50 U.S Senators Want the Redskins to Change Their Name

50 U.S  Senators have signed a petition urging the NFL to force the Washington Redskins to change their name.  Coming off the heels of the Donald Sterling controversy, the Senators are worried that the Redskin nickname perpetuates racism.  Part of the letter states, “The NFL can no longer ignore this and perpetuate the use of this name as anything but what it is: a racial slur,” the letter reads. “We urge the NFL to formally support a name change for the Washington football team.”

One of the many Senators backing up this movement is Democratic Senator Harry Reid of Nevada who commented that his state is home to 22 tribal organizations and finds the Redskin name offensive. “They are not mascots.  They are human beings. And this term Redskin is offensive to them,” he stated,

In the defensive of the Redskin name both Redskin’s owner Dan Snyder and the NFL have defended the name and stated that the name is used in a positive light and is not an insult to the Native Americans.  The NFL has stated, “The intent of the team’s name has always been to present a strong, positive and respectful image. The name is not used by the team or the NFL in any other context, though we respect those that view it differently.”