Indigenous group condemns Trump's call to restore controversial team names
WASHINGTON — The Association on American Indian Affairs is condemning U.S President Donald Trump's call for Washington's football team to revert to its old name, saying any claim that Indigenous nations support the use of Indigenous-themed mascots is false.
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'These mascots and names do not honour Native Peoples — they reduce us to caricatures,' the Association on American Indian Affairs said in a statement.
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'Our diverse Peoples and cultures are not relics of the past or mascots for entertainment. Native Nations are sovereign, contemporary cultures who deserve respect and self-determination, not misrepresentation.'
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The Commanders and the District of Columbia government announced a deal earlier this year to build a new home for the football team. It's not clear if Trump can delay the deal.
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The president also called for MLB's Cleveland Guardians to revert to their former name, which was also seen as offensive to Indigenous Peoples.
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In an earlier post, Trump called the NFL team the 'The Washington 'Whatever's' and claimed Indigenous people 'in massive numbers, want this to happen.
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'Their heritage and prestige is systematically being taken away from them. Times are different now than they were three or four years ago. We are a Country of passion and common sense. OWNERS, GET IT DONE!!!' Trump posted.
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The Association on American Indian Affairs is the is the oldest national Native American non-profit in the United States and has been operating for more than 100 years.
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It said Indigenous communities and experts have repeatedly and clearly said that these themed mascots are offensive and dehumanizing.
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Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The stamp of approval from the Federal Communications Commission comes after months of turmoil revolving around President Donald Trump's legal battle with '60 Minutes,' the crown jewel of Paramount-owned broadcast network CBS. With the spectre of the Trump administration potentially blocking the hard-fought deal with Skydance, Paramount earlier this month agreed to pay a $16-million settlement with the president. 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Trump accused the program of deceptively editing the interview to help Harris win the election. After initially demanding $10 billion US in damages, Trump upped the ante to $20 billion US, while asserting he had suffered "mental anguish." The case quickly became a closely-watched test of whether a corporation would back its journalists and stand up to Trump. Editing for brevity's sake is commonplace in TV journalism and CBS argued Trump's claims had no merit. But reports of company executives exploring a potential settlement with Trump later piled up, particularly after Carr launched an investigation earlier this year. By the start of July, Paramount agreed to pay Trump $16 million US. The company said the money would go to Trump's future presidential library and to pay his legal fees, but maintained that it was not apologizing or expressing regret for the story. 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