While all of the controversy surrounding the Redskins’ team name has (unfortunately) died down in recent months, there have been quite a few politicians who have come out and said that they do not support the NFL franchise continuing to use the name that it has used since its inception back in 1932. Last year, a group of 50 U.S. senators even signed a letter asking the NFL to force the Redskins to change their name to, well, anything else.
Jeb Bush doesn’t agree with any of those politicians. He doesn’t think politicians should have an opinion on the matter at all, but when he was asked about the controversy surrounding the Redskins’ name on the Sirius XM show “The Arena,” he revealed that he doesn’t mind the name or find it offensive.
“I don’t think they should change it,” he said, “but again, I don’t think politicians should have any say on that stuff, to be honest with you. I don’t find it offensive. Native American tribes generally don’t find it offensive. We had a similar flap with FSU if you recall, and the Seminole tribe itself came to the defense of the university and it subsided. It’s a sport for crying out loud. It’s a football team. Washington has a huge fan base. I just—I don’t know. I’m missing something, I guess.”
It’s worth nothing that, earlier this year, Bush’s Right to Rise SuperPAC accepted a $100,000 donation from Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, so it’s not shocking to hear Bush siding with Snyder, who has been adamant about not changing his team’s name. But it is a little surprising to hear him taking the “It’s a sport for crying out loud” approach to it. If nothing else, his comments should push the conversation about the Redskins' name back into the news.
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[via For The Win]
