TITLE: In Support of Efforts to Exert Economic Pressures against the Washington, DC National Football League Team
WHEREAS, we, the members of the National Congress of American Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants the inherent sovereign rights of our Indian nations, rights secured under Indian treaties and agreements with the United States, and all other rights and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and Constitution of the United States, to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise promote the health, safety and welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution; and
WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) was established in 1944 and is the oldest and largest national organization of American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments; and
WHEREAS, the name of the Washington, DC National Football League franchise is derogatory and disparaging to Native peoples; and
WHEREAS, on June 18, 2014 the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office canceled the trademark registration of the Washington, DC team on the grounds that the term “r*dskin” is a dictionary defined slur; and
WHEREAS, on July 8, 2015 a U.S. Federal District Judge upheld the ruling of the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office on the grounds that the term is disparaging to Native peoples; and
WHEREAS, one of the major corporate sponsors of the Washington football franchise is FedEx, a global package delivery company; and
WHEREAS, FedEx also holds naming rights to the arena of the Washington football team in Landover, Maryland; and
WHEREAS, NCAI had previously reached out to FedEx requesting them to drop their sponsorship of the Washington team but FedEx refused and NCAI has since switched its global package delivery provider; and
WHEREAS, a number of tribes and tribal entities have elected to boycott the use of FedEx services, including the Osage Nation, the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes, and the National Congress of American Indians.
WHEREAS, the United Parcel Service (UPS), also a global package delivery company, has stepped forward to support tribes by providing discounted services and charitable support for community betterment projects; and
WHEREAS, the tribes should move forward in an effort to build a relationship with UPS.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) supports the effort throughout Indian Country to boycott FedEx and exert economic pressure on the Washington football franchise to change its name; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution shall be the policy of NCAI until it is withdrawn or modified by subsequent resolution.