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Minnesota protesters want NFL's Redskins to change name

November 7, 2013 11:59PM ET

Washington owner Dan Synder has called the team's name a 'badge of honor'

Topics:
Indian Country
Race & Ethnicity
NFL
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American Indians and their supporters gather outside the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome to protest the Washington Redskins' name before a football game between the Redskins and the Minnesota Vikings.
American Indians and their supporters gather outside the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome to protest the Washington Redskins' name before a football game between the Redskins and the Minnesota Vikings. Adam Bettcher/Getty Images
Protesters hold signs referring to Redskins owner Dan Snyder's comment that the name is a "badge of honor."
Protesters hold signs referring to Redskins owner Dan Snyder's comment that the name is a "badge of honor." Jim Mone/AP
Demonstrators at the protest in Minneapolis.
Demonstrators at the protest in Minneapolis. Jim Mone/AP
Protesters in traditional dress stand in stark contrast to the Washington Redskins' cartoon mascot.
Protesters in traditional dress stand in stark contrast to the Washington Redskins' cartoon mascot. Jim Mone/AP
Raven Ziegler, center, of Minneapolis protests before the game.
Raven Ziegler, center, of Minneapolis protests before the game. Hannah Foslien/Getty Images
Demonstrators gather outside the Metrodome on Thursday.
Demonstrators gather outside the Metrodome on Thursday. Hannah Foslien/Getty Images
Native Americans and others consider the Redskins' name racist.
Native Americans and others consider the Redskins' name racist. Adam Bettcher/Getty Images
Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura speaks at the protest before the game.
Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura speaks at the protest before the game. Adam Bettcher/Getty Images
A diverse gathering protest the Washington team's name outside the Metrodome on Thursday.
A diverse gathering protest the Washington team's name outside the Metrodome on Thursday. Jim Mone/AP

Hundreds of Native Americans and their supporters rallied outside the Metrodome Thursday night to demand the Washington Redskins change their name, calling it racist and disrespectful.

Carrying flags, signs and staffs and led by American Indian Movement co-founder Clyde Bellecourt, the crowd marched to the downtown stadium to hear speakers before the Minnesota Vikings played Washington.

Opponents call the team's name offensive to Native Americans. As drums beat, protesters chanted, "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Little Red Sambo's got to go." Some carried signs with messages such as "We are not cartoons! Respect us!" and "Racism is unsportsmanlike conduct."

Mario McBrogan, 24, of Minneapolis, who is Cherokee, was there to watch the game and to support changing the Redskins' name. He said the name should be changed "out of respect to every Native American."

Other teams have dropped Indian mascots and names, McBrogan said. "So I don't understand why they (the Redskins) shouldn't have to change their name. It's obviously offensive to a culture," he said.

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Krystal Hedemann, 34, of St. Paul, a member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, said it's time to get rid of what she called racist names in sports.

"I want my children to grow up in a world without racist names," she said.

Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura spoke to the crowd, saying he always tried to avoid saying "Redskins" when covering the team as a sports broadcaster.

"This name is wrong. It's just plain wrong," he said. He asked what would happen if a sports team in Birmingham, Ala., was named the Slaves and had an African-American mascot.

"What kind of outrage would there be at that? Well, this is the same thing," Ventura said.

Redskins owner Dan Synder has called the name a "badge of honor" and said it won't be changed.

Asked about the name at a Thursday morning news conference, current Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton called it "racist" and suggested every member of Congress should boycott the team to put pressure on its owners.

Also Thursday, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak released a statement saying the name disrespects indigenous people. Six members of the Minneapolis City Council recently sent a letter to the team's owner and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell calling the name and team mascot racist.

The Associated Press