September 30, 2015
Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush thinks the Washington Redskins should keep its team name despite controversy and pressure from Native Americans, the former Florida governor said during a Wednesday interview on SiriusXM P.O.T.U.S.
In supporting the Redskins name, Bush mentioned a similar controversy regarding Florida State's mascot while he was serving as governor. Per SiriusXM:
“I don’t think politicians ought to have any say in that to be honest with you. I don’t find it offensive. Native American tribes generally don’t find it offensive. We had a similar kind of flap with FSU if you recall, the Seminoles, and the Seminole tribe itself kind of came to the defense of the university and it subsided. It’s a sport for crying out loud. It’s a football team.”
The relationship between the state's Seminole Tribe and Florida State has actually been a rather pleasant one. The tribe approved the university's use of the mascot after a 2005 NCAA report cited them along with several other colleges for "offensive" nicknames.
That has not been the case for the Redskins and team owner Daniel Snyder. The most recent development in the battle over the team's name came earlier in September when U.S. Sen. Harry Reid claimed Snyder tried to bribe Native Americans in his home state of Nevada in an attempt to quell the controversy.
As for Bush, several publications were quick to jump on the fact that Snyder donated $100,000 to the Super PAC supporting his run for president.
In recent years, several sports journalists and commentators have refrained from using the Redskins name due to its perceived offensive nature. In fact, your hometown Philadelphia Eagles seem to be the latest in joining that bandwagon (h/t Crossing Broad):
This is interesting. The #Eagles appear to have wiped the name #Redskins from this week's weekly media guide. #NFL pic.twitter.com/VgA9ksVrbi
— Matt Lombardo (@MattLombardo975) September 30, 2015
