By Ken Reed
So, the owner of the NFL’s Washington football club, Dan Snyder, says he’ll never change the nickname of his team. He’s made his stand. Never, of course, is a long time. Or not.
Remember, there never was going to be an African-American ballplayer in Major League Baseball as long as Kenesaw Mountain Landis was commissioner of the big leagues. Well, as we know, Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson (with the help of unsung others) integrated baseball a short time later.
As a country, we have a long history of people saying “Never!” when it comes to forward-thinking progressive initiatives for our country. But right-thinking people, driven by their souls and a strong sense of social justice, eventually prevail. And they’ll prevail in this case, too. Dan Snyder’s team won’t be called the “Redskins” for much longer. It’s wrong and good people are rising up to right this wrong. They’re fighting the good fight.
It’s craziness that in 2013 we still have people like Snyder and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell defending the use of a term that Native Americans feel is as disrespectful to them as the “N-Word” is to African Americans.
But the nickname “Redskins” is doomed. Dave Zirin has written a spot-on piece of commentary over at Grantland on this topic. I strongly encourage each of you to check it out.
And then rise up and join the good fight against Neanderthals like Snyder and Goodell.
The Redskins nickname is going down.
— Ken Reed Sports Policy Director, League of Fans
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