Redskins logo, name questioned again after Cleveland Indians decision

On Monday, the Cleveland Indians announced that their longtime mascot Chief Wahoo will not be returning in 2019. Now, groups are compelling the Washington Redskins to consider changing their name.

Until a name change happens, the Washington Redskins name will always be a controversial one. Though the team has held the moniker for the entirety of their stay in Washington, the name has come under fire in recent years. There was even a court case filed to take away the team’s trademark, arguing that the name was disparaging to Native Americans. Nothing has come of that yet, and owner Dan Snyder has said that he won’t consider changing the Redskins name.

However, on Monday afternoon, the Cleveland Indians made a decision to discontinue the use of their own logo. The logo, known by the Name of Chief Wahoo, will be removed from the team’s uniforms starting in the 2019 season. The implications this has on Washington shouldn’t be underestimated.

With the elimination of Chief Wahoo, the Redskins will now continue to draw ire from activist groups in regards to their mascot and team name. According to an ESPN story, Oneida Nation representative Ray Halbritter from the Change the Mascot campaign said the following in regards to the Redskins logo.

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"Cleveland’s decision should finally compel the Washington football team to make the same honorable decision. For too long, people of color have been stereotyped with these kinds of hurtful symbols — and no symbol is more hurtful than the football team in the nation’s capital using a dictionary- defined racial slur as its team name. Washington Owner Dan Snyder needs to look at Cleveland’s move and then look in the mirror and ask whether he wants to be forever known as the most famous purveyor of bigotry in modern sports, or if he wants to finally stand on the right side of history and change his team’s name. We hope he chooses the latter."

Despite this comment, Snyder has stayed adamant that the Redskins name will remain. He’s been fighting in favor of it for his entire stint as owner, so it seems unlikely to change under his watch. Still, with the pressure ratcheted up by Cleveland’s move, there will be some more attention now on the Redskins.

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For now, this is just another plea to change the Redskins name that well may fall on deaf ears. Until Snyder says otherwise, the name will likely remain the same, as it has over the last 80 years.

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