.
Conservatives cried that he PC police were at it again while others didn't understand what the big deal was over the name anyway. Then 50 US. Senators signed a letter urging Snyder to rename the team.
“The NFL can no longer ignore this and perpetuate the use of this name as anything but what it is: a racial slur,” said the letter. "... “We urge you and the National Football League to send the same clear message as the N.B.A. did: that racism and bigotry have no place in professional sports."
Washington's GM Bruce Allen responded thusly:
In Allen's letter, addressed to Senate majority leader Harry Reid, Allen writes that, "The Redskins team name continues to carry a deep and purposeful meaning."
In his letter, Allen went through most of the talking points that owner Daniel Snyder has been using over the past few months. Allen noted that the term Redskins "originated as a Native American expression of solidarity."Allen also claimed that a majority of Native Americans don't find the name offensive and that the Redskins logo was actually designed by Native Americans. Allen also wrote that he hopes Sen. Reid will attend a Redskins game this season. You can read the entire letter here.
If the name is a racial slur, what purposeful meaning could it have except how it impacts their merchandising revenues?
Mark Schlereth played with the Washington Redskins for six years, is a multiple Super Bowl champ and star for ESPN voiced his support for changing the name of a storied NFL franchise to one that isn't a racial slur. Here's what he said on ABC's This Week:
RADDATZ: And Mark, quickly, from you. Is it time to change the name?
SCHLERETH: Yes. It is time to change the name. There's no question, if you research the history of that name, 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. It is a derogatory term; it -- that's its origins and it is time to be a leader from the standpoint of the NFL.
High schools across America have changed their names; the NCAA has implemented policy to change those names.
Why has the NFL shuffled its feet on this? I don't know. But it's time to change.
RADDATZ: Thank you very much. Thanks for all your insight on all of this.
He makes the perfect case why changing the name should be done. There really is no counter argument against him. Good for you, Mark.
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