Washington retires Redskin name and logo, WNY reacts to "long overdue" change

Washington retires Redskin name and logo, WNY reacts to "long overdue" change

NEW TONIGHT -- THESENECA NATION ISRESPONDING TONEWS THAT THEWASHINGTONREDSKINS WILLCHANGE THEIRNICKNAME AND LOGO.THE SENECAS SAYTHIS WAS LONGOVERDUE.... AND NOW-- BIG CHANGESCOULD ALSO BE INSTORE FOR A LOCALSCHOOL DISTRICT.HERE'S 7 EYEWITNESSNEWS REPORTERJENNA CALLARI.KEITH: "REDSKINS IS ARACIST NAME.

THATNAME SYMBOLIZES THEWAY THAT NATIVESHAVE BEEN TREATED."CHANGE IS COMING TOTHE NFL AFTER YEARSOF CRITICISM.

THEWASHINGTONREDSKINS -- NO MORE.DONALD GRINDE: "IBRING ALONG A COPYOF MERRIAM WEBSTERDICTIONARY AND ITSAYS, REDSKINS: ARACIAL SLUR."IT'S A NAME CHANGEMANY CALL LONGOVERDUE.

SENECANATION PRESIDENTRICKY ARMSTRONGSAID IN PART, "IF THEREEVER WAS A MOMENTTO MAKE A STATEMENTABOUT HOW WE CANSTART TOSUCCESSFULLY MOVEBEYOND THECARICATURE ANDNEGATIVEREPRESENTATIONS OFNATIVE CULTURE, THISIS IT."DONALD: "THE UNITEDSTATES IS BECOMING AMULTI-RACIAL SOCIETY.BLACK LIVES MATTERHAS ACCENTUATEDTHAT.

WE MUSTRESPECT ALL PEOPLE."IT'S SOMETHINGWESTERN NEW YORKKNOWS WELL.

BACK IN2015, LANCASTER HIGHSCHOOL GOT RID OFTHEIR REDSKINMASCOT FOLLOWINGCALLS FOR CHANGEFROM OTHERSCHOOLS.KEITH: "I FOUND THATMOST OF THE PEOPLE -THERE WAS ALWAYS APROBLEM OF OH IT'STRADITIONAL, IT'S AHISTORIC NAME..

BUTMOST OF THEM DIDN'TUNDERSTAND WHY ITWAS OFFENSIVE."ACCORDING TO A 2013REPORT FROM THENATIONAL CONGRESSOF AMERICAN INDIANS,MORE THAN 2,000REFERENCESOFFENSIVE TO NATIVEAMERICANS HAVE BEENELIMINATED FROM ALLLEVELS OF SPOTSSINCE THE LATE 1970S.AND MORE CHANGECOULD BE ON THE WAY.JAMESTOWN PUBLICSCHOOLS POSTED THISMESSAGE ON THEIRWEBSITE REGARDINGTHEIR SCHOOLMASCOT, THE REDRAIDERS.

PLANS ARE INPLACE TO HAVE ACOMMUNITYCONVERSATION.KEITH: "ANYCARICATURE THATSYMBOLIZES ASPECTSABOUT NATIVEAMERICANS ARE THETHINGS THEY'RE GOINGTO REJECT OR WANTTO GET RID OF."BECAUSE IT'S ALLABOUT MAKINGPROGRESS..

HAVINGIMPORTANTCONVERSATIONS..

ANDTAKING STEPS IN THERIGHT DIRECTION.DONALD: "FOR SOLONG, THERE WERETHINGS YOU COULDN'TDO TO OTHER PEOPLEOF COLOR BUT YOUCOULD STILL DO TONATIVE PEOPLE.

THAT'SCHANGING..

AND THAT'SA GOOD SIGN NOT JUSTFOR US, BUT FOREVERY GROUP."IN BUFFALO, JENNACALLARI, 7EYEWITNESS NEWS.WE THANK YOU F