Native Americans protest before the Minnesota Vikings and Washington game in Minneapolis. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
Get ready for a barrage of robocalls advocating for the Washington football team to change their name. The group of Native Americans advocating for Dan Snyder to change the team’s name will soon unleash a wave of recorded phone calls to households across the D.C. Metro area. It will be the first in a series of calls planned for the NFL off-season.
The robocalls, an initiative from the Change the Mascot campaign led by the Oneida Indian Nation and the National Congress of American Indians, will ask fans who “love the team, but hate the name” to contact the NFL’s Vice President of Social Responsibility, Anna Isaacson.
Here’s a full transcript of the recording, which goes ahead and calls out the fact that the team missed the playoffs…again:
Ian: Hi, I’m Ian Washburn
Josh: And I’m Josh Silver. We’re lifelong fans of Washington pro football.
Ian: After missing the playoffs again, it’s clear things need to change—including our team’s name.Josh: Native American tribes, national civil rights organizations, and elected officials from both parties agree. We represent America’s capital; and it’s time we demonstrate our commitment to the ideals of equality and civility.
Ian: Without the name, it’s still D.C. football; still honoring legends like Doug Williams and Joe Gibbs. You can stay a true fan, and also recognize the need for a mascot that doesn’t alienate and offend.
Josh: We’re asking other fans who love the team but hate the name to join us in contacting the NFL’s VP of Social Responsibility Anna Isaacson.
Ian: Let’s tell her and Commissioner Goodell that even D.C.’s fans want a new mascot. Remember, the name w as devised by former owner George Preston Marshall, an avowed racist and segregationist. Let’s do the right thing, turn the page, and ensure our future legacy is one of pride and respect.
Voiceover: Paid for by the Oneida Indian Nation, 315.
So yeah, love or hate the name, you’ll probably get a robocall soon.