“This is SportCenter.”
Da-na-na—Da-na-na.
“The New Orleans Negroes toppled the Florida Jews today in a blowout victory. The win is surprising since the Negroes lost their starting quarterback to an ankle injury in their game against the Los Angeles Beaners just last week. How this loss will affect their season is yet to be seen, but analysts say the Negroes will have a difficult run for the division title, especially if the New Jersey Japs continue their recent winning streak. The Negroes play the South Carolina Crackers next Sunday. Kickoff at 1:05 p.m.”
America would be an uglier nation if such racist team names cluttered ESPN broadcasts. Such obvious prejudice would elicit outrage, but one team has flown under the country’s radar: The Washington Redskins. They appeared on national news recently when Virginia gubernatorial candidates weighed in on the name at a debate. Then, President Barack Obama said he would “think about changing” the team’s name in an Associated Press interview.
Daniel Snyder, the owner of the team, should change the team’s name because it is laced with racism against a people that America systematically abused for much of its history.
While not all Native Americans consider the name reprehensible, many do. The National Congress of American Indians opposes Native American team names, mascots, and logos. According to Capital News Service, 28 high schools in 18 states have dropped such mascots over the last 25 years. Any African-American references would have been abolished long ago. But when you make up less than 2 percent of the nation’s population, you have to wait a little longer to get the attention and respect of your fellow citizens.
Rebranding is difficult, but teams do it all the time. The Houston Texans started an entirely new franchise in 2002, inarguably a risky and difficult enterprise with the legendary Dallas Cowboys only a few hours away. The team started out valued at $700 million. Now it’s worth twice as much at $1.4 billion.
Detractors worry that it sets a dangerous precedent and say things like, “What about little Billy’s flag football team? You gonna shut them down or something?”
No. This isn’t a call for government intervention into a private league or a dictatorial football establishment. Snyder should change the name of the team of his own free will. It’s inconvenient, but it’s the right thing to do. Plain and simple.
Snyder should change the name because owning a NFL team comes with special responsibility. The Redskins influence culture. The NFL has millions of viewers, and this move could lead to teams around the nation being more conscientious about their naming. No government intervention. No national policing. Just a leader in the football world showing that the tough game has a good heart.
Redskins supporters couldn’t protest if teams like the New Orleans Negroes or the Florida Jews emerged. Team names should not be racist, even if that race is a small minority. Ultimately, Snyder should correct a mistake that directly labels an entire people by the color of their skin, something that many hoped was finally behind us.
