We request that Maryland’s Motor Vehicle Administration cease issuing "The Washington Redskins" license plates. Participation by the Redskins should either a) be revoked or b) require that the mascot be removed and the wording on the tags changed to "Washington Football."
Why is this important?
"Redskins" is, and always has been, a derogatory term that denigrates a race of people. Its use for commercial purposes is detestable and Maryland should not be providing a platform to promote it.
License plates are not about an individual's first amendment right to free speech. The Supreme Court ruled that State-issued tags are a government sponsored forum rather than a public forum and, therefore, the applicable standard is governmental speech. Legally, owners and fans may be free to call the team by whatever odious name they want in public. But Maryland has no obligation to condone their bigotry by including it on its plates.
