The Washington Redskins are the poster child for Washington, D.C. athletics. Accordng to Forbes, the franchise’s 1.56 billion dollar net worth makes it one of North America’s most marketable sports teams.
As recognizable as the Redskin logo is, there are bigger issues the Redskins have been facing for the past 30-40 years.
The lingering issue has and will continue to be whether or not the Washington Redskins will change their name because of how offensive it may be toward Native Americans.
In order to understand the present issues of the term “redskins,” one must understand the history of the word. Washington Post did a story on this in 2005. According to the Smithsonian Institution’s senior linguist Ives Goddard, the original term meant “it came in the most respectful context and at the highest level.”
The term Redskins was first used in print in 1815, but it was not until 1870 when the term was used in a racist way.
When the original owner of the franchise, George Preston Marshall, changed the team name from the Boston Braves to the Washington Redskins, there was no outcry of any racist remarks.
Ironically enough, it was not until the organization started winning Super Bowls that lawsuits began to take shape. Sports personalities Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith have discussed their opinion regarding a potential name change on ESPN First Take.
Bayless is on record saying, “It’s the most shocking ongoing issue in all of sports, that a professional team gets to use their racist name.” Stephen A. Smith, on the other hand, has gone on to say, “If it is deemed offensive, the name should be changed.”
Former Redskins great Charles Mann has even offered his opinion on the issue. “It doesn’t matter how we feel about, it’s how they feel about it,” Mann stated.
Jeff Bostic, another Redskin great was quoted on the Washington Post saying, “It’s a team. It’s a game. They’re nothing more than mascots. That’s all we’re trying to represent.” Current owner Daniel Synder told USA Today that he would never change the team’s name.
I am a proud Redskins fan and I would be devastated by the name change. The term Redskin may not be the best. Although, if the name has been upheld for 76 years, why stop now? The name, the team and logo are not just a franchise but also a symbol of unity in the D.C. Metropolitan area.
With the constant rift in congress as well as speculations over what moves the president may make, the Skins are one of the few things that give us hope.
I honestly do not see the name being changed due to Commissioner Goodell’s support, our fan base and too many legal procedures. However, if the name change occurs, not only will this crush Redskins Nation, but Skins fans will have similar reactions to when the Browns moved to Baltimore and became the Ravens.
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- Jerrell Leeper, Contributor