Originally established in Boston in 1933, before moving to Washington four years later, until today, the team has always proudly sported the name The Redskins.
That was until the recent major outcry from the woke, cancel-culture mob who demanded the NFL team change its supposedly ‘racist’ name, which they insisted was offensive to Native Americans.
Although this ridiculous, petty debate has bubbled under for a number of years, as with many similar instances, the mob finally got their way in 2020 after the BLM uprising and riots following George Floyd’s death. With sponsors, Fed-Ex threatening to pull their funding, the team’s management finally buckled and agreed to drop the original name.
The former Redskins spent two seasons using the holding name The Washington Football Team before their president Jason Wright finally announced their official new name today; The Washington Commanders.
The team was founded nearly 90 years ago by then owner, George P. Marshall in Boston, who had originally wanted to use the name The Braves but decided on The Redskins to distinguish his team from an existing baseball club in the city.
While cancel culture advocates insist the term ‘redskin’ is an offensive slur for Native Americans dating back to their persecution in early American history, so shouldn’t be used as the team’s identity, many fans interpret the original name of the club as an inspired nod to the courage, bravery and strength of the Native American people rather than an intentional sneer.
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After all, why would anyone name a sports team after an image, animal or group they didn’t consider to be a worthy and inspirational symbol!?
Speaking on NBC’s TODAY program Wednesday morning, the club’s president Jason Wright attempted to explain the change:
“It’s a name that has the weight and meaning befitting a 90-year-old franchise.
“It’s something that broadly resonated with our fans and it’s something that we believe embodies the values of service and leadership that really define the [District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia area]”.
As with many of these damaging, divisive woke campaigns which are often driven by a group of entitled, white ‘know-it-alls’ who are offended on other people’s behalf, according to a 2016 poll by the Washington Post, 90 percent of the 504 Native Americans who took part were ‘not bothered’ by the Redskin’s name.
Although the organization has attempted to placate distraught fans by maintaining the team’s original burgundy and gold color scheme with a new kit designed by Nike and the NFL, Twitter users expressed their bitter disappointment at the entire charade.
Sports journalist Tyler Conway even likened the name and colors to the flag of the Soviet Union, pointing out that ‘The Commanders’ can be shortened to ‘’Commies’’.
The future of Washington football is here #TakeCommand pic.twitter.com/MwkCLTkVAA
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) February 2, 2022
let’s not focus on whether the Washington Commanders is a good name but instead focus on the fact a red and yellow team located in Washington DC named itself something that can be shortened to Commies
focus on the hilarious aspect of NO ONE realizing this over 2 years pic.twitter.com/b1b5pCcYiC
— Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) February 2, 2022
Washington Commanders is like when the movie can’t get the rights to use an actual team so they throw something quick out there and hope it just doesn’t cause too much confusion
— Shea Serrano (@SheaSerrano) February 2, 2022
The now ‘Washington Commanders’ aren’t the only team to adhere to senseless demands screamed by a noisy minority. The ‘Cleveland Indians’ baseball team has become the ‘Cleveland Guardians’ as from the start of this year and there are serious discussions about the ‘Atlanta Braves’ changing both name and tomahawk logo, although thankfully neither has been cancelled as of yet. One gets the impression it’s only a matter of time.
Who knows where the cancel culture mob will strike next.