The national debate over whether or not the National Football League's Washington Redskins' nickname is offensive has reached a small remote rural town in Arizona. Red Mesa, a largely Navajo-populated town, which has the same nickname and similar logo as the NFL team, has faced scrutiny from activists who say the mascot is offensive, Ian Shapira reports for The Washington Post. Not only do most players and residents say they don't think Redskins is offensive but also many point to more pressing concerns facing their community—such as high unemployment and low test scores.
A 2004 Annenberg Public Policy Center poll that found nine out of 10
Native Americans were not offended by the Redskins name, Shapira writes. In Red Mesa, 88 percent of students and 71 percent of faculty surveyed by the school said they wanted to keep the name Redskins, while 60 percent of students said Redskins is not offensive and 33 percent said they were not sure if it was offensive. (Post photo by Ricky Carioti: A Red Mesa player leads the football team during the homecoming parade.)
In fact, Red Mesa has a Washington Redskins connection. Team owner Dan Snyder offered students free tickets to a recent game played against the Arizona Cardinals, Shapira writes. Many students accepted tickets and were met at the game by protesters, including Navajo and Arizona resident Amanda Blackhouse, who is the lead plaintiff in a legal case that threatens the Washington Redskins’ trademark protection.
But the town has other concerns, Shapira writes. Red Mesa is 90 miles from the nearest major shopping center, the town's tap water is undrinkable with high levels of arsenic and uranium—forcing the school to spend thousands on bottled water—most of the school buildings were built in the 1970s, many students travel an hour to get to school and most students qualify for free student meals.
Add in that "about two-thirds passed the state’s reading exams, but only 36 percent passed the math component," Shapira writes. "On the Arizona Report Card, which gives an overall letter grade to every high school in the state, Red Mesa received a D." As senior football player Arlo Begay told Shapira, “There’s more important things to worry about than ‘Redskins.’” (Read more)
In fact, Red Mesa has a Washington Redskins connection. Team owner Dan Snyder offered students free tickets to a recent game played against the Arizona Cardinals, Shapira writes. Many students accepted tickets and were met at the game by protesters, including Navajo and Arizona resident Amanda Blackhouse, who is the lead plaintiff in a legal case that threatens the Washington Redskins’ trademark protection.
But the town has other concerns, Shapira writes. Red Mesa is 90 miles from the nearest major shopping center, the town's tap water is undrinkable with high levels of arsenic and uranium—forcing the school to spend thousands on bottled water—most of the school buildings were built in the 1970s, many students travel an hour to get to school and most students qualify for free student meals.
Add in that "about two-thirds passed the state’s reading exams, but only 36 percent passed the math component," Shapira writes. "On the Arizona Report Card, which gives an overall letter grade to every high school in the state, Red Mesa received a D." As senior football player Arlo Begay told Shapira, “There’s more important things to worry about than ‘Redskins.’” (Read more)
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