Native American group calls on Commanders to rename team Redskins: 'Cannot erase history'
Fans support changing Commanders name back to 'Redskins'
It’s no secret, a lot of Washington Commanders fans aren’t exactly in love with the new team name. There's a new Change.org petition that has garnered over 69,000 signatures calling on the Commanders to reclaim their old name. FOX 5's Josh Rosenthal has the story.
WASHINGTON - A Native American group has put the rush on against the Washington Commanders and demanded the organization revert back to the Redskins – the nickname they had when they were in Boston in 1933.
The Native American Guardian Association (NAGA) has encouraged fans to sign their petition, which is "designed to promote our history, put an end to cancel culture, and #ReclaimTheName ‘Redskins.’"
The group said more than 80,000 people have signed the petition.
"We invite all Americans to stand up for the dignity of EVERY AMERICAN under assault in today’s increasingly nonsensical culture wars" the petition says. "This ‘LINE IN THE SAND’ moment reinforces undeniable history of the NATIVE AMERICAN assisting the FOUNDING OF AMERICA, with NATIVE AMERICAN principles used by the FOUNDING FATHERS in the US Constitution -- and, EVERY AMERICAN's right to the 1st and 14th Amendment and not to be targets of cancel culture or ESG. This is not a simple left or right issue for Americans; it reaches across the political spectrum dating back to our Founding Fathers.
"The Native American Guardian Association (NAGA) stands up for and is not only fighting back to preserve key elements of American History and the 1st and 14th Amendment, NAGA is fighting for the civil liberties of EVERY AMERICAN. Americans see they are losing their rights because of a vicious cancel culture that shows little care for their concerns or civil liberties; It is time to support leaders, brands and organizations who will stand with EVERY AMERICAN, rather than fighting against them. Join our fight and show your support by pledging your donation today!"
Last week, the group sent a letter to Commanders leadership – including new team owner Josh Harris, team president Jason Wright and head coach Ron Rivera – "formally requesting the team revitalize its relationship with the American Indian community and rightfully change their name back to ‘the Redskins.'"
"You simply cannot erase history and target the Native American community by eradicating the name ‘Redskins’ while being an organization that fosters other Constitutional rights, including players who don’t honor the American flag and kneel during our National Anthem," the letter read in part.
The Commanders didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Former team owner Daniel Snyder changed the team’s name from the Redskins to the Washington Football Team and later the Commanders amid a summer of racial unrest in the U.S. in 2020.
Snyder said the name had "increasingly become a distraction from our primary focus of football" and made the change "in the spirit of inclusivity."
The Commanders team name debuted in 2022. Harris told ESPN the name change wasn’t an immediate thing on the to-do list.
According to ESPN, a team has to wait five years before it can be rebranded. The only exception is if a new owner comes along. Harris took control of the team last month.