Go, Redskins (the name, not the team)

Go RedskinsWe take team owner Daniel M. Snyder at his word that he sees the nickname as an honor, and we appreciate how hard it is to abandon well-loved traditions. By the same token, it really is not up to the offender to characterize the nature of the offense. We can't imagine Mr. Snyder, or anyone else for that matter, sitting in a room of Native Americans and referring to them as Redskins. Think about the recent uproar caused by the use of "macaca," a word whose meaning was never really defined.

While the Redskins--and the rest of professional sports--have dug in their heels, a nationwide movement has seen hundreds of schools and minor league professional clubs get rid of Indian team names--with no adverse consequences. A local formula for success can be seen in the example set by Abe Pollin when, bothered by the high D.C. murder rate, he changed the name of his basketball team from Bullets to Wizards in 1997.