For those arguing that even Native Americans don’t mind the moniker for the football team based in Washington, or are somehow being honored by a blanket term for the color of their skin, think again. Various groups representing Native American interests have reached out to NFL broadcasters to urge them not to use the ‘R-word’ that stands emblazoned on the end zones of Fed Ex Field.
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The Washington Post reports that ‘A coalition of more than 100 Native American and social justice groups plans to send a letter Thursday to thousands of television and radio broadcasters in every city with an NFL team asking them not to utter the Washington Redskins name.’
"“We have a growing list of news outlets and personalities against the name,” said Joel Barkin, the Oneida Indian Nation’s spokesman. “Now we have people [such as] Lisa Salters from ESPN, Phil Simms and James Brown from CBS, and Tony Dungy from NBC. For people who are thoughtful and take an objective look at the issue, more than likely they’re saying, ‘Why should I use a name if I know it’s going to offend a group of people?’ ”"
Those are some pretty influential names in football broadcasting and you can expect that list to grow as people stop and think, “Wait, maybe we shouldn’t get drunk and cheer for a football team whose nickname labels an entire group by the color of their skin.” It is, after all, America, and we’re kind of over that whole phase. At least we will be once Washington owner Daniel Snyder wakes up.
Snyder has long vowed he’ll never change the team’s name, but one suspects that’s either a move for leverage in new stadium talks or for a rare moment of fan support. Either way, the struggle continues as the rest of the country hopes Washington comes to its senses while Snyder and a cadre of football fans defend the team’s name with little more defense than, “Stop being so PC!”