WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th July, 2020) The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) in a statement on Monday said it commends the Washington Redskins professional gridiron football team for retiring its disrespectful brand name.
"Today is a day for all Native people to celebrate. We thank the generations of tribal nations, leaders, and activists who worked for decades to make this day possible," the statement said. "We commend the Washington NFL team for eliminating a brand that disrespected, demeaned, and stereotyped all Native people, and we call on all other sports teams and corporate brands to retire all caricatures of Native people that they use as their mascots."
In a statement earlier in the day, the US National Football League (NFL) team announced it will retire the name "Redskins" after a number of anti-racism protests across the country.
"We are not mascots - we are Native people, citizens of more than 500 tribal nations who have stood strong for millennia and overcome countless challenges to reach this pivotal moment in time when we can help transform America into the just, equitable, and compassionate country our children deserve," the NCAI stated.
The team's owner Dan Snyder and coach Ron Rivera are working closely to develop a new name and design, the team's statement added on Monday.
The Redskins name and logo have long been a source of controversy, as both are regarded as derogatory or insulting toward Native Americans. The team began to play in Boston in 1932 as the Braves, and changed the name to Redskins a year later. The team played its home games in the US capital for decades before moving to Landover, Maryland, a Washington suburb.
The death of African American man George Floyd in police custody on May 25 has sparked ongoing protests against police brutality throughout the United States. Some protests have turned into riots complete with violence against police and civilians, as well as acts of vandalism, arson and looting.
In the wake of the Floyd killing, the team's major sponsors have expressed a willingness to heed calls for a change of name.
Established in 1944, the NCAI is the oldest and largest non-profit organization representing US native tribes and the interests of tribal governments and communities.
