Native American Football Controversy

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Controversy over the NFL football team name “Washington Redskins,” has been going on for years, dating back to at least 1972 (Steinberg). It has been back in the spotlight more over the past couple of years, after a group of Native Americans began requesting once again that the name be changed, as the term “redskin” is an offensive and derogatory word that offends the Native American Indians. Although it was considered benign, used to distinguish the Native American race from others in the early 1800’s, the term itself, in the offensive manner dates back to the 1890’s (Sanders). It’s at this time that it started to be applied in a derogatory portrayal of Native Americans, in literature, movies and newspapers, and in the 19th century issues …show more content…
Allen was honored by this same organization some years later (Snyder). One could be led to believe that the Red Cloud Athletic Fund is in support of the name, however that is not a fact. An article written by Justin Tasch, provides a statement from the organization's president and vice president, stating that the Red Cloud Indian School has never- and will- never- endorse the utilization of the name. The officials of the Red Cloud Indian School in South Dakota – the primary beneficiary of the athletic fund says that Allen started the fund to raise money for athletic equipment and facilities for Red Cloud students. The plaque that Snyder mentions was given to Allen as a sign of “appreciation for his kind and generous help given to Sioux Indian children of the Red Cloud Indian School” (Shin). It is further noted by the school officials that “the Red Cloud Indian School was not involved in conversations around an emblem for the Washington Redskins football team” (Shin).
Snyder asks that the following facts be considered concerning the “Washington Redskins” …show more content…
were polled, yet a press release from the National Annenberg Election Survey states that “because they make up a very small proportion of the total population, the responses of 768 people who said they were Indians or Native Americans were collected over a long period of time, from October7, 2003 through September 20, 2004” (Annenberg). There were 768, not 1,000 self-proclaimed Native Americans polled over the course of one year, over 10 years ago, with 90% finding the name to be as not offensive. This figure is just a minute fraction of the total number of Native Americans in the continental United States. In a 2010 census, for the American Indian and Alaska Native population, it was reported that there were 5.2 million people in the United States identified as American Indian and Alaska Native, alone, or in combination with another race. From this sum, it can be split down further to show that 2.9 million people identified as American Indian or Alaska Native being their only race (alone), not combined with any other (Norris). Thus, if there are 5.2 million Native Americans within the United States, for one to show a poll in less than 1,000 and think it would be a full representation of support for their side, one could find this to be
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