Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has called for the Washington Redskins need to change their name.
“I think [Washington Redskins owner Dan] Snyder is so short-sighted on this,” Reid told The Hill on Wednesday. “We live in a society where you can’t denigrate a race of people. And that’s what that is. I mean you can’t have the Washington Blackskins. I think it’s so short-sighted.”
Reid has previously said that it “probably would be a good idea if they change the name.”
Reid joins President Barack Obama, who has said that the would consider changing the team name if he owned the team, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi in advocating for a name change.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has said that even “if one person is offended,” the NFL has to listen even though nearly 80% of Americans, according to most recent AP poll, do not believe the Redskins should change their name. Snyder has vowed that he would “NEVER” change the team’s name, but has been under increasing pressure to consider a name change.