Poll: 9 in 10 Native Americans Don't Mind 'Redskins' Name

WASHINGTON, DC — A new poll finds that most Native Americans aren't offended by the Washington Redskins name -- an indication that a national campaign to ban the name has had a surprisingly small affect on most Native Americans.

The survey was conducted by the Washington Post and included 504 people across the United States. Nine out of 10 Native Americans said they were not offended by the name, which is not a big difference from a 2004 poll by the Annenberg Public Policy Center, according to the Post report.

A total of 7 in 10 did not find the word "Redskin" to be offensive or disrespectful at all, while 8 out of 10 wouldn't be bothered by a non-native calling him or her that term.

What’s your view of the team name? Tell us in comments below.

'Dictionary-Defined Racial Slur'

Change the Mascot, a national campaign to end the use of the team name, said in a statement Thursday that Redskins is a racial slur and Native Americans are not mascots.

“The results of this poll confirm a reality that is encouraging but hardly surprising: Native Americans are resilient and have not allowed the NFL’s decades-long denigration of us to define our own self-image,” said Change the Mascot leaders National Congress of American Indians Executive Director Jackie Pata and Oneida Nation Representative Ray Halbritter. “However, that proud resilience does not give the NFL a license to continue marketing, promoting, and profiting off of a dictionary-defined racial slur -- one that tells people outside of our community to view us as mascots.”

“Social science research and first-hand experience has told us that this kind of denigration has both visible and unseen consequences for Native Americans in this country. This is especially the case for children, who were not polled and who are in a particularly vulnerable position to be bullied by the NFL. It is the 21st century -- it is long overdue for Native Americans to be treated not as mascots or targets of slurs, but instead as equals.”

The poll results are a big win for Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder, who has led a years-long campaign to defend the name amidst attacks from activists groups who denounce it as being a racist term. And it might affect Snyder's bottom line: two years ago, a federal judge ordered the cancellation of the Redskins' trademark registrations, which could potentially cost Snyder in merchandising. The findings could be used in the ongoing legal battle over the name.

"The Washington Redskins team, our fans and community have always believed our name represents honor, respect and pride," the owner said in a statement as quoted by the Post. "Today’s Washington Post polling shows Native Americans agree. We are gratified by this overwhelming support from the Native American community, and the team will proudly carry the Redskins name."

A 2014 national ESPN poll found that 23 percent of respondents said that the term "Redskins" should be retired, which is far more than the 9 percent of actual Native Americans in the Post poll who say they are offended by it.

»SEE ALSO: What's In A Name: Washington Redskins Controversy

In May of 2014, 50 senators -- 48 Democrats and two independents -- sent a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, imploring him to change the team’s name.

“Now is the time for the NFL to act. The Washington, D.C. football team is on the wrong side of history,” said the letter, which was primarily written by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. D-Nev., and Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash. “What message does it send to punish slurs against African Americans while endorsing slurs against Native Americans?”

Media Outlets Refrain From Using Name

The number of media outlets who do not use the word “Redskins” has grown in recent years.

The current list of almost 50 media outlets includes the Washington Post, Boston Globe, Denver Post, Seattle Times, New York Daily News and the University of Maryland’s Capital News Service, college newspapers like the University of Alabama’s Crimson White and the University of Maryland’s Diamondback, and a handful of broadcast and television stations across the country.