Change the Mascot

NEW:  (7/15/16) Change the Mascot Praises Washington Arena Football Team and Owner Ted Leonsis for Selecting Unifying Team Name – read more here

Change the Mascot is a national campaign to end the use of the racial slur “r*dskins” as the mascot and name of the NFL team in Washington, D.C. Launched by the Oneida Indian Nation, the campaign calls upon the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell to do the right thing and bring an end the use of the racial epithet. View Our Fact Sheet.

LATEST NEWS

Read: Native American leaders say fight to change Washington R*dskins mascot continues
By Payne Horning, WRVO, May 31, 2016

Watch: The Daily Show’s recent interview with Native American author Sherman Alexie. The segment extensively discusses the Washington NFL team’s use of the  R-word slur, and how Native Americans are often left out of discussions about the name and its offensive nature.

“I know that R*dskins is a racial slur because it’s never been said in a positive way to me,” Alexie said in the interview. “For all of these fans of the R*dskins and the sports teams, I would challenge them to go into a tribal setting, you know, go to a tribal council meeting, and walk in and yell out to the assembled Natives ‘Hello R*dskins’ and see how that goes.'”

  • The segment can be seen here.

Read: British Members of Parliament urge NFL to change Washington name or send different team to U.K.

Read: We must stop the NFL from exporting racism
By Rep. Betty McCollum and Michael Dugher, MP, Feb. 29, 2016

See also: Leading national British newspaper The Independent recently published a column centered around the Washington NFL team’s trip to London scheduled for next season. The piece urges Wembley Stadium, which will host the team in October, to be consistent in its strong anti-racism stands when the D.C. franchise visits with a mascot the paper describes as “racist and derogatory.” The article also calls upon the BBC, which will broadcast the game, to honor its responsibilities by standing against the offensive name. – read the article here

Dolphins owner’s anti-racism group should address team name
By Ray Halbritter and Jacqueline Pata, Dec. 25, 2015
sun-sentinel.com

Change the Mascot Praises Adidas for Momentous Offer to Help End Offensive Native American Mascots – read more

VIDEO – California Senate Education Committee Hearing on AB30 “California Racial Mascots Act” Press Conference.

Watch an episode of ‘Native Report’ featuring coverage of the Change the Mascot Campaign rally that took place in Minneapolis, Minnesota during the NFL season. Watch it here.

Citing Civil Rights History, Groups Ask NFL Players to Oppose Washington NFL Team Name and Join the Change the Mascot Campaign – read more here

  • Read the letter to NFL players here
  • Current and former NFL player, coaches and executives in support of change

Oneida Indian Nation and the National Congress of American Indians Praise 50 U.S. Senators for Letter to NFL Urging Change for the D.C. Team’s Mascot – read more here

  • 50 Senators to NFL: Follow NBA’s Lead and Change Washington Team Name – read letter here
  • Oneida Nation Representative Ray Halbritter appeared on MSNBCs “Jansing & Co.” to discuss the latest developments  – watch here

Oneida Indian Nation Praises New York Lawmakers for Resolution Calling on Pro Sports Leagues to Stop Using Racial Slurs – read more here

VIDEO: Remarks by Oneida Nation Representative Ray Halbritter

VIDEO: Remarks by members of the New York State Assembly and Senate supporting the Resolution

MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
Ray Halbritter appears on ESPN’s Outside the Lines
Oneida Nation Representative Ray Halbritter appeared live on ESPN’s Outside the Lines Thursday April 25, reacting to the latest comments by Washington NFL team owner Dan Snyder.

Below are the video clips of Ray Halbritter’s comments on the ESPN program:

Ray Halbritter – ESPN clip #1
Ray Halbritter – ESPN clip #2
Ray Halbritter – ESPN clip #3

OTHER NEWS

Oneida Indian Nation Praises U.S. Patent & Trademark Office’s Rejection of Washington Redskins Product Due to the Derogatory Nature of the R-Word – Click here to read release

Oneida Nation Issues Statement Regarding a Bipartisan Congressional Letter to the NFL Calling for the League to Support Changing the Name of Washington’s Team – Click here to read release

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Inc. – a coaltion of the nation’s leading civil rights organizations – passed a Resolution Dec. 12 calling on the NFL’s Washington team to change its name – click here to read

Oneida Indian Nation Releases Poll Data Showing That a Name Change by Washington’s NFL Team Would Lead to Continued or Strengthened Support for the Team – click here to read

Read a report by noted psychologist Dr. Michael Friedman on the harmful effects of the use of a racial slur – click here

Read: The Fascination and Frustration with Native American Mascots by Jennifer Guiliano, assistant director of the Maryland Institute for Technology in the Humanities.

Oneida Indian Nation Responds to President Obama’s Historic Comments About Washington’s NFL Team Name The President’s comments come just two days before the Indian Nation’s “Change the Mascot” symposium at the NFL Fall Meeting    Read the Press Release – click here

  • Watch a short video with highlights from the Symposium – click here
  • Watch the Symposium remarks by The Hon. Eleanor Holmes Norton – click here
  • Watch the Symposium remarks by The Hon. Betty McCollum – click here
  • Watch the Symposium remarks by Dr. Michael Friedman, Psychologist – click here
  • Watch the Symposium remarks by Kevin Gover, Director of the National Museum of the American Indian – click here
  • Watch the Symposium remarks by Cooperstown (NY) School Board President Dr. David Borgstrom and High School Students Emily Greenberg and Catherine Borgstrom – click here
  • Watch the interview with the President on NBC click here