The National Congress of the American Indians and the Oneida Nation welcomed the involvement of the United Nations in the campaign against the Washington professional football team's racist mascot.

James Anaya, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, said the mascot was a "hurtful reminder" of the mistreatment of Native Americans. He called on the team owner to reconsider the use of the slur in professional sports.

"I urge the team owners to consider that the term ‘redskin’ for many is inextricably linked to a history of suffering and dispossession, and that it is understood to be a pejorative and disparaging term that fails to respect and honour the historical and cultural legacy of the Native Americans in the US.," Anaya said today in his first views on the controversy.

“The United Nations is the latest to dispel the absurd claim by Washington's football team and its owner Dan Snyder that the term ‘redskins’ honors Native Americans,” Oneida Nation Representative Ray Halbritter and NCAI Executive Director Jackie Pata said in a press release. “This word is widely recognized throughout the globe as a racial slur. If the NFL wants to be a global brand that contributes to the positive image of the United States across the world, it needs to stop promoting this slur and change the name.”

The Oneida Nation is leading the Change the Mascot movement.

Get the Story:
UN expert weighs in on Redskins controversy (AP 4/11)

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