Rename the Washington Redskins, Cleveland Indians, and Chicago Blackhawks
Rename the Washington Redskins, Cleveland Indians, and Chicago Blackhawks
The Issue
Hi! My name is Zoe, and I've been a sports fan for as long as I can remember. Inspired by recent protests around racial injustice in the United States, I decided I wanted to do something beyond just performative activism on social media. As a sports fan, I've grown disgusted with the use of pejoratives, specifically towards the Native American community, as team names and mascots for professional sports teams in the NFL, NHL, and MLB. The Native American community has historically been discriminated against by the government, which in turn has lead to the racial bias that has allowed organizations like the NFL, NHL, and MLB to get away with blatant racism.
The name "Washington Redskins"- perhaps the most egregiously racist of the three teams- contains a blatant racial slur, and to make matters worse, the NFL team's logo depicts offensive imagery. In the cases of the NHL and MLB, the teams in question are the Chicago Blackhawks and the Cleveland Indians. While the terms "Blackhawk" and "Indian" are not technically slurs, they are still highly offensive to the Native American community. The two terms, used in the NLH and MLB respectively, contribute to the acceptance of casual racism, and should not be allowed to be used by organizations with large platforms and high influence.
All these team names additionally dehumanize Native Americans, painting them as just a mascot when they are in fact an incredibly diverse group of people with a rich history. In order to begin to repair the injustices done to the Native American community, we need to take action against these public, racist displays in our sports communities. Native Americans are a small community, and in order to make true change, we need to come together to help them. Please help me hold the owners of these professional teams accountable to set a better example and a higher standard for all Americans! Thank you!
For more information about why the names of these teams are offensive, here are some resources: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/columnist/bell/2020/06/19/washington-redskins-change-team-name-racist/3225232001/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Redskins_name_controversy
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The Issue
Hi! My name is Zoe, and I've been a sports fan for as long as I can remember. Inspired by recent protests around racial injustice in the United States, I decided I wanted to do something beyond just performative activism on social media. As a sports fan, I've grown disgusted with the use of pejoratives, specifically towards the Native American community, as team names and mascots for professional sports teams in the NFL, NHL, and MLB. The Native American community has historically been discriminated against by the government, which in turn has lead to the racial bias that has allowed organizations like the NFL, NHL, and MLB to get away with blatant racism.
The name "Washington Redskins"- perhaps the most egregiously racist of the three teams- contains a blatant racial slur, and to make matters worse, the NFL team's logo depicts offensive imagery. In the cases of the NHL and MLB, the teams in question are the Chicago Blackhawks and the Cleveland Indians. While the terms "Blackhawk" and "Indian" are not technically slurs, they are still highly offensive to the Native American community. The two terms, used in the NLH and MLB respectively, contribute to the acceptance of casual racism, and should not be allowed to be used by organizations with large platforms and high influence.
All these team names additionally dehumanize Native Americans, painting them as just a mascot when they are in fact an incredibly diverse group of people with a rich history. In order to begin to repair the injustices done to the Native American community, we need to take action against these public, racist displays in our sports communities. Native Americans are a small community, and in order to make true change, we need to come together to help them. Please help me hold the owners of these professional teams accountable to set a better example and a higher standard for all Americans! Thank you!
For more information about why the names of these teams are offensive, here are some resources: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/columnist/bell/2020/06/19/washington-redskins-change-team-name-racist/3225232001/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Redskins_name_controversy
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Petition created on June 22, 2020