ACR 168, as introduced, V. Manuel Pérez. Native Americans.
This measure would urge the National Football League (NFL) to join with the Legislature and numerous organizations in calling for a name change for the Washington, D.C. NFL team, and calls upon the owners of NFL teams based in California to urge the owner of the Washington, D.C. NFL team and the NFL Commissioner to change the team mascot.
Fiscal committee: no.
P1 1WHEREAS, The name used by the Washington, D.C. National
2Football League (NFL) team is widely recognized as a racial slur
3and promotes discrimination against Native Americans; and
4WHEREAS, “Indian” sports brands used by professional teams
5were born in an era when racism and bigotry were deemed
6acceptable. These brands, which have grown to become
7multi-million dollar franchises, were established at a time when
8the practice of employing racial epithets and slurs as marketing
9slogans was commonly used to capitalize on cultural superiority
10and racial tensions; and
11WHEREAS, 50 United States Senators joined together to send
12a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell demanding that, “It’s
P2 1time for the NFL to endorse a name change for the Washington,
2D.C. football team”; and
3WHEREAS, Dozens of groups representing millions of
4Americans have asked NFL players to take a stand against the
5Washington, D.C. NFL team’s use of the derogatory R-word; and
6WHEREAS, On June 18, 2014, the United States Patent and
7Trademark Office (USPTO) canceled the Washington, D.C. NFL
8team’s federal trademark registration of the name “Washington
9R____.” The USPTO ruling deemed the term “disparaging to
10Native Americans,” and canceled the trademark status of the name.
11Unless the Washington, D.C. NFL team successfully appeals, the
12USPTO ruling would mean that the team has no legal ownership
13over the term; and
14WHEREAS, Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle,
15city councils, top sports icons, civil rights groups, religious groups,
16prominent journalists, and President Obama have all spoken out
17against the team’s continued use of the epithet; now, therefore, be
18it
19Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
20thereof concurring, That the Legislature stands with the 109
21federally recognized Indian tribes in California, which has the
22highest Native American population in the country with over
23700,000 people who identify themselves as Native American, and
24urges the National Football League (NFL) to join Indian Country,
25The National Congress of American Indians, and other
26organizations, which represent more than 2 million Native
27Americans across the country and more than 300 tribes in the
28United States, in calling for a name change for the Washington,
29D.C. NFL team; and be it further
30Resolved, That the Legislature calls upon the owners of NFL
31teams based in California to urge the Washington, D.C. NFL team
32owner Dan Snyder and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to
33adhere to the wishes of the millions of people who have joined
34Indian Country in urging that they change the team mascot; and
35be it further
36Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
37of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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