The Associated Press says it's "difficult" to tell how many American Indians and Alaska Natives oppose the Washington professional football team's racist mascot.
There haven't been any credible nationwide polls on the matter. But nearly every Indian organization -- including the
National Congress of American Indians, the
Native American Rights Fund and the
National Indian Education Association -- has gone on the record in opposition to the team's name.
Individual tribes are also against the name. Notably, the
Oneida Nation of New York and the
Oneida Nation of Wisconsin have been outspoken in recent months about the name, and the
Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, the largest tribe in the U.S. in terms of membership, is also opposed.
Other Indian organizations also oppose the use of Indians as mascots. The
Wisconsin Indian Education
Association, the
Oregon Indian Education
Association and the
American Indian Movement are some.
Additionally, the plaintiffs in two trademark challenges to the name have represented a broad cross-section of Indian Country. They include activists, artists, educators, attorneys and students who are citizens of tribes from different parts of the U.S.
Get the Story:
As debate over ‘Redskins’ name intensifies, hard to tell how many Indians think it’s a slur
(AP 10/8)
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Mike Wise: Never may come sooner for Washington
mascot (10/8)
Opinion: Owner of
Washington football team in deep trouble (10/8)
Blog: Here's how to get rid of Washington's
football mascot (10/8)
President Obama
weighs in on Washington mascot debate (10/7)
Opinion: Broadcasters must take stand against
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Oneida Nation to
host symposium on racist NFL mascot in DC (10/3)
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