The Oneida Native American tribe announced Thursday that it will launch a radio ad campaign urging the Washington Redskins to change their name.

The upstate New York tribe will run the first ad on Washington radio stations before the Washington Redskins' season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles which takes place Monday night. The ads' purpose is to get Roger Goodell, NFL commissioner, to "stand up to the bigotry," Ray Halbritter, Oneida Nation representative, said. In order to do this, Halbritter said that Goodell must get rid of the "racial slur" present in the Washington football team's name.

"We do not deserve to be called redskins," Halbritter said in the ad. "We deserve to be treated as what we are...Americans."

The radio ads will not be the first time Goodell and the Redskins have heard this criticism. Ten members of Congress sent letters to Goodell and Dan Snyder, Washington Redskins owner. The letters from Congress also requested a name change.

Snyder vowed never to change the Washington Redskins name.

"The name from its origin has always intended to be positive and has always been used by the team in a highly respectful manner," Brian McCarthy, NFL spokesman, said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.

According to McCarthy, the NFL does "respect that reasonable people may have differing views."

The Oneida ads will run on several Washington stations. Following Monday's opener, the ads will continue to air during Redskins home games. When the team is away, the ads will play on radio stations in which the Redskins are playing.

According to an Oneida spokesman, the ads cost "multiple thousands."

Halbritter is also asking fans to support the cause by contacting the NFL. Soon, the tribe will launch a web site where supporters can do just that.

"We believe that with the help of our fellow professional football fans, we can get the NFL to realize the error of its ways and make a very simple change," Halbritter said in a statement.

The Washington Redskins have yet to make a statement on the matter.

The radio ads also mention Riley Cooper, Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver. Cooper was recorded on video saying "I will jump that fence and fight every n*gger here, bro," during a fight. The ad praises Goodell's criticism of the incident and requests similar response from the commissioner regarding the Redskins' name.