On Monday, President Biden welcomed the 2021 World Series champion Atlanta Braves to the White House.
Should the Braves still be called the “Braves,” though?
The White House isn’t sure.
U.S. press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Monday that it’s important to have a “conversation” about a potential name change.
The Cleveland Guardians recently changed their name, moving away from the Indians. So, too, did the Washington Commanders in the NFL, moving away from Redskins.
“We believe that it’s important to have this conversation, you know, and Native American and indigenous voices, they should be at the center of this conversation,” Jean-Pierre said.
“That is something that the president believes, that is something this administration believes, and he has consistently emphasized that all people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect,” she added.
Unsurprisingly, many Atlanta Braves fans, including several politicians on the right, aren’t happy by this news.
President Biden, meanwhile, addressed the team at the White House on Monday.
“It was a rough start [last year], plagued by injuries. The All-Star break, not one day of a winning record. Given a 0.4 percent chance of winning on CNN. No, I’m only joking,” Biden went on.
“At any rate — but the franchise never quit. It never gave in. You rebuilt the whole outfield practically overnight. Play by play, inning by inning, you grinded and you ground it out, and you did it together.”