Reporter Mike Wise Documents Sunday’s Protest Over Washington Redskins’ Name
Hundreds of protestors stood outside of FedEx Field for what is reportedly the largest Native American rally thus far, according to future ESPN analyst Mike Wise. The protest, which was organized through Facebook, is in response to team owner Dan Snyder’s refusal to change the name Redskins.
“It’s just historical truths, and I’d like them to understand, as I think most do, that the name really means honor, respect… A Redskin is a football player. A Redskin is our fans. The Washington Redskins fan base represents honor, represents respect, represents pride. Hopefully winning. And, and, it, it’s a positive. Taken out of context, you can take things out of context all over the place. But in this particular case, it is what it is. It’s very obvious,” Snyder said in an August interview with ESPN.
However, to the protestors, who peacefully held signs and handed out pamphlets, the term emphasizes deep-seeded racism in this country. As many of Mike Wise’s tweets pointed out, when you have men, women and children dissenting over a decision, it does not look good for the organization.
@artfuldodger59 Yeah, you're right, no one cares. pic.twitter.com/grDrz0xau2
— Mike Wise (@MikeWiseguy) December 11, 2014
About 125 protesters now headed into the mouth of the lion at FedEx Field. pic.twitter.com/H59UkvwCe1
— Mike Wise (@MikeWiseguy) December 28, 2014
Committed mom, social worker and sued by name-keeping Dan Snyder, . @blackhorse_a and fam protest at FedEx: pic.twitter.com/7WD0FaGDYt
— Mike Wise (@MikeWiseguy) December 29, 2014
Especially when you have drunk fans yelling and cursing at the protestors: highlight for worst caught on camera moment of the year, this fan who flipped off “a 6-year-old Navajo child named Justice, his mother and aunt.”
A "loyal fan" greets a 6-year-old Navajo child named Justice, his mother and aunt at today's #ChangeTheName protest pic.twitter.com/dfCrj8IRPi
— Mike Wise (@MikeWiseguy) December 28, 2014
Needless to say, things on both sides got a little heated: with Wise saying their were some nasty exchanges. Luckily, no reported fights broke out and the largest protest outside FedEx Field went off without a hitch.
I got one big fact wrong today. This proud Lakota child is a boy, not a girl. And, yes, HE took abuse from fans too. pic.twitter.com/2uI37SF95e
— Mike Wise (@MikeWiseguy) December 29, 2014
This photo of @zhaabowekwe, organizer of Sunday's protest at FedEx, says everything. #ChangeTheName #NotYourMascot pic.twitter.com/uqELH3CIbu
— Mike Wise (@MikeWiseguy) December 29, 2014
Notable celebrity Dick Gregory even joined in on the protest: according to Wise, this is “his second Native American protest against the Washington name in [the last] two months.”
Dick Gregory, the legend, attends his second Native American protest against Wash. name in two months. pic.twitter.com/jxDS2bNWva
— Mike Wise (@MikeWiseguy) December 28, 2014
Get the most-revealing celebrity conversations with the uInterview podcast!