'Redskin' licence plate causes Moncton social media storm

A social-media storm is brewing over a licence plate stamped with what many consider to be a racially offensive word.

Moncton, N.B., resident Norm Moore has had such a plate for about thirty years. It shows him as a fan of Washington, D.C.s football team: the Redskins.

Moore used to live in Washington.

"Down there, religion is football. It's not going to church on Sunday, it's football. And if you don't own or have something that is Redskin, you're not part of the community," he said.

Hes hung a Redskinplate on the 18 cars hes had since 1985. But Thursday, someone took a photo of it and posted it to Twitter.

The term is considered a slur against aboriginal people and many have urged the football team to change its nickname. U.S. President Barack Obama backed that stance.

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Public Safety New Brunswick says every vanity plate is approved by the registrars office after being checked against a list of offensive words.

But Moore's current plates were issued 12 years ago, when the term may not have not have been considered so controversial.

Moore heard the criticism and decided to change his plate.

It does apparently affect Native Americans and Native Canadians, so I can understand that. If they don't want their names used the way we, or I, was doing it, then I'm going to respect that and change the plate, he said.

Hes switching toPepper 2, named after his dog.