UN Indigenous Rights Expert Says ‘Redskins’ Name A “Hurtful Reminder” Of Past Mistreatment

James Anaya, United Nations special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, today called on the owners of the Washington Redskins Football team to recognise that the name ‘Redskins’ constitutes a “hurtful reminder” of the “long history of mistreatment of Native American people in the United States.”

Though he stopped short of explicitly calling for a name change, Anaya argued that “the term ‘redskin’ for many is inextricably linked to a history of suffering and dispossession, and… is understood to be a pejorative and disparaging term that fails to respect and honour the historical and cultural legacy of the Native Americans in the US.”

Anaya has previously touched upon this controversy. In a 2012 report on the situation of indigenous peoples in the US, he argued that “the use of stereotypes obscures understanding of the reality of Native Americans today and instead helps to keep alive racially discriminatory attitudes.”

In that report he also noted that within the US many stereotypes still portray Native Americans as relics of the past, perpetuated by the use of Indian names by professional and other high-profile sports teams, caricatures in the popular media and even mainstream education on history and social studies.

There has been increasingly vocal opposition to the name Redskins in recent years. Some Native American tribes have denounced it as offensive, and the Navajo Nation Council today formally opposed its use. A number of news outlets have said they will not use the name, and refer to it instead as Washington’s professional football team or just “Washington.” In 2013, President Barack Obama said that if he were the team owner he would “think about” changing the name.

Team owner Dan Snyder has repeatedly said the name will not be changed, and that it honours Native Americans. Instead, he has established a foundation intended to benefit Native American tribes. In March, Snyder announced the creation of the “Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation” which aims to “provide meaningful and measurable resources that provide genuine opportunities for Tribal communities.”

According to an article, in 2013 Forbes valued the franchise at $1.7 billion, of which $145 million is from the brand (though not specific to the name).