..wrote Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash. | chair of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee) and Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) in a letter to commissioner Roger Goodell about the NFL’s stance on the Washington R****s name.
Here is an excerpt from that letter:
The National Football League is on the wrong side of history. It is not appropriate for this multi-billion dollar 501(c)(6) tax exempt organization to perpetuate and profit from the continued degradation of tribes and Indian people. It is time for the National Football League to formally support and push for a name change for the Washington football team.
Ari Melber asks:
“What is your letter trying to achieve here?”
Sen. Cantwell:
“Well we want to make it clear because commissioner Goodell said right before the Super Bowl that he thought this was a name honoring Native Americans; and I don’t know if that’s a change in position, certainly if that’s where he is, it’s unacceptable for the NFL to continue to support the name of a football team that a large organization that represents Native Americans all across the country and the National Conference of Indians has called for the removal of that name as it represents a slur to them.”
[snip]
Ari Melber:
“Part of the reason your letter has gotten attention is it cites the leagues tax exempt status. As you know Senator Coburn has introduced separate legilsltion to revoke that. Are you specifically threatening that here;..and do you think congress can revoke the tax status if it simply opposes one football teams speech however objectionable?”
Senator Cantwell:
"Well ..we thought the NFL was listening… on this issue but that press conference made it clear that they are going along with this perpetrated charade about this name [that it is honoring Native Americans]
So yes the U.S. patent office has said it will not issue a patent on this 'phrase' because they've determined that it is a derogatory term. There is a follow on case before the patent office related to the team and so we expect them to take action.
We hope that the FCC will look at this issue as well as them communicating this issue, and we certainly are going to look at the tax code, because right now America has enough problems that instead of giving a tax break to someone who continues to perpetrate really what is a very racially slurred word to Native Americans."
(short commercial - sorry)
transcript @ link: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/...
And that tax code issue referred to by Ari Melber was introduced by Sen. Thomas Coburn [R-OK]: S. 1524: PRO Sports Act with the house version H.R. 3965: PRO Sports Act
When Sen. Cantwell was asked about polling around the country on this issue and what Native Americans are saying about how they feel about the Washington team name:
"Well .. I don't care anything about a poll on this issue. I know that's what the NFL would try to cite and did in their press conference.
The issue is, that a national organization that represents over a million Native Americans and the 65 tribes throughout our country has called for a name change. They say that this, basically a caricature of them and their religious beliefs, is an insult.
I represent over 100 thousand Native Americans and twenty nine tribes in the Pacific North West and they support that issue as well.
So that should be enough for the NFL commissioner. That should be enough to push for this change"
Abby Huntsman asks:
“You are going up against football, that’s a huge deal many people would not want to fight. How do you spin this in a way where you’re saying ‘I’m trying to save football I’m not trying to go up against football’?”
Senator Cantwell:
“Well .. first of all there’s a great website out there called ‘Change the Mascot dot org’ and it says it all… [...]
And if that isn't enough, maybe a few hard questions from congress about the tax exempt status is a good idea to help clarify things a bit
Kudos to Senator Maria Cantwell and all those activists for the good work on this :)
The letter went out yesterday - dated February 10, 2014 - so just in case you hadn't heard the news !
Got some stuff to take care, back in a while ♪♫♪