Redskins name change: DC council member proposes team change their name
Redskins name change: Councilmember David Grosso, an at-large independent, says the name is 'racist and derogatory,' and that 'it's time to make a change.'
Washington Redskins' Marko Mitchell puts his helmet on in 2009.
Alex Brandon/AP/File
WASHINGTON
A D.C. Councilmember plans to introduce a resolution that calls on the WashingtonRedskins聽to聽change聽their聽name.
Councilmember David Grosso (GRAH'-so), an at-large independent, says the聽name聽is "racist and derogatory," and that "it's time to make a聽change."
Grosso says a majority of his fellow councilmembers have agreed to co-sponsor the nonbinding resolution.
The team's nickname has been the subject of renewed debate in recent months. A group of Native Americans has launched a new court battle to deny the team federal trademark protection, which would essentially force a聽name聽change.
Grosso's resolution suggests "Redtails" as a new nickname. He says it would honor the Tuskegee Airmen and allow the team to maintain its fight song and color scheme with a few minor聽changes.