The Washington (Insert Racist Nickname) Must Change Their Name

Twenty-five years from now, Washington’s football team will not be named the Redskins. So why wait to change the name?

Like all major social issues in America, people who argue against change tend to look foolish. Remember… the civil rights and women’s movements had resistance because conservative-minded people did not want to change.

It’s time for Redskins owner Dan Snyder to throw in the towel and forfeit a battle that he cannot win. The more he argues that the name “Redskin” is a term of endearment, the more he looks like a pulseless robot who has no conscious.

Would you walk up to a person of Native American descent and call them a “redskin” to their face? Of course not!

So why would anyone think it’s alright to call a professional sports franchise after a racial slur?

Obviously the NFL doesn’t deem it offensive enough to take the initiative and force Snyder to make a name change.

Heck, the league didn’t even react after one of its top referees requested to no longer officiate Washington’s games.

Mike Carey, a 19-year veteran referee, told the NFL in 2006 after officiating Washington’s playoff game that he was no longer comfortable being associated with the team because of the racist name.

Carey states, “I was never comfortable with the name. I’ve never said (the team’s name) in my games. But then I realized it wasn’t an option to be part of them anymore. For me, I just knew. I knew that everybody – everybody – deserves a level of respect.”

It’s sad that the NFL’s employees have to stand alone in their stance on equality.

So not only is the NFL directly offending Native Americans and many of its fans, but it is lessening the quality of its product by keeping the name.

At the end of the day, I don’t feel bad or have any real sympathy for the NFL or Snyder because when the name is eventually changed it just means new logos and merchandise which makes both the owner and league richer.

With the Ray Rice domestic assault case leaving a large stain on the “shield” of the NFL, I would hope that the NFL would do the right thing and give Snyder an ultimatum to change the name to something less offensive.

If the NFL was smart, they would realize that being conservative on social issues is bad for business. And isn’t that what the NFL is all about, money?  

I already got a suggestion for the new name change, how about the Washington Warriors?