article_snippet: (CNN)For years, Native Americans have called on Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder to change the team's name.
article_snippet: And, in my view, that outweighs the arguments of Washington Redskins advocates who defend the team's name as a symbol of team pride.
article_snippet: Many have made the argument that Native Americans like me are trampling on the First Amendment when we call for the Washington football team to change the Washington football team name.
article_snippet: Even the ACLU does not support the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's decision to cancel federal trademark protection of the Washington football team's use of the word "redskins.
article_snippet: In June of last year, the USPTO had repealed six of the Washington football team's seven trademarks, finding the r-word is "disparaging to Native Americans.
article_snippet: Although Even the ACLU agrees the team name is "offensive and perpetuates racism against Native Americans," the team name cannot support what the team name refers to as language policing. "...
article_snippet: government isn't telling the Washington football team Washington government can't use the r-word.
article_snippet: According to the USPTO, Snyder and Snyder ilk can keep using the team name -- Snyder just won't have federal trademark protection.
article_snippet: Last month, Democratic Rep. Mike Honda of California filed a bill that would ban existing and future teams that use the r-word from receiving federal trademark protection.
article_snippet: Democratic Rep. Mike Honda of California told me Democratic Rep. Mike Honda of California's "disappointed" that Even the ACLU would defend the Washington team, which Democratic Rep. Mike Honda of California refers to as "a multi-billion dollar company profiting off a racial slur."
article_snippet: The First Amendment is not the issue here -- no one, including the Washington football team, would be prohibited from using the name," Democratic Rep. Mike Honda of California wrote in an email.
article_snippet: the Washington football team would only lose the Washington football team exclusive rights to the Washington football team.