While Washington’s NFL team went up against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Sunday, it faces a different kind of challenge off the gridiron.
In protests across the nation, groups gathered to denounce the use of the mascot name “Redskins,” which many are calling a racial slur, an offensive name and a harmful term.
In Durango, a group of about ten people gathered near Buckley Park, held signs and chanted “No more Redskins; no more Mascot.”
Adrianne Chalepah, of Cortez, said she has her own voice and wanted to use it.
“I’m tired of hearing people speak for me,” she said. “America should know that there are a lot of Native Americans who are extremely bothered and hurt by the name.”
Ellinda McKinney said the issues goes beyond a name.
“It runs deep,” she said. “It can be a very emotional issue for a variety of reasons.”
According to the Oneida Indian Nation, which founded the movement for the National Football League team to change its name, support is growing from politicians and other professional athletes.
According to websites like www.ChangeTheMascot.org and www.NativeAppropriations.com, 67 percent of natives are offended by use of the name and do consider it a form of discrimination.
The Oneida Indian Nation also released information claiming that the Washington team has omitted facts from its website, such as the team’s original owner being a segregationist who once pioneered efforts to ban African-American players from the NFL.
The tribe also claims that – from members of Congress all the way to the president – politicians have demanded the franchise stop use of the name.
Most modern dictionaries denote the term as derogatory and/or offensive.
“The thing that motivated me to come out here and stand with these signs is that I was tired of seeing news reports that most natives are OK with it,” Chalepah said. “That’s not true at all. The team went out and found a bunch of natives who were in support of the name, and good for them.”
Chalepah wants to use her voice to make a difference.
“It all boils down to my voice as a Native American woman,” she said. “My main focus is for people to see: Look, I’m here, and my voice matters. Please, at least listen.”
bmathis@durangoherald.com