Despite the lack of success that the Washington Redskins have had in recent memory, they are a team that always seems to make the news around this time of the year.
The Redskins hosted the Dallas Cowboys this past Sunday and much was said about the name of the team, which just so happens to reside in our nation’s capital.
Last week, the Daily 49er’s Shane Newell wrote an op-ed that said, “at the end of the day, the Redskins name is just a name.”
While at one point I shared that same sentiment, I don’t believe a group of individuals should be cast in such a horrible light given the derogatory remark. The history between the United States and Native Americans is dark and bloody, and despite the ever-growing movement about changing the name, Redskins owner Dan Snyder is the only person with the power to put it into action.
Oftentimes the argument is made that if the Redskins changed their name, other professional teams like the Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves and Chicago Blackhawks would need to do the same. However, those names don’t carry the same derogatory context that the Redskins does.
Newell’s column also brought up a 2004 poll in which 90 percent of Native Americans didn’t express frustration with the name. But the 10 percent of the population feeling frustrated is 10 percent more than there should be.
Unfortunately for that 10 percent, there is only one person who can make that change, and it’s Snyder. A name change would prompt an overhaul of merchandise, the facility and anything else that had a “Washington Redskins” stamp on it.
Snyder, who is one of the richest owners in the NFL, would rather overpay for pieces to his roster than right a wrong that he doesn’t deem necessary.
The Washington Redskins name should definitely be changed, but unfortunately for Native Americans, the NFL and anybody else affected by the name, the person in the driver’s seat is Snyder.