September 8 – It’s opening weekend for the Washington Commanders – many of us remember when they were called the Redskins and some of us miss that name.
The name was changed in 2020 after the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), an organization funded by a George Soros foundation, suggested the name was offensive to Native Americans.
The Commanders are currently owned by a 21-member group of various business leaders.
Interestingly, the Native Americans Guardian Association gathered a petition with at least 97,000 signatures to return the name to the Redskins.
Attorney Clint Barkdoll said, “They want the Redskins name restored. This weekend at FedEx Field, it is a sellout crowd in DC. It’s the first time in years they’ve sold out that stadium. The fans are responding to the new ownership group. What’s interesting about this story is and I don’t know if Soros might make a statement on it today, but this new ownership group, they have signaled that they may be open to changing the name of the team again. Who knows where this goes? They’re going to come out on the field Sunday as the Commanders, but that’s very much a fluid situation going forward.”
Michele Jansen of NewsTalk 103.7FM said, “Well, maybe indigenous people, and particularly Native Americans here, they’re starting to realize, hey, we’re being used for activists and certain ideological positions that really don’t reflect how we actually feel as the bigger, more silent majority of us. That we knew that this was actually an honor that they were named the Redskins. It’s ridiculous that they played upon people’s fears and just were loud voices of a minority. Remember, this is a white aged billionaire who seems to know what Native Americans want. Really?”
Barkdoll said, “The old owner Dan Snyder, remember this name change all happened when the country was caught up in the aftermath of the George Floyd case. That’s when this happened. Dan Snyder had said for years he would never change the name of the Redskins and suddenly came out and said it. Remember they went for a year or so as the Washington Football Team, and then came out finally, as the Commanders and fans generally have not liked this name.”
