WASHINGTON (AP) — Several Native American leaders and organizations have sent a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell calling for the league to force Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder to change the team name immediately.
The letter obtained by The Associated Press expresses concern that the organization's process to review the name doesn't involve consultation with those Native American leaders.
The letter says the groups “expect the NFL to engage in a robust, meaningful reconciliation process with Native American movement leaders, tribes, and organizations to repair the decades of emotional violence and other serious harms this racist team name has caused to Native Peoples.”
The team launched a “thorough review” of the name last week, while several prominent sponsors said it's time to change it.
— Washington Redskins (@Redskins) July 3, 2020
President Donald Trump on Monday criticized the Redskins and baseball's Cleveland Indians for reviewing their team names.
“They name teams out of STRENGTH, not weakness, but now the Washington Redskins & Cleveland Indians, two fabled sports franchises, look like they are going to be changing their names in order to be politically correct,” Trump said on Twitter.
