Washington's NFL Team Drops It's Name After 87 Years
Peer Conferencing Questions
1. What is the speaker’s claim?
What does s/he want you to believe?
2. What reasons does s/he give for his claim?
3. What facts, quotations, evidence, or specific details does s/he give to support those reasons?
4. Is there a counterclaim? What is it?
How will the changes made to the Washington
"Red Skins" team affect other sports teams with Native American Mascots?
According to writer Mike Freeman "People like Snyder who grew up fans of the team protect the nickname because it has become a part of their identity. It's who they are, how they see themselves." You can read his article here... Mike Freeman Article.
According to
Micheal Klopman approximately 5,000 people marched from the University of Minnesota campus to the stadium voicing desire to have it changed in November 2019. You can read his article here...
Some Native Americans support the Redskins name. You can read about it at the Navajo Times.
By Associated Press, adapted by Newsela staff Published: 07/15/2020.
On July 13, a change long in the making happened for the Washington National Football League (NFL) team. It announced it is dropping both its "Redskins" name and the Indigenous person's head that is used in the logo. In doing so, it bowed to many years of criticism that the images are offensive to Indigenous Americans. The current logo shows the image of a red-faced Indigenous American with feathers in his hair.
A new name must still be selected for one of the oldest teams in the National Football League. It was unclear when that will happen. But for now, arguably the most controversial name in North American professional sports is gone. The change comes at a time of deep reflection over racial injustice, imagery and racism in the U.S. Many statues and monuments honoring people with histories of racist beliefs have been torn down or questioned.
The Washington football team owner Dan Snyder was a boyhood fan of the team. Snyder once declared he would never get rid of the name. The move came less than two weeks after his team launched a "thorough review" amid pressure from sponsors. FedEx, Nike, Pepsi and Bank of America all lined up against the name. The name was given to the club in 1933 when the team was still based in Boston, Massachusetts.
"The NFL and Dan Snyder, we have to commend them on making the right call to change the name," said Oneida Indian Nation Representative Ray Halbritter. He has led the "Change the Mascot" campaign. "I know that's not an easy thing to do, but it was the right thing to do."
The team said that Snyder and coach Ron Rivera are working closely to develop a new name and design.
Name Criticized As A "Dictionary-Defined Racial Slur"
Indigenous American advocates and experts have long criticized the name they call a "dictionary-defined racial slur." More than a dozen Indigenous leaders and organizations wrote to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in early July demanding an immediate end to Washington's use of the name. Goodell, who has faced questions on the topic for years, said he supported the review.
Protests against the name came before Snyder bought the team in 1999. Until now, he had shown no willingness to consider a change. Strong words from sponsors changed the equation.
FedEx earlier in July became the first sponsor to announce it had asked the organization to change the name. The move was particularly important because FedEx chief executive Frederick Smith owns part of the Washington team. FedEx paid $205 million for the long-term naming rights to the team's stadium, FedEx Field, in Landover, Maryland.
Name Was "Obstacle" To Building New Stadium In D.C.
In 2027, the team's naming partnership with FedEx will end. Dropping the old team name keeps open various possibilities in Maryland, Virginia and Washington for the team's new stadium. Snyder had considered building a stadium on a site in the District of Columbia. However, District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser has said the team name was an "obstacle" to Snyder's building there.
The team recently started cutting ties with racist founder George Preston Marshall. Before, its lower seating area at FedEx Field was named for Marshall. He believed in segregating, or separating Black and white people in public places. He was the last NFL owner to integrate Black players on his team. The lower seating area was renamed for the team's first Black player, late Hall of Famer Bobby Mitchell.
Major League Baseball's Atlanta Braves and the National Hockey League's Chicago Blackhawks both use images of Indigenous Americans on their logos and names. They have said they have no plans to change. Some advocates would like to see all Indigenous American names, mascots and images out of sports.
