Change the Mascot Applauds Current and Former FCC Chairs for Calling On Washington NFL Team to Drop Offensive R-Word Mascot
Oneida Nation Homelands (NY) (PRWEB) September 10, 2014 -- The Change the Mascot campaign today applauds current Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler and former chair Reed Hundt for their bold stands against the derogatory R-word name of the Washington NFL team. Hundt, who is leading an effort to pressure team owner Dan Snyder to change the name, has stated that the dictionary-defined slur is indecent by FCC standards and that its use may make Snyder an unfit licensee for his Washington radio station.*
National Congress of American Indians Executive Director Jackie Pata and Oneida Indian Nation Representative Ray Halbritter, leaders of the Change the Mascot campaign, said in a joint statement today:
“We thank FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler and former chair Reed Hundt for their strong stances opposing the R-word, which is a damaging epithet that denigrates Native Americans. These are two men who have been entrusted to determine exactly which words are inappropriate and it is significant and telling that they both agree that the R-word is a derogatory term that is so offensive that it has no place on the public airwaves.”
Today’s important statement from Chairman Wheeler comes on the heels of a letter sent last week from 106 leading Native American, civil rights, and religious organizations to broadcasters nationwide urging them to cease use of the Washington team’s disparaging name. Change the Mascot also ran a nationwide radio ad surrounding Washington’s first game last weekend urging listeners to contact their local media encouraging them to end all use of the demeaning epithet.
Within the past week, leading publications including The New York Daily News** and The Charlotte Observer*** have joined the growing list of media outlets refusing to use the team’s name. E-commerce website Etsy also announced yesterday that it will no longer accept items bearing the team’s name or logo in its marketplace.****
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office earlier this year canceled the team’s R-word trademark, and 50 U.S. Senators wrote a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Washington owner Dan Snyder urging them to drop the offensive mascot. This latest wave of support follows mounting calls for change from a diverse group of advocates including Native American tribes, sports icons, Members of Congress from both parties, prominent journalists, religious leaders, civil rights organizations, and even President Obama.
*FCC’s Wheeler: ‘Redskins’ Name Is Offensive, Should Go, 9.10.14, broadcastingcable.com/news/washington/fccs-wheeler-redskins-name-offensive-should-go/133844
**Sack the name, 9.3.14, nydailynews.com/opinion/sack-article-1.1926865
***Observer to avoid use of Washington NFL team’s nickname, 9.6.14, charlotteobserver.com/2014/09/05/5152810/observer-to-avoid-use-of-washington.html#.VBB6AvmwKfg
****Policy Update: “Redskins”, 9.9.14, blog.etsy.com/news/2014/policy-update-redskins/
Jim Heins, Oneida Indian Nation, +1 (315) 829-8310, [email protected]
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