Poll finds Native Americans aren’t offended by “Redskins”

A poll by the Washington Post finds 90 percent of Native Americans do not find the team name ‘Washington Redskins’ disrespectful.

The Washington Redskins have been attached to controversy over the team name. In a recent Washington Post poll, the result aims to lay to rest that Native Americans are offended by the Redskins name.

The Washington Post poll, which was reported consistent regardless of age, income, education, political party or proximity to reservations, found that seven in 10 find the word ‘redskin’ as not disrespectful to Native Americans. Eight in 10 surveyed claimed they wouldn’t be offended by someone of non-Native American descent call them by that name.

Further, the poll also finds that 90 percent of Native Americans are not bothered by the team name. This result runs parallel to the published 2004 findings by the Annenberg Public Policy Center.

The results of both surveys are grounds for use in the ongoing legal battle over the name of the Redskins. Specifically, if the term redskin violates the Lehman Act preventing offensive words in trademarks.

Redskins owner Dan Snyder has vowed to never change the name of the team citing the evidence found in the 2004 Annenberg poll.

However, some Native Americans do still find the term redskin to be offensive, and along with the activists, believe that if one individual wants this changed, it should be changed.

While this struggle doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon, this evidence provides insight on what many Native Americans think, and that should count for something.

H/T Washington Post