"Our fight continues," Crystal Echo Hawk of the Indigenous American advocacy group IllumiNative said. "We will not rest until the offensive use of Native imagery, logos and names is eradicated from professional, collegiate and (other school) sports. The time is now to stand in solidarity and declare that racism will not be tolerated."
Halbritter said it was important to note those other names are not a slur, but he hopes a "broader discussion" can be had. He pointed out that Florida State spoke with the Seminole tribe about its name. A minor league baseball team in Spokane, Washington, did the same with local Indigenous Americans.
"It's About Respect"
It was not immediately clear if the Washington football organization is consulting Indigenous Americans on a new name or if any such images will even be used.
"I think it's striking that the NFL and other owners of other sports teams don't have a conversation with Indigenous America on these names," Halbritter said. "It's about respect, and I don't understand why they just don't have a conversation with the affected people."
Washington's NFL team has just five playoff appearances in 21 years and no postseason victories since 2005. It stands long removed from its Super Bowl titles in the 1982, 1987 and 1991 seasons.
Re-branding with a new name and logo — and perhaps the same maroon and gold colors — coupled with a new head coach in Rivera could be a positive for Snyder on and off the field. Even if some of its fans oppose the change in the name of tradition, winning would more than make up for those losses.
Opinions taken from TheCoaster.net
Tony & Barbara Anzano, Farmingdale – We say no, they should not. It’s attached to a team that’s been around for a very long time. And it’s a football team. And the term, we don’t feel is racial or offense in any way.
Otto Williams, Newark – Actually, no. It’s a sport. I’m familiar with the controversy. Some are saying it’s racial because of an Indian being called a redskin instead of a native American. But it’s been called that for years. And now everything had to be politically correct. It’s gone too far.
Jeannine Blewitt, Ocean Grove & Lauren Freda, Wall – Jeannine: I say, although it’s historical, that if it does offend a group of people, I can see the need for change. Lauren: I say no, because it is historical and that should be enough for it to remain as it is. It should be recognized as such and not influenced by outside forces.
Christopher Halligan, Asbury Park – No, I don’t. There’s a little too much political correctness going on right now. If they didn’t have a name, I wouldn’t name them the Redskins, but I wouldn’t change it now.
Charles Formato, Belmar – Heck NO! -sic. Keep a tradition a tradition. The Redskins are a good thing. Keep it.
Lisa Iron-Shooter w/Storm, Sage & Skye, Ocean – As a native American, I say yes. The logo is bad, too. It’s humiliating to native Americans. A lot of others teams are changing their logos, too. Maybe they should be connected with the government, or the White House. We’re Oglala Sioux, Lakota Nation.
This is paragraph text. Double click here to edit and add your own text.
Kerri & J.C. Herring, Ocean – Absolutely not. People have got to relax. It’s a football team, not a political party. Chill-out, relax.
Janet McGillis, Jayne Vogler, Joyce Vogler w/ Roxie, W. Allenhurst – We think it’s silly to change the name, absolutely. We’re sorry, but we don’t think we need to be politically correct about everything. It’s been the Redskins for umpteen years, it doesn’t need to change.
Stewart Mills, Neptune – I think they should keep their name. It’s sports, nothing personal. It’s all about fun. The Washington Redskins football team It’s about the sport, not about people.
Brian Molyvade, Jersey City -I think the name is a little inappropriate. I think they should change it. I’m also a Giants fan, so Washington has that working against them, too.
Write an essay in which you give your opinion about whether or not the Redskins Foot Ball team should have a name change. Use information from the passages in your article.
Manage your time carefully so that you can:
• read the passages;
• plan your response;
• write your response; and
• revise and edit your response.
Be sure to include
• an introduction; with a hook, a thesis statement, and preview of the essay
a clear statement of your opinion.
• support for your opinion using information from the passages; and cite the text in each of the body paragraphs
• a conclusion that is related to your opinion. Your response should be in the form of a multi-paragraph essay. (5 paragraphs)