LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION condemning the promotion and marketing of
dictionary-defined racial slurs as school mascots

WHEREAS, City Councils and school boards across the country have called
for an end to the use of dictionary-defined racial slurs as sports team
names; and
WHEREAS, The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has
worked to halt the use of dictionary-defined racial slurs as team names;
and
WHEREAS, Many major news organizations have declared they will not
repeat the use of dictionary-defined racial slurs by sports teams; and
WHEREAS, Professional sports leagues have both the power and moral
obligation to halt individual franchises from promoting dictionary-de-
fined racial slurs; and
WHEREAS, The United States Government, through the Patent Office, has
identified "redskin" as "a derogatory slang term"; and
WHEREAS, Decades of social science research documents the negative
psychological, cultural and public health effects of the public
promotion of dictionary-defined racial slurs by sports teams; and
WHEREAS, State Legislatures have throughout history played a crucial
role speaking out on behalf of equal rights for all Americans; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body supports the equal treatment of all the
people of New York State and discourages the use of dictionary-defined
racial slurs as school mascots; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to,
out of respect for the diverse heritage of the United States of America,
urge owners of professional sports franchises to condemn the promotion
and marketing of dictionary-defined racial slurs, and refrain from using
them as names for school mascots.