Is it wrong for the Washington Redskins to have to change their name?

If they really wanted the team name to be less upsetting to people they should rename them the Maryland Redskins.

Change the logo to a potato, then everyone can shut up about it.

This is nothing but political correctness run amok, and demagoguery on the part of the Democratic party. History( i.e. facts) show us that the person who came up with the name and emblem wasn't some old white guy who was an evil, racist fart, but a Native American. Over 80% of all Native Americans polled agreed that the term is not offensive to them, and they fail to see what the hubbub is about. It appears that this is nothing more of the same; the Democratic Party telling people what they should/shouldn't be offended over, and if they still won't be offended, be offended for them! There are about a million things more important that the Senate in particular, and the Government as whole, should be concentrating on. This is absolutely ridiculous.

As a Dallas fan I stand shoulder to shoulder with our Redskin rival. That NFL ex-ref Cary sucks and so do the people whose biggest issue is a name. For crying out loud, rape is rampant on the reservation. I bet the victims would rather have the name change to offset the bad done on the reservations. I saw the pain and misery because of alcohol and sexual assault.

This country is getting to politically correct in my opinion.

I am offended by the fact that I am offended by offensive offensiveness. I stop counting...lol

Sometimes, politicians and "political correctness" go to far...

If its offensive to a large demographic of our society, and it is, then change the name, its pretty cut and dried.
Money will be there, its the NFL, and there is so much $$ to be made with rebranding its rediculous...

On one hand I think the franchise has treated their icon with the greatest of respect over the years; on the other I'd love to hear some suggestions for a new sobriquet, it could be a hoot.
Not that many years ago the Washington Bullets change their name to the more PC Wizards. It always is good for a chuckle when a bunch of drunken fans get up and cheer "Let's GO WIZ"...and so they would:-)

I think they should change it to the Washington Piscataways (the group of Algonquian who inhabited Maryland/DC area)... Yes, there are a bunch of you who will stumble on the proper pronunciation.

Yes, people who want to be offended will always find something offensive if they look hard enough.

But every other team name that people are listing as possibly offensive was at one point a nickname for a group of people that they themselves used. Notre Dame U. was started by Irish people, and Irish people created the "Fighting Irish" team name.

"Redskins" was never a positive term. Never. It's a leftover from a really ugly period of America's history. It should have never been a team name to begin with, and there's no reason for it to be a team name now.

Are we going to change the Atlanta Braves as well?

Now they are targeting the Kansas City Chiefs because of their name!

Well I guess the word Chief is offensive too.
[url]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/26/plaintiff-in-redskins-patent-case-urges-chiefs-to-change-their-name/[/url]

The only thing wrong is that the team was named this to begin with. People need to brush up on their history and stop looking the other way. Native Americans in the past have been referred to as the "Red man" which is pretty derogatory if you ask me. That's like calling Asians "Yellow skins". The Redskins team name should have changed long before the Washington Bullets were renamed the Wizards. That got changed because people were uncomfortable with the weapon reference. Seriously...give me a break. At least that name wasn't a racial stereotype.

Though I'm not a redskin's fan, I think that it's wrong because of the fact that it's been socially acceptable up to this point and they are already a nationally recognized institution.  So why now make a change, when it's what we're used to.  It doesn't promote racial segregation nor does it promote racism, in my opinion....they are just a football team.

There are too many groups in America today. Instead of being Irish-American, German-American, African-American, Mexican-American, etc. We should all just concentrate on being Americans. We are one big family and we are going to hurt each other from time to time but the important part is that we recognize it and recover instead of dwelling on the bad. I leave you all with this great speech by John Wayne.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fuzLTrwVbc

It is a derogatory term, plain and simple. It needs to be changed.

A part of my ethnic background is Navajo, so though I am ethnically Native American, I am truly American for having been born in the United states and further I am a patriotic American for having served my country. Having said that, reading many of the responses here, I see a great deal of emotion tied into this subject. Frankly I think that mistakes were made with Native American groups. The biggest IMHO, is allowing them to maintain sovereignty and entitlements. I firmly believe just as in any other conquest, the losing side is absorbed into the winning side culture. Maintaining identity, culture, customs, etc. is certainly acceptable. Now having stated that as sovereign nations I do not believe they should have a voice in how any one business, organization, individual conducts themselves. It would be as if Mexico decided they didn't like the look of the Sombrero guy on a taco stand. I am proud to be "Native American" but I do think they have bigger fish to fry; such as combating rampant alcoholism, crime, abuse etc. I read earlier where someone stated this was frivolous and was downvoted. Well in the bigger picture a sports team logo is not as important as many other social injustices which need greater attention drawn to them.

Where is everyone getting the idea that anyone is forcing them to change their name, btw?
The ruling was that they can't trademark that term. No one has ever said or insinuated that they will be forced to change the name of the team. Someone watching too much cable news hysteria?