American Indians in Virginia have no issue with Redskins

D.C. politicians have stirred the pot when it comes to the name of the Washington Redskins but American Indian tribes in Virginia have no issue with it.

Paul Woody of the Richmond Times-Dispatch contacted the heads of three tribes and they had no issue with the name, which Redskins owner Daniel Snyder emphatically said would not change.
Here are the responses Woody received:

*** “It doesn’t bother me,” Robert Green, the chief of the Patawomeck Tribe, told Woody. “Abot 98 percent of my tribe is Redskins fans, and it doesn’t offend them, either.”

*** “I’m a Redskins fan, and I don’t think there’s any intention for (the nickname) to be derogatory,” said Kevin Brown, chief of the Pamunkey Tribe. “The majority of the people in my tribe don’t have a problem with it. There are a few who do, and we respect their feelings. I like the uniforms. I like the symbol (logo).”

*** “I don’t have an issue with it,” said G. Anne Richardson, chief of the Rappahannock Tribe. “There are so many more issues that are important for the tribe than to waste time on what a team is called. We’re worried about real things, and I don’t consider that a real thing.

“We’re more worried about our kids being educated, our people housed, elder care and the survival of our culture. We’ve been in that survival mode for 400 years. We’re not worried about how some ball team is named.”

So, any calls to change the name of a team with a headquarters in Virginia is not coming from a tribe in the state.

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Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune

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