RSSUnited States Patent & Trademark Office Cancels the Washington Redskins Trademark Registration … Says Football Team’s Name “Disparaging to Native Americans”
JUST CURIOUS, HOW WAS THE NAME “REDSKINS” CONSIDERED OK FOR 82 YEARS?
Don’t ask for things, you might just open Pandora’s box … The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office canceled the Washington Redskins’ trademark stating that Federal trademark law does not permit registration of trademarks that “may disparage” individuals or groups. However, the action does not prevent the NFL’s Washington Redskins from using the name, with no patent protection, the team could lose revenue from preventing others to produce and sell merchandise using the same name.
But of course it is only a coincidence that this issue has grown with the presence of a community agitator as president.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office canceled the Washington Redskins’ trademark registration on Wednesday, a move that won’t force the NFL team to change its name but fuels the intense fight by opponents to eliminate what they view as a racial slur against Native Americans.
The 99-page decision by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board said the team’s name and logo are disparaging. It dilutes the Redskins’ legal protection against infringement and hinders the team’s ability to block counterfeit merchandise from entering the country.
But its effect is largely symbolic. The ruling cannot stop the team from selling T-shirts, beer glasses and license-plate holders with the moniker or keep the team from trying to defend itself against others who try to profit from the logo.
From Eugene Volokh at the WAPO: 2-to-1 decision, Blackhorse v. Pro Football, Inc. (USPTO TTAB June 18, 2014). A quick excerpt:
[T]hese registrations must be cancelled because they were disparaging to Native Americans at the respective times they were registered, in violation of Section 2(a) of the Trademark Act of 1946, 15 U.S.C. § 1052(a) [which bars, in relevant part, registrations of marks that "may disparage ... persons, living or dead, institutions, beliefs, or national symbols, or bring them into contempt, or disrepute"]. This decision concerns only the statutory right to registration under Section 2(a). We lack statutory authority to issue rulings concerning the right to use trademarks.
Hmm, so who is next, the Cleveland Indians? And those of you at Atlanta Brave games doing the “tomahawk chop” will be arrested and cited for a hate crime.
Legal Insurrection opines, if the “Redskins” trademark is cancelled by USPTO as “disparaging,” are “Negro” and “Colored” next? So does that mean the United Negro College Fund and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People should have their trademarks revoked?
Other names up for consideration, the Washington Scandals, Washington Tyranny, Washington PC’s, or my personal favorite the Washington Waste.
Posted June 19, 2014 by Scared Monkeys First Amendment, Freedom of Speech, Government, NFL, Racism, United States, US Constitution, Washington Redskins, WTF | 8 comments |
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8 Responses to “United States Patent & Trademark Office Cancels the Washington Redskins Trademark Registration … Says Football Team’s Name “Disparaging to Native Americans””
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it is a shame that the democrat thug president and his lackeys would force an organization to change it’s name while the democrat communist senate passed a bill making sodomy and beastiality legal in our very own military. women and men being raped by the insurge of obama’s gays and transexzuals allowed to destroy and demoralize our troops.
This is just harassment without a valid reason by a government agency. The ball club should sue them immediately for acting outside their authority.
How quick we forget the greatest athlete in the world, Jim Thorpe? who was an American Indian! he also played for the Cleveland Indians, and never complained!!!
It’s just so uncommon for the patent and trademarks
office to just up and cancel a trademark (logo) based
on their view that some folks are offended from a
classic name for a football team. In fact the name is
allowed to persist everywhere, the Redskins just cannot
profit from the protections any longer. Doesn’t is sound
much more like our ‘little king’ had his hand directly in
the punishment of this team?
Is this still America?
of course our little illegal alien president is in on this. along with the withered old communist Harry Reid.
maybe the team should be named “the washingto wienies” or “the washington liars and thieves and fools” in honor of the senate and president.
I like changing the name to, “Capital Crusaders” with a picture of the statue of King Richard the lion heart at Parliament as the logo.
Then, we can start the fun all over again.
Or, just drop ‘Washington’ from the name, go with, “The Redskins” thus forcing the Leftist goofy sports reporters into a quandary.
How about moving the team to Oklahoma City, they already have an NBA team- then we can call them the Red People Redskins.
as for who’s next, how ’bout Notre Dame, the Boston Celtics or the San Diego Padres, the New Orleans Saints or the Minnesota Raping, Pillaging, Pirate Thug Murdering Conquerors? huh? huh? huh?