Montgomery County Executive May Join Effort to Change Washington Redskins Name

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett is considering asking the County Council to stand with District lawmakers in a symbolic move and pass a resolution urging the Washington Redskins to change their name, reports the Washington Post.

At a minimum, Leggett (D) told the newspaper, he will drop “Redskins” from all of his office’s announcements and news releases.

“As for action by the County, I am asking our Office of Human Rights to review the matter and make a formal recommendation to me before I forward an official recommendation to the County Council,” he said in the Post story.

The Oneida Indian Nation, a group that believes the Redskins name is offensive and would like it changed, met with team owner Dan Snyder last month to air its concerns, according to NFL.com.

Snyder, a Montgomery resident of Potomac, has vowed that the team name will never change, the Post said. But he has been under intense pressure to reverse his position, with even President Obama saying that he’d be considering a name change if he owned the team.

According to the NFL website, Snyder wrote a letter to the team's fan base early in October stating that the Redskins' team name "was, and continues to be, a badge of honor. ... I've listened carefully to the commentary and perspectives on all sides, and I respect the feelings of those who are offended by the team name. But I hope such individuals also try to respect what the name means, not only for all of us in the extended Washington Redskins family, but among Native Americans too."

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