Redskins Owner: “Time to Focus on Reality”

Dan Snyder is ready for people to think about more important issues than the name of his team and said so today in a rare moment when he took questions from reporters. The Washington Redskins’ owner was attending a ceremony at a local high school celebrating that his organization is donating money to refurbish the school’s sports field.

“We understand the issues out there, and we’re not an issue,” Snyder said. “The real issues are real-life issues, real-life needs, and I think it’s time that people focus on reality.”

Snyder, while apparently no closer changing the name of his team, has certainly begun to do what he feels is necessary to prove his point that it doesn’t need changing. Recently he and some of his staff visited several Native American reservations to get views of the people that really count in this fight. In his letter to Redskins Nation on March 24 he described the intent:

‘So over the past four months, my staff and I travelled to 26 Tribal reservations across twenty states to listen and learn first-hand about the views, attitudes, and experiences of the Tribes.  We were invited into their homes, their Tribal Councils and their communities to learn more about the extraordinary daily challenges in their lives.’

This effort was appreciated by several of the people he encountered.

“I appreciated your sincerity to learn about our culture and the real-life issues we face on a daily basis,” Pueblo of Zuni Governor Arlen Quetawki told Snyder and his staff after they had toured the reservation.  “I look forward to working together with you to improve the lives of Native Americans in any way possible.”

In his continuing effort at showing both his respect for the name of his team – which he calls a ‘badge of honor,’ and that he is not oblivious to the problems of the Native Americans, last month he established a foundation to assist American Indian tribes.

 ‘The mission of the Original Americans Foundation is to provide meaningful and measurable resources that provide genuine opportunities for Tribal communities,’ he wrote in his March 24 letter. ‘With open arms and determined minds, we will work as partners to begin to tackle the troubling realities facing so many tribes across our country. Our efforts will address the urgent challenges plaguing Indian country based on what Tribal leaders tell us they need most.  We may have created this new organization, but the direction of the Foundation is truly theirs.’

Snyder was also asked about a few lighter subjects, one of which was the signing of former Philadelphia Eagles’ wide out DeSean Jackson.  His answer no doubt summed up the feelings of a huge number of fans of his team.

“That’s going to be exciting — and not just the two games against Philly,” Snyder said. “We got tired of seeing him score a lot of touchdowns against us.”

Hail.