Poll: 9 in 10 Native Americans do not oppose ‘Redskins’ name
Washington’s NFL team name has been the source of controversy for decades, a controversy that’s ramped up in recent years as groups on multiple fronts have protested the use of the name ‘Redskins.’ A new Washington Post poll has brought the question surging back to the fore with a definitive finding: 9 of 10 Native Americans do not have a problem with the name.
The poll, conducted by SSRS on behalf of the Washington Post, surveyed 504 Native Americans, a sampling that included respondents in every state and the District of Columbia, over a five-month period that ended in April, and included respondents from a wide range of demographic classes. The poll found that 7 of 10 Native Americans did not find the term “Redskin” disrespectful, and 8 of 10 said they would not be offended if called that name by a non-Native American. Nine out of 10 Native Americans said the name “does not bother” them.
These poll results are a sharp rebuke to advocates of the name change, and “nine out of 10 Native Americans” is going to become a rallying cry for both the team and its supporters. Team owner Daniel Snyder has vowed he will never change the name, and this survey, conducted by a news organization on the record as opposing the name, will only strengthen his resolve.
Opponents of the name include a range of political, religious, media, and activist organizations, including some associated with Native American causes. But this survey was the first conducted since a 2004 Annenberg Public Policy Center study that found remarkably similar results. In short, the increased attention to the name and its racial implications has had no effect on the perception of Native Americans.
When taken in conjunction with other surveys, what’s clear is that the Post survey indicates that people who are not Native American object to the ‘Redskins’ name more than twice as much as actual Native Americans. Given that the team is considering a move from its current Landover, Md. home to either the District of Columbia or Virginia, this survey could serve as a crucial persuasive element.
____
Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports and the author of EARNHARDT NATION. Contact him at [email protected] or find him on Twitter or on Facebook.
