Posted on February 12, 2014

Washington Redskins Write Scathing Response to Lawmakers Who Want Team Name Changed

Fox News, February 11, 2014

The Washington Redskins issued a scathing response to two lawmakers Monday after they called for the team to change its controversial name.

Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., told NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in a letter that the league is on the “wrong side of history” in allowing the Redskins to keep their name, which some see as a slur.

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But the team fired back in a statement, saying that Cantwell–who chairs the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs–has better things to do with her time.

“Senator Cantwell should be aware that there are many challenges facing Native Americans, including an extremely cold winter with high energy bills, high unemployment, life threatening health problems, inadequate education and many other issues more pressing than the name of a football team which has received strong support from Native Americans,” the statement said. “Surely, with all the issues Congress is supposed to work on such as the economy, jobs, war and health care, the Senator must have more important things to do,” the statement said.

A spokesman for the NFL, meanwhile, said the league will respond to the lawmakers’ letter “in an appropriate manner” once it has been reviewed.

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