WASHINGTON — A prominent church has taken a stand against the Washington Redskins, calling for its members to boycott games and merchandise until both the team’s name and mascot change.
At its national conference on Monday in Ohio, the United Church of Christ passed a resolution calling for the team and the National Football League to scrap the name and any images that could be hurtful to Native Americans.
“More and more folk understand that the imagery of the mascots are important, how you describe one another is important,” says Rev. John Deckenback, the conference minister representing the Central Atlantic.
He noted the symbolism associated with the Confederate flag has recently provoked calls for its removal.
The church, with nearly 1 million members, has often been on the forefront of promoting social changes
“Ten years ago the United Church of Christ was the first mainline Protestant denomination to call for marriage equality,” Deckenback says.
Team owner Dan Snyder has vowed the team’s name will never change under his watch.
The Redskins did not immediately return requests for comment on the church’s resolution.
