Washington Redskins Name Change Could Be On The Horizon

The Washington Redskins name change push is picking up steam.

The Washington, D.C. city council could soon be debating whether or not the National Football League team should be getting a new moniker.

The name that is being floated around as a replacement is the “Redtails.” The councilman who has come up with the resolution to make the change says that the new name would be in honor of the Tuskegee Airmen.

David Grosso is beyond the movement but he also says that he is open to suggestion for other names. “The term Redskins is a racist and derogatory term.” The councilman said recently.

A Redskins name change has been something that is certainly not a new topic. There have been plenty of groups who have been calling for the removal of team nicknames that are seen as derogatory.

The Atlanta Braves is another team that has come under fire for the way they seem to reflect a time that was not accepting of the Native American culture.

Grosso said that he feels that the less than politically correct title has been associated with the city for far too long. He is currently looking for co-sponsors for the measure.

According to the councilman he has at least two other signees. The mayor of D.C., Vincent C. Gray has also recently said that he’d be okay with a change.

The people who really matter when it comes to getting this done have still been largely silent. Team officials tend to stay out of this issue and that is usually seen as tacit refusal to take action.

Grosso’s resolution doesn’t have the force of law, but he believes that if the city council officially asks the team to make a change they might listen.

The councilman pushed the Redskins name change by pointing out that the Redtails would still fit easily in the fight song and the team could keep the feather.

[Image via dbking]