Redskins Controversy

The Redskins, an American Football Team, needs to change their name. For years, many Native Americans have complained of the Redskins’ name being racist towards them. They say it does not hold honor to them, it instead reduces them to their skin color and how the pilgrims saw them as. The oppression that this nation has put their culture and people through must be addressed. In 1858, the government had directly taken the reserves given to the Native Americans for resources the nation had wanted. The absolute least we as a nation and sports league can do is take away a name that the Native Americans find offense to their culture. We have not given them a voice until recently, although it is still flawed in how we value their opinion. Cynthia Connolly, one of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, says mascots representing them most often reflect who they were in the 1800s, as warriors.

They do not view this as honorable, it is seen as their name being worn as a costume. The cultural appropriation that comes along with these mascots lead to the stereotypes being seen as a reality. So many Native Americans are now fighting for this, they have created a twitter campaign to spread awareness to this. The term “redskins” comes off as racist; it is basing them off of their skin tone and color. Many people who argue that the team name should remain are the same ones who say they do not see your “color of skin”. They then turn around and say that the Natives should not be offended, it is a fact that their skin tone is that