Bill Text: NJ AR178 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Calls on retailers in New Jersey to voluntarily stop selling merchandise with Washington, D.C. National Football League team's name.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-10-16 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee [AR178 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-AR178-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman PATRICK J. DIEGNAN, JR.
District 18 (Middlesex)
Assemblyman RALPH R. CAPUTO
District 28 (Essex)
SYNOPSIS
Calls on retailers in New Jersey to voluntarily stop selling merchandise with Washington, D.C. National Football League team's name.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution calling on retailers in New Jersey to voluntarily stop selling merchandise with the name of the Washington, D.C. National Football League team.
Whereas, The name of the Washington, D.C. National Football League (NFL) team is racist and derogatory, and perpetuates harmful stereotypes of the Native peoples of the United States; and
Whereas, The Washington, D.C. NFL team's name is an artifact of a time when racism was more accepted in the dominant culture of the United States, and the use of racist caricatures was a common practice in advertising; and
Whereas, Many Native Americans, as well as other champions of civil rights, have long condemned the use of racist brands and slogans, and have called for changes from the responsible parties; and
Whereas, The National Congress of American Indians, the nation's oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization serving the broad interests of tribal governments and communities, established an organizational campaign to end harmful stereotypes in 1968, and has repeatedly called for the team to stop using its offensive name; and
Whereas, On June 18, 2014, the United States Trademark Trial and Appeal Board revoked the trademark of the team, recognizing that the team's name was disparaging of Native Americans, when used in relation to professional football services; and
Whereas, There are retailers in the State of New Jersey that perpetuate the derogatory language and imagery used by the team and profit by selling products that are branded with its name; and
Whereas, By refusing to sell merchandise of this racist and derogatory brand, retailers can disassociate themselves with these harmful stereotypes, and put pressure on the team to change its name; and
Whereas, It is fitting and proper for this House to call on all retailers in the State of New Jersey to voluntarily stop selling merchandise that carries the name of the Washington, D.C. NFL team, in an effort to end the use of this harmful and racist brand; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House respectfully calls on all retailers in the State of New Jersey to voluntarily stop selling merchandise that carries the name of the Washington, D.C. National Football League team.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the New Jersey Retail Merchants Association, the New Jersey Business and Industry Association, the National Sporting Goods Association, the Commissioner of the National Football League, and to the owners and general manager of the Washington, D.C. National Football League team.
STATEMENT
This Assembly resolution calls on all retailers in the State of New Jersey to stop selling merchandise that carries the name of the Washington, D.C. National Football League (NFL) team.
The name of the Washington, D.C. NFL team is racist and derogatory, and perpetuates harmful stereotypes of the Native peoples of the United States. There are retailers in the State of New Jersey that perpetuate the derogatory language and imagery used by the team and profit by selling products that are branded with its name. By refusing to sell merchandise of this racist and derogatory brand, retailers can disassociate themselves with these harmful stereotypes, and put pressure on the team to change its name.
