In addition to the debate surrounding the debt ceiling, government shutdown and continuing resolution to fund the government, President Barack Obama waded into yet another divisive debate Friday, saying the Washington Redskins should consider changing its name.
President Obama spoke with The Associated Press discussing a wide range of issues from Iran and Obamacare to the Washington Redskins. The Redskins have been at the center of an intense debate for years, but in May, 10 members of Congress sent a letter to team owner Dan Snyder and National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell requesting the name be changed because it is offensive to Native Americans. And President Obama agrees.
“I don’t know whether our attachment to a particular name should override the real legitimate concerns that people have about these things,” the President told The AP.
He continued, saying he would “think about changing” the team name because it offends a “sizable group of people.”
The President has long praised himself as an avid sports fan, welcoming championship-winning teams into the White House and broadcasting his penchant for basketball often, especially during March Madness.
Obama did cut Redskins’ fans some slack, though, saying he didn’t think they were purposely trying to offend Native Americans.
“I don’t want to detract from the wonderful Redskins fans that are here,” he said. “They love their team and rightfully so.”
But, he did note that Native Americans “feel pretty strongly” about both mascots and team names.
In addition to Congress attempting to sway Snyder and Goodell to change the Redskins’ name, several members of the media have protested it, saying they will no longer use the term “Redskins” in stories about the Washington, D.C.,-based team.
Snyder, though, said he would never abandon the name. However, Goodell did say the league should pay more attention to those offended.
According to NBC, Lanny Davis, an attorney and spokesman for the Redskins responded to the President’s suggestion.
“As a supporter of President Obama I am sure that [Goodell] is not aware that in the highly respected Annenberg Institute poll (2004) with a national sample of Native Americans, 9 out of 10 Native Americans said they were not offended by the name the ‘Washington Redskins,'” Davis told NBC.
“We at the Redskins respect the feelings of Native Americans and others who might be offended. But like devoted fans of the Atlanta Braves, the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago Blackhawks (from President Obama’s hometown), we love our team and like those fans do not intend to disparage or disrespect a racial or ethnic group. It’s an 81 year history and tradition and we sing ‘hail to the Redskins’ every Sunday as a word of honor not disparagement.”
But the Redskins aren’t the only professional sports team with references to Native Americans, including the Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Indians. President Obama did not comment on any of these names, and failed to propose a potential name change for his hometown hockey team, the Chicago Blackhawks, as well, though little controversy surrounds it.
This piece has been updated to include new information.
