This article is not intended to trash football. I barely tolerate the NFL, some of the management, and some of the players, because I developed an abiding love of the game itself as a player. Therefore I’m a fairly extreme fan. Nevertheless, I fully support the efforts of Proud To Be.
Two prominent groups that have led the campaign against the name of the Washington Redskins launched their newest campaign Monday, a photo project that highlights what Native Americans and their allies are “proud to be.”
The project is backed by the National Congress of American Indians and the Oneida Indian Nation of New York’s Change The Mascot campaign. The #ProudToBe project features photographs of prominent Native American leaders, members of Congress, and others who have spoken out against the name in the last year. The first round of pictures includes Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and D.C. Councilman David Grosso holding signs against the name. It also includes photos gathered on social media of Native Americans holding #ProudToBe signs, and asks others who support the movement to submit their own on the Change The Mascot campaign’s web site.
Reid, Cantwell, and Grosso are among the political leaders that have spoken out against the continued use of “Redskins.” Reid has repeatedly called on the NFL to change the name; Cantwell, as the former chair of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, has co-authored a letter to the league calling for a change and met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to push for a new name; Grosso led an effort to pass a council resolution condemning the name and has said that he would never vote to fund a new D.C. stadium for the team until it changed its name.
The Proud To Be campaign is a spin-off of a video advertisement by the same name that NCAI released before this year’s Super Bowl…
Inserted from <Think Progress>
Here is that video.
Imagine, if you will, moving the team to the Big Apple and calling it the New York [N Word]. The only difference is the size of the minority group the team is treating with total disrespect.
11 Responses to “Proud To Be”
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GMTA, Cat Man….I was thinking the same thing…it is the equivelent of the N word to me, always has been. But then, I am part Sioux. That word and 'Squaw Baby' has always made me flinch inwardly and outwardly, just like all racially charged dog whistle words.
There is no reason they can legitimately give to keep this name for their team or any other NFL team that has these kinds of names. They need to change them, yesterday!
TY TC
Alternatively, they could move the franchise to Alabama and call it the Birmingham n-word – or to New York and call it the New York Jews, using a k-word or h-word. How disgusting do counter examples have to get before we can get through to the NFL? Here's a thought – call it the Washington Dollars. That would at least reflect the real team values.
Or mover it to Israel: The Samaria Schmucks.
If it was a baseball team, it could be called the Baggers.
Every time I think of the Washington football team, I think of Iron Eyes Cody in the 1971 ad for Keep America Beautiful where he has a tear in his eye. Strange as it is, Cody was of Italian ancestry with not a drop of Native American blood but had a connection to the Native American community through his two adopted sons who are Native American. The football team has no connection to the Native American community. Its only connection is to the almighty dollar. It is sad that the team owners continue to use the name "Washington Redskins" when it shows so little respect for Native Americans.
Terrie, I agree with you. The name is akin to the "n" word and I cannot tolerate that word. My mother's father used the "n" word frequently and I hated him for it right until he died when I was about 12 years old.
Maybe they could change their name to the Washington Senators. It appears to be available. From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Senators
Baseball
Washington Senators (1891–99), played in the American Association and the National League
Washington Senators (1912), played in the short-lived United States Baseball League
Washington Senators (1901–60), now the Minnesota Twins
Washington Senators (1960–1971), now the Texas Rangers
American football
Washington Senators (NFL), an American football team that played from 1921–1922
Washington Republicans: May they lose every game.
I agree that the name should be changed because it offfends a proud Nation of People. But Ray Halbritter, the outspoken leader of the Oneida Nation (a wonderful group of native Americans) has taken more advantage of his tribesmen than anyone. He walks around with his diamond rings and fancy suits and haircuts while his fellows live in poverty. He is in bed with some very unsavory characters and is only fighting this for the publicity.
This good cause ought not be sidelignede because of a Republican Supply-side pseudi-Oneida.
Our native Americans are due respect, and are last on the list to receive it. The name of the team needs to be changed. My grandmother was one quarter Cherokee and her skin was olive, not red. Still, she was called a redskin while a child. Sad for all of us that we are still in that place.
Congrats, Edie! 🙂
I am part American Indian and don't care about NFL for profit games… 🙄