The Native American group leading the petition to reinstate the name Redskins as the official nickname of Washington’s NFL franchise has blasted the Washington Commanders for referring to them as a “fake group.”
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Eunice Davidson, Co-founder and President of the nonprofit Native American Guardians Association (NAGA), pushed back on the notion that her organization is “fake.”
“We’re not a fake group,” told Fox News Digital. “We’re tribal-enrolled members from tribes across the United States.”
Davidson, who describes herself as a “full-blooded Dakota Sioux,” and her organization, are responsible for leading what has become, as of this date, the most significant attempt to get the Washington Commanders to change their name back to Redskins.
Fox News reports that the petition had earned over 128,000 signatures as of Monday.
The accusation that the NAGA group is “fake” came in the form of an exchange involving a Commanders executive and a former luxury suite season-ticket holder.
“You understand the people that started this petition is a fake group, right?” wrote Matthew Laux, a premium-seat sales manager for the Commanders and FedEx Field.
That sarcastic question was put forth by a woman named Christina King, who wrote, “This name change WAS, IS & forever will be a major problem.”
A Washington Redskins helmet sits on the sidelines during the second half of the game against the Chicago Bears at FedExField on September 23, 2019 in Landover, Maryland. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
That exchange was just one of many in what turned out to be a heated debate over the franchise’s nickname.
However, despite the large number of signatures and the passionate pleas of those who wish to see the team go back to the name, Redskins, a response from a team spokesperson to Fox News Digital makes it sound unlikely that the team will return to their previous name.
“For nearly 90 years, this franchise had a different name, and many have fond memories of cheering for that team and watching it win three Super Bowls,” the statement read. “This does not signify any shift in our approach nor does it change the valid reasons for dropping the name.”
Contrary to the NFL’s claims that the team needed to change its name to prevent racism, Davidson sees the removal of the name Redskins as the work of those trying to “wipe out Native history.”
“People want to call us fake and they’ve done that before,” Davidson said. “They never tell our story and that’s their goal. To wipe out Native history. It’s discrimination when you go after one culture like this.”
The Commanders new Owner, Josh Harris, used the word Redskins during his introductory press conference, and some discussion of a name change has occurred at high levels within the organization. Though, as the team statement suggests, any future name change will likely be to a different name, not back to Redskins.