Native American Groups Renew Push To Change Redskins Name
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- There's a renewed push to change the name of the Washington Redskins by Maryland's Native American communities. A resolution in Annapolis brought arguments for and against changing the Redskins' name.
Christie Ileto reports tribe leaders in Charles County are fighting for the change.
There's more pressure to change the name of the Washington Redskins. Tuesday, the heat came from Maryland Delegate C.T. Wilson and the Native Americans in his district.
"That is not an honorific title. It comes from the scalps that were required to have red skin on them in order for Europeans to collect the bounty for dead Indians," Wilson said.
A resolution is gaining steam in Annapolis. For Natalie Standing On The Rock Proctor, the time to change what she calls the 82-year-old franchise's racist team name is "long overdue."
"It really shouldn't matter if they are offended by this or not, but it is offensive to us as indigenous people and that's what counts," she said.
The Redskins play in Prince George's County and the team's owner has long defended and stood by the name, vowing never to change it.
"Does he want to go down in history as the one who kept that name?" said Maurice Proctor.
Dan Snyder has expressed his strong opposition to changing the name. Sports columnists, members of Congress and even President Barack Obama have weighed in on the controversy, encouraging Snyder to think about changing it.
While a resolution can't legally force the franchise to change their name, advocates of a name change say keeping the name lands those on the wrong side of history.
The fight to change the name has been going on for more than four decades.
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