Yesterday saw the launch of #BlackoutTuesday, a social media movement where Instagram and Twitter users posted a black square in solidarity with the protests over the killing of George Floyd. The movement was controversial, in and of itself, and that was before the Washington football team got involved.
The team posted a #BlackoutTuesday post to its Twitter yesterday afternoon, and was quickly roasted by all sorts of people, up to and including the congresswoman representing New York’s 14th congressional district, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The main argument: A team with a racist nickname needs to examine itself before it tries to join an online movement, however misguided, fighting racism.
— Erick Fernandez (@ErickFernandez) June 2, 2020
Want to really stand for racial justice? Change your name. https://t.co/XTlIJrfNx4
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 2, 2020
Your team name is a slur. Yeah, no. https://t.co/yozNimMU7E
— FORM A WALL (@_shireenahmed_) June 2, 2020
LMFAOOOOOOOOOOOO https://t.co/mGldpJbK18
— giabuchi (@jaboukie) June 2, 2020
*Stares in Native* https://t.co/Dz7qAbyJLN
— Lucas Brown Eyes (@LucasBrownEyes) June 2, 2020
very cool, now do your team name
— shr*mp b*nch says bIm (@shrimpbinch) June 2, 2020
I need you to reflect on this one for a moment
— mork (@karlmorx) June 2, 2020
This is ironic.
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) June 2, 2020
My colleague at USA TODAY Sports Scott Gleeson reached out to the team this morning for comment, but did not immediately get an email returned. We will update the post if the team makes a statement.
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