EXCLUSIVE

The Redskins is a racist team name ... so says Katt Williams who tells TMZ he's SHOCKED that Americans have tolerated such an offensive moniker for so many years. 

Katt -- who wasn't arrested or accused of any wrongdoing last night -- was in Malibu when we asked about the renewed effort to get the team to change its name.

"Do you know how racist that is?" Katt said ... explaining, "That would be like saying the Chinese Yellowskins or the Compton Blackskins."

He added, "Can you please not keep disrespecting the people we already admit we did wrong to?"