Brooklyn, NY - Today, fifty United States Senators called on the National Football League to put pressure on the Washington professional football franchise to no longer use the racial slur “redsk*n” as its mascot. This comes days after the New York State Assembly unanimously passed a resolution (K1202) denouncing the use of racial slurs by professional sports teams. The sponsor of the resolution, Assemblyman and Chair of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus Karim Camara, issued the following statement praising the Senators:

“I applaud New York Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand along with the other forty eight United States Senators who stood up and said that the professional football team in our nation’s capital should not use a racial slur as its mascot. What message does it send to the rest of the world that the use of this word is not just tolerated but actually celebrated? When Washington plays a game, there is more going on than touchdowns and quarterback sacks. Every single time that racial slur is displayed or spoken, it’s a dagger into hearts and souls of Native Americans. This is about more than a game, it goes to the very core of our nation’s values.”