Change That Name

It surprises me that it has taken 80 years for people to take seriously the offensive Washington Redskins name. The Redskins have been called the Redskins since 1933. Long time. People have been questioning the naming of so many sports teams after Native Americans for decades. I've always found the use of Indians, Braves, Seminoles, Utes, Sioux, etc, as actually complimentary. We pick people and animals that are strong to be the symbol of our teams but I'm not standing in their shoes. Even as a wee tyke, I couldn't see Redskins as anything but offensive. I thought that it was a ridiculous name. As I learned more about football history and became aware of longtime Boston and Washington Redskins owner George Preston Marshall, I understood better the source of the name. It was clear that Marshall had some racist views. President John F. Kennedy had to strongly suggest that he finally integrate his team in the early '60s. Marshall may not have seen the name of his team as offensive because it didn't offend him. As college mascots have been changed over the past few decades simply because of the possibility that some Native Americans might find the names offensive, Redskins, the most offensive name of all, has always seemed to be untouchable. I never understood this.

Now, President Barrack Obama has spoken about the need to change the Washington Redskins name. Current Redskins owner Daniel Snyder seems as firm about the name as his predecessor, George Preston Marshall. There seems to more movement now than ever to pressure Snyder to make a change. On Monday, representatives of the Oneida Indian Nation conducted a symposium in Washington, D.C. regarding the name of the local NFL team. The date and time was aimed at coinciding with the league's quarterly meetings to be held in Washington. NFL representatives were unable to attend the even, due to those quarterly meetings. But the NFL will be meeting with representatives of the Oneida Nation next month. The league has stressed a willingness to engage in a constructive and meaningful dialogue regarding the issue of the Redskins name. It doesn't seem that little Danny Snyder has the same willingness. He's stressed on many occasions that he has no interest in changing the name of his team.

I found it interesting that the Oneida Nation is stepping forward. The Oneida Football Club, of Boston, was the first to establish organized rules for the new game in 1862. The first football team gravitated toward the Native Americans to name their team. It just seems fitting that those same people are trying to straighten out the team that went too far.