The Washington Commanders’ new logo was released to the public and appears on an alternate black NFL uniform. It appears on the team’s helmet and is the same “W” that appears on all other variations of the uniform, with one exception. There is a native amewrican spear running through the letter. According to a team spokesperson on social media, the new logo is a nod to the past, trying to celebrate the past with the present.

While there’s nothing wrong in general with a team celebrating its history, it actually is a case-by-case basis, and it depends on what the history of the team is. If the history that a team is trying to celebrate is one of a racist mascot that faced decades of protest before finally changing, it may not be the best idea to celebrate it. FC Bayern Munich isn’t incorporating a swastika into its logo any time soon. Those who forget their past are doomed to repeat it, and in this case, a team is remembering the past because they want to repeat it.

In a comment to USA Today, the Association of American Indian Affairs did not take lightly to the new logo, nor did they choose to celebrate it. “The Washington Commanders’ decision to update their logo is disappointing and inappropriate, to say the least. It is time to stop repeating this cycle and listen to Native Peoples who have been clear, consistent, and unwavering on the issue. We are not your mascot.”

Native American activist Suzan Harjo said that there are many folks in and around the DC area who long for a return to the old team name, and said, “It was a vile name. It was one of the vilest ever.”

Commanders New Logo And A History Of The Old

Every year on social media (the cradle of depolrables), a story that began in the early 2020’s about the Native American Guardians Association is regurgitated to the masses as a plea to return to acceptable racism. The group, which goes by NAGA, consists of about 5,000 volunteers and brought suit against the Commanders to return to the old team name in 2023. Everybody whose profile picture includes a Confederate flag shared the story and said, “See, they like the name.”

First of all, not all 5,000 volunteers are native americans. They are mostly white. Second, and more importantly, one of the groups that fought for more than half a century to remove the name was the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the oldest and largest native american orginzation in the world. They consist of over 140 tribes and have over a million total members. Is it weird that the same people who think 5,000 predominantly white people represent all the native americans in the world disagree with an organization that represents millions of actual native americans?

The truth is that native americans, real ones, not impostors, oppose the old Washington mascot. They are offended by it and take issue with the team trying to sneak a little of it back into the game. The NFL needs to step in and slap the commanders for even thinking it, and tell them to stick with just the W. It is a slippery slope that starts with a spear and ends with a return to ignorance. This needs to be nipped in the bud now, before it starts to bloom.