Representatives of the Oneida Indian Nation met with NFL executives on Wednesday to discuss Daniel Snyder and his refusal to rename the Washington Redskins. The group told the NFL executives once again that the team name “promotes a dictionary-defined racial slur.”
Oneida Indian Nation representative met with three league executives in New York City for a period of 90-minutes. Following that meeting NFL executives asked that all team owners meet with Oneida leaders the week of Super Bowl XLVIII.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was not able to attend Wednesday’s meeting as he traveled on other business.
According to Oneida representative the NFL meeting with executives Jeff Pash, Adolpho Birch and Paul Hicks did not go well. They claim the men “defended the use of a racist name.”
Oneida spokesman Joel Barkin said, “We are very disappointed. This is the beginning of a process. It’s clear that they don’t see how this is not a unifying term. They don’t have a complete appreciation for the breadth of opposition of Native Americans to this mascot and name.”
Snyder earlier in the week reportedly told Roger Goodell that he had zero plans to change the teams name, despite a public outpouring of support for the Oneida Indian Nation.
League officials claim that they are meeting in the spirit of participation. NFL officials have never claimed that they would push for a change of name.
Tribe officials met in 1992 with NFL representatives in the hope of changing the names of the Cleveland Browns and Washington Redskins. Following those meetings nothing came of either teams name.
Oneida tribe representatives claim that NFL bylaws prohibit naming franchises with “dictionary-defined racial slurs,” for which they classify the term “Redskins.”
In the meantime the Washington Redskins name change fight rages on without the support of the NFL or its executives.
