The Washington Redskins have had their name for 76 years. Recently, the controversy has arisen again that “Redskins” is considered derogatory towards Native Americans. Of students surveyed …

78% Say Keep It

Since 1937, when this professional football team was moved from Boston to Washington, they have been called the Redskins, and it should remain that way until they are either disbanded, or re-located. Yes, the word redskin once stood as a derogatory term referring to Native Americans. But times have changed, and in this day in modern society you will not see anyone refer to a Native American as a redskin. The term no longer has its original connotation.

Instead, the term has come to represent all the positive qualities of a winning football franchise: strength, sacrifice and courage. If the Redskins ever decided to change the name, it would destroy 76 years of football tradition, which includes three Super Bowl victories.

If this happens, when will the changes to teams’ names end? There are other professional sports teams including the Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Chiefs, all donning names that refer to Native Americans. There are also countless college and high school sports teams that use names like these, but with pride, not mockery, just as the Redskins do.

Besides the tradition, the pure amount of money it would cost to change the name of the Redskins would be incredible, including new colors, symbol and name. They would have to change all stadium signs, advertisements, programming and anything that reads the name Redskins inside FedEx Field. They would have to change all merchandise, including jerseys and helmets, which will cost the team millions. The timing just isn’t right. Last year, the league remade all uniforms after their contract with Reebok ran out and was moved to Nike. Fans would not enjoy  having to buy new merchandise for a second year in a row. Also, the Redskins are an extremely young team that is looking to turn around a franchise that has struggled through the past couple of years. Now that they have a new quarterback, the time has come and gone to change the face of the franchise.

Change can be good, but in this case it would be one of the worst moves to do to a team that has finally turned a corner. The Redskins embrace traditions of Native Americans. Fans don’t see the Redskins prancing some guy out around a teepee; they see a tribute to Native American people.

22% Say Change It

This offseason has been a noisy one for the Redskins. RG3 tore his ACL during the playoff game against Seattle and fans are hoping that the quarterback will be ready for the season opener in August. There’s also been controversy about the Redskins name, after a group of Native Americans filed a lawsuit. Redskins’ owner Dan Snyder has expressed desire to keep the name, even though the name is considered insulting to some Native Americans.

For those who don’t know, “Redskin” is racial slang for a Native American person. The name basically reduces Native American’s culture and history to the pigmentation of their skin. Many Native Americans consider the term as an insult towards their culture and heritage. The Redskins are the only team in professional sports with such a horribly racist name. If the Redskins had to change their name, other sports teams with Native American names would not have to do the same. The thing is, “Redskin” is a demeaning name. Chicago’s hockey team, “The Blackhawks” are named after a local Native American tribe. It’s not insulting Native Americans; they’re honoring Native American’s local impact on the Chicago region by naming their team after them.

If the Redskins change their name, it’s a win-win situation. First off, there would be an explosion of sales, as fans all over the nation would feel obligated to buy the new team merchandise. Secondly, the team wouldn’t be offending Native Americans anymore, a moral gain. There’s nothing special behind the name; it’s just a degrading racial term that gives the Redskin organization a bad reputation. Many sports organizations have changed names successfully. The Washington Bullets changed their name to the Washington Wizards in 1997 due to Washington’s high homicide rate. Teams have also changed names that were viewed as offensive to Native Americans in the past.  Syracuse University’s sports teams were called “The Orangemen,” a clear racial comment directed towards the skin color of Native Americans. After controversy, the university changed their name to “The Orange” with success.  Changing the Redskins name would bring nothing but positive developments for the organization and its fans.

Sherwood Students Gave their Take on Whether or Not the Redskins Should Change their Name

Being an Eagles fan, I put so much effort into hating the Redskins that it would be disrespectful to me if they changed it. – Danny Cutler ’13

While it may be tradition, it is extremely racist. – Jordan Newmark ’14

The Redskins are one of the oldest, most legendary franchises and changing its name would be changing history. – Trent Tirado ’13

The name has been changed from a derogatory term to one that most people now identify with football. – Dennis Muleri ’14