Robert Griffin III sent out some strange and cryptic messages on Twitter on Wednesday and many fans were left wondering what they were about, with some speculating that it had to do with a proposal about changing the name of the Redskins to the Redtails, while others felt it was about his playing through and injury last year.
Griffin III, the starting quarterback for the Redskins, jumped into the debate, writing on Twitter: "In a land of freedom we are held hostage by the tyranny of political correctness" and "Tyranny- "a condition imposed by some outside agency or force.
According to the Washington Post, D.C. Councilmember David Grosso, an independent that was elected last year, is planning on introducing a resolution for the Redskins franchise to change their name, suggesting a new one in the Washington Redtails instead. The council member said that he is working on the non-binding resolution due to the fact that Redskins is a "derogatory, racist name" and should be changed. Grosso has so far received support from two other council members and the resolution will bring more attention on the nickname situation, which has been in the news in recent months.
The word is racist when talking about native Americans and how it was used in the past and the Redskins cannot hide from the fact that their former owner who started the team was an open bigot and used the name to get fans from the south, as the team was the southernmost franchise for many years.
Mayor Vincent C. Gray brought up the issue earlier in the year when talking about the Redskins possibly moving back into the city one day (as they play in Landover) and the team has come under fire in recent years with the rise of social media and the main issue, while native Americans have been going at it for a number of years. At a Smithsonian panel earlier this year some fans who came to support the team on Redskins gear eventually left without it after hearing arguments against the team name when they heard testimony from Native Americans about what the name means and where it came from.
The team name has been the same for many years and has roots in racism, but the current ownership has not said much publicly and respects the tradition of the name in regard to the football franchise. The team is one of the most valuable in the world and the franchise has been unwilling to change the name in the past.
The resolution says that district residents should not have to deal with a name that is derogatory to another race or have to tolerate a name that "dishonors" the city of Washington. The resolution suggests another name in Redtails, as it is a nickname that was used by the the Tuskegee Airmen, that broke the color barrier for military pilots in WWII.
The battle is continuing as well, as a three-judge panel is hearing arguments brought by 5 18 year-old Native Americans that the name should not be allowed to be trademarked since it is offensive.
