Millions of people of all ethnic groups have demanded the Washington Redskins change the team name, but one extremely surprising high profile figure seems to be endorsing the Redskins name and the team’s controversial owner, Daniel Snyder.
Navajo Nation president Ben Shelly was recently photographed (above) attending a Redskins game sitting next to Snyder. Shelly was also wearing a Redskins hat.
This is not the first time Shelly and Snyder have socialized, and the two men have even worked together in the past when one of Snyder’s foundations sponsored a golf tournament put on by the Navajo Nation’s radio station.
Other voices in the Native community are understandably angered by Shelly’s continued behavior.
Activist Jacqueline Keeler spoke of the golf incident to Indian Country Today, stating:
“It is unfortunate the Navajo Nation administration of Ben Shelly is so out of step with the Navajo people, particularly the young people, regarding this issue. Obviously, offensive cultural appropriation done by non-Native fans of Native Mascots does not generally include Navajo culture. We do not see them performing Sand Paintings at halftime or dressed like Yeii, but we should understand that most Americans are unable to differentiate between tribes enough to understand that and that Navajo children, two-thirds of whom live off the reservation, are subjected to these ignorant ideas about who they are as Native Americans.”
Shelly’s actions do not reflect the Navajo Nation at-large, as the group voted 9-2 against the Redskins name this spring. It remains to be seen, however, if this latest controversy will finally spark action from other members of the Navajo Nation against their leader.
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