Eric Morrow of BuzzFeed News is spreading the word that someone has put together an elaborate hoax to make it look like the Washington Redskins are changing their name to the Washington Redhawks. The hoax consists of mock-ups of news stories on sites like The Washington Post and Bleacher Report.
There's an elaborate hoax going around about the Washington Redskins changing their name to the Redhawks. Someone made fake WaPo, ESPN, SI and Bleacher Report pages for it (the urls are all wrong) pic.twitter.com/KoadRYdwjX
— Eric Morrow (@morroweric) December 13, 2017
The Redskins are aware of the fake news pages and issued a brief statement assuring fans that the team name isn’t going anywhere.
Statement from the Washington #Redskins pic.twitter.com/u3DQJFiFXi
— Washington Redskins (@Redskins) December 13, 2017
Somebody put some work into this hoax, even mocking up a home page with a Redhawks logo and a press release.
It's very well done. Whoever's behind the publicity stunt also made a fake Washington Redhawks page (based on the real Washington Redskins site) with a fake press release. pic.twitter.com/Hb7t2pbxRw
— Peter Sterne (@petersterne) December 13, 2017
The fake team site was what threw me for a loop the most. It looked exactly like the NFL template and the url wasn't an obvious fake
— Eric Morrow (@morroweric) December 13, 2017
Yeah, I don't think it's just supposed to be a fake news hoax. I think it's supposed to show how simple it would be to switch the name. Instead of "change the name to something else," the campaign will become "change it to Redhawks like this"
— Peter Sterne (@petersterne) December 13, 2017
But then why make fake sites that you have to know will get mistaken for the real thing? Maybe this is a stunt to see how easy news orgs bite on something? I really don't know
— Eric Morrow (@morroweric) December 13, 2017
I think it's a publicity stunt, but I don't think the aim is to show how easy it is to trick news organizations. I think the goal is to show realistic it would be to change the name.
— Peter Sterne (@petersterne) December 13, 2017
I think it's actually a pretty brilliant way to bring the conversation forward again and make them yet again defend using a racist slur as a team name
— Sarah Wyatt (@sawyatt) December 13, 2017
Yeah, after reading Deadspin's recap and seeing where this came from, that's what this was. Which is definitely a new way to shine a spotlight on something.
— Eric Morrow (@morroweric) December 13, 2017
There's even a dedicated Twitter account! Lot of effort out in to this. https://t.co/pp2WNW6PDx pic.twitter.com/z5n3IsPdBY
— Big (Toot) Cat (@AVKingJames) December 13, 2017
Yes, there is a working website and Twitter account, all to show how easy it would be to change the name. The website does come with a disclaimer:
DISCLAIMER: This website is a parody and is not endorsed by the Washington football team, the NFL, Dan Snyder, or any of their affiliates because, in 2017, these people think it’s still OK to use a racial slur for their mascot. This website was created by Native advocates to help us all imagine how easy and powerful changing the mascot could be. See our press release for more details.
However, the Redskins have already said the name is staying. What does the public think of the team’s statement?
Commitment to racism. https://t.co/jNTKCxkrXR
— Nyasha Junior (@NyashaJunior) December 13, 2017
"We've been made aware that we are racist. We will remain racist for the future." https://t.co/dfLT6jJWUY
— Luna "Ban the Nazis" Brekke (@Glsases) December 13, 2017
Y'all are awful https://t.co/BMJPcFK23e
— Kofie (@KofieYeboah) December 13, 2017
These people really have no shame in being openly and stubbornly racist. https://t.co/StXWfoFFOq
— October (@chiitaani) December 13, 2017
There is a special place in hell for you https://t.co/KIvWGkWbaI
— Flying Guillotines Here They Come (@jaybeware) December 13, 2017
That escalated quickly.
https://t.co/gtGlVD29WI Your name is indicative of the biased and racism still existing against Indigenous people as well as the white supremacy that allows you to pretend it doesn't exist.
— Sahoni (@Sahoni_Stuff) December 13, 2017
“The name of the team is racist and will remain racist until it’s changed in the future.” #WashingtonRedhawks https://t.co/s6q8CCH9Pk
— Asdzáá Nez (@canoecanoa) December 13, 2017
This debacle made me realize that I desperately want the @Redskins to change their name. I actually liked Redhawks and I loved the logo. As a progressive, likely the most hypocritical aspect of my life is my fandom for this stupid terrible team with its racist name. https://t.co/FSpEA8yGmi
— Sarah (@GreenEyedSarah) December 13, 2017
I'm gonna cheer for you guys no matter what the name is, because I love football and I love my hometown. But Snyder's ownership has robbed a great fanbase of a once great organization. It's time for you and Bruce to leave. Fans just want to cheer for a respectable franchise again https://t.co/jRFhaj8Oxa
— Zach Eisenhour (@the_OG_great_8) December 13, 2017
Football is garbage. https://t.co/jo1t8oyD4t
— Chris Barton (@chrisbarton) December 13, 2017
Show of hands … anyone up for the Washington Redhawks?
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Related:
Washington Redskins seek support against Harry Reid’s name change crusade; Fury and snark erupt
