The hypocrites at Good Morning America have decided that, since the Washington Redskins are officially changing their name, the moniker must be racist. On Monday, the show’s journalists refused to say the word “Redskins,” awkwardly choosing instead to mention “Washington’s NFL team.” This is a convenient change for ABC, which previously freely used the name, including for a Dancing With the Stars plug. But it must not have been racist then, right?
Guest GMA co-host TJ Holmes opened the show by avoiding: “Also breaking overnight, Washington's NFL team set to make a major announcement about changing their controversial name after growing pressure from fans and sponsors.” Later, Holmes again opted not to say the word: “A source telling ESPN that Washington's NFL team expected to announce today that it's retiring its controversial nickname.”
Reporter Rachel Scott skipped the word Redskins too, instead smearing the team as institutionally racist: “Many have said the team has always been behind the times. It was the last NFL team to integrate. They have held on to this controversial name widely seen as racist for 87 years.”
Many have said? Nowhere in the segment is any mention of a 2004 Annenberg poll finding overwhelming support, 90 percent, for the name by Native Americans. In 2016, The Washington Post repeated the effort and found that 90 percent were not offended.
ABC journalists weren’t always so careful. Here’s Holmes on the November 25, 2019 GMA: “And rookie quarterbacks, you're looking at one right there. That is Dwayne Haskins of the Washington Redskins. He just got his first win ever as an NFL quarterback and he went and took a selfie.”
On the July 11, 2019 Nightline, reporter Linsey Davis worked in a plug for the network’s Dancing With the Stars. She also said the offending word:
Washington Redskins cornerback Josh Norman is having quite the off season. In the annual Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain, Norman showed some nerves of steel, jumping over this charging bull. Showing off similar moves when he dressed as a matador in season 26 of Dancing with the Stars.
CBS This Morning and NBC's Today both said the word Redskin on Monday, as has ABC in the more recent past. Perhaps the network didn’t know racism was wrong in 2019? Or maybe they’re just hypocrites now.
Last Week, CBS hammered the “bloody” Redskins name.
The hypocrisy at GMA was sponsored by Amazon and Capital One. You can contact them by clicking on the links.
A transcript of the segment is below. Click “expand” to read more.
Good Morning America
7/13/2020
7AM TEASE
TJ HOLMES: Also breaking overnight Washington's NFL team set to make a major announcement about changing their controversial name after growing pressure from fans and sponsors
…
7:16 AM ET
HOLMES: We want to turn to some major news out of the NFL. A source telling ESPN that Washington's NFL team expected to announce today that it's retiring its controversial nickname. Rachel Scott joins us from Washington. Rachel, this has been a years long and heated debate.
RACHEL SCOTT: You're right about that, TJ. and no word on the new name quarter but the team is expected to announce change is on the way. But look, many have said the team has always been behind the times. It was the last NFL team to integrate. They have held on to this controversial name widely seen as racist for 87 years. The team's owner making this reversal after previously saying he would never change the name and saying it honored native Americans. But now buckling after pressure after corporate sponsors and backers demanded for the change. Nike and Amazon stopped selling the team's merchandise online. FedEx which owns the naming rights to the stadium behind me came out and also driving that change. And, of course, lots of speculation on what the new name could potentially be. Some even tossing out the red tails in honor of the Tuskegee Airmen. Guys?
