Here we go again…
The Washington Commanders may have thought the controversy surrounding their name and logo was behind them when they changed their name from the Washington Redskins back in 2020. But that hasn’t been the case at all.
President Donald Trump has been vocal about his criticism of the new name, and has advocated many times for changing it back to the Redskins:
He even threatened to hold up a deal for their new stadium if they don’t return to their old moniker:
And amidst calls from Trump (and others) to restore the name, the movement even gained support from one prominent Native American organization.
The Native American Guardians Association has supported the president’s calls to reinstate the Redskins name, saying that rather than offensive the name was actually a point of pride that celebrated the American Indian people:
“President Trump’s comments validate what Indian Country has been saying for years. The old name was never a slur, but a symbol of strength, honor, and pride for American Indian people.
President Trump is standing with history, with truth, and with American Indian voices that have been silenced for far too long. This is not about nostalgia – it’s about justice.”
Well the Commanders recently unveiled a new logo in an attempt to pay tribute to their prior name (and probably to try to appease the president, if they’re being honest), featuring a spear going through the new Commanders logo.
According to the team:
“The inclusion of the spear and its sharpest point – the spearhead or ‘tip of the spear’ – symbolizes the top fighters, the front lines, those leading a mission who are unafraid to step into the fire.”
The new logo and uniform are clearly a throwback of sorts to their Redskins identity, with Commanders Managing Partner Josh Harris say it’s the team’s way of honoring their history:
“We’re going to continue to embrace our past but then update it.”
Well what better way to honor their history than by offending somebody with their logo?
In the wake of the updated branding, the Association on American Indian Affairs blasted the team’s inclusion of the Native American imagery in the logo:
“The Washington Commanders’ decision to update their logo is disappointing and inappropriate to say the least. It is time to stop repeating this cycle and listen to Native Peoples who have been clear, consistent, and unwavering on this issue: We are not your mascot.”
The National Congress of American Indians also criticized the new logo (which is just an alternate logo and not the main branding for the team), calling it “harmful.”
“The new alternate logo, released by the franchise this week, purports to join the past and present. NCAI maintains that any prideful nod to a harmful past, even one that may appear harmless on its face, can carry an insidious message and is therefore harmful.”
Of course not all Native Americans were upset about the rebrand: The Native American Guardians Association said they were pleased with the new logo for honoring their history:
“It’s encouraging to have a small piece of Native imagery represented again, honoring the deep connection between Native heritage and America’s sports traditions.”
I guess you’ll never please everybody.
