NFL's Washington Redskins lose trademark on team name

[QuantumPion]

 

[FerrelGeek]

Well neither was n!gg3r so by that logic no one should be bothered by the use of it

That term gets used a lot in the inner city / hip hop / rap culture.

 

[Zorba]

I am not old enough to know, but was beloved patriot every wildly used as a derogatory slur? Or was it just like calling someone black/brown?

I could understand the issue more if they were called the "Engines" or the "Salvages" but I just never though of the beloved patriot being a slur. Remember these same people have lead similar campaigns against the Indians and Braves. I also remember a time when there was a push against helicopter names like the Apache.

 

[CitizenKain]

I really don't get why so many people are upset at a team changing their name.

 

[Cozarkian]

I really don't get why so many people are upset at a team changing their name.

I don't think they are. They are upset at the government interfering to force a team to change its name.

 

[justoh]

I really don't get why so many people are upset at a team changing their name.

I don't think the owner wants to change the name. I think people are upset that he's being pressured to change the name, instead of the more reasonable approach of ignoring those complaining about it. Not saying that they aren't allowed to complain, of course, but it seems like special consideration is being given to their whining. Seems like the actual redskins should have registered the name before the football team did.

 

[nehalem256]

I am not old enough to know, but was beloved patriot every wildly used as a derogatory slur? Or was it just like calling someone black/brown?

I could understand the issue more if they were called the "Engines" or the "Salvages" but I just never though of the beloved patriot being a slur. Remember these same people have lead similar campaigns against the Indians and Braves. I also remember a time when there was a push against helicopter names like the Apache.

This post nicely illustrates the difference between Redskins and the n-word

Would anyone know redskins was a slur if anti Washington Redskins activists didn't bring it up?

 

[brycejones]

That picture is missing a liquor bottle, only the drunk Irish are the fighting Irish.

 

[fskimospy]

I don't think the owner wants to change the name. I think people are upset that he's being pressured to change the name, instead of the more reasonable approach of ignoring those complaining about it. Not saying that they aren't allowed to complain, of course, but it seems like special consideration is being given to their whining. Seems like the actual redskins should have registered the name before the football team did.

I think people aren't ignoring those complaining about it because they think they have a valid complaint. People ignoring what they consider to be a valid complaint doesn't seem very reasonable, does it?

I think that most people agree that the term beloved patriot is considered to be a derogatory racial term. Can you provide any other examples where derogatory racial terms currently hold valid trademarks? (genuine question. I'm not aware of any but there might be some)

 

[nehalem256]

I think people aren't ignoring those complaining about it because they think they have a valid complaint. People ignoring what they consider to be a valid complaint doesn't seem very reasonable, does it?

I think that most people agree that the term beloved patriot is considered to be a derogatory racial term. Can you provide any other examples where derogatory racial terms currently hold valid trademarks? (genuine question. I'm not aware of any but there might be some)

Eskimo Pies

 

[Thebobo]

Redskins respond

http://files.redskins.com/pdf/Statement-by-Bob-Raskopf-Trademark-Attorney-for-the-Washington-Redskins.pdf

We are confident we will prevail once again, and that the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board’s divided ruling will be overturned on appeal. This case is no different than an earlier case, where the Board cancelled the Redskins’ trademark registrations, and where a federal district court disagreed and reversed the Board.

As today’s dissenting opinion correctly states, “the same evidence previously found insufficient to support cancellation” here “remains insufficient” and does not support cancellation. This ruling – which of course we will appeal – simply addresses the team’s federal trademark registrations, and the team will continue to own and be able to protect its marks without the registrations. The registrations will remain effective while the case is on appeal.

When the case first arose more than 20 years ago, a federal judge in the District of Columbia ruled on appeal in favor of the Washington Redskins and their trademark registrations.

 

[fskimospy]

Eskimo Pies

Nope. Trademark was invalidated.

 

[Cozarkian]

I think that most people agree that the term beloved patriot is considered to be a derogatory racial term. Can you provide any other examples where derogatory racial terms currently hold valid trademarks? (genuine question. I'm not aware of any but there might be some)

The team name was changed from Braves to Redskins, apparently in honor of the coach, who was a Native American, but not a Brave. I don't know when they got the trademark, but why should you lose a trademark because society changes the connotation of a word?

If a charity (or maybe a wheelchair store) had named itself "Handicapped," should it lose the trademark when the politically correct term changed to disabled?

If someone created a company that helped people fulfill unusual or eccentric requests and named the company "Queer," should they have lost the trademark when that word became a derogatory slur? Should they get the trademark back when the word was embraced as a positive and fell out of use as a slur?

 

[justoh]

I think people aren't ignoring those complaining about it because they think they have a valid complaint. People ignoring what they consider to be a valid complaint doesn't seem very reasonable, does it?

I think that most people agree that the term beloved patriot is considered to be a derogatory racial term. Can you provide any other examples where derogatory racial terms currently hold valid trademarks? (genuine question. I'm not aware of any but there might be some)

Man, I can't win with you. Alright, I suppose it would be unreasonable of unreasonable people to ignore complaints they unreasonably consider valid.

I'm over the trademark issue. There's something about khoran wine here: https://en-maktoob.news.yahoo.com/whether-challenge-protect-offensive-trademarks-145035555.html. but it was rejected. "jesus jeans" was accepted in the us, but rejected in most other countries due to it being offensive. They make summary reference to there being other offensive trademarks, but don't say what they are, and I gave up looking after a couple minutes.

But on the first point, why do we need to take seriously people being offended over words, whether maliciously uttered/printed or not? Why are they valid complaints? Genuine question. It's incomprehensible to me.

 

[sactoking]

It hasn't been mentioned here yet, but even if the team ultimately loses the trademark it doesn't mean they can't defend the mark, it just makes it more difficult. With a trademark you have prima facie evidence of owning the mark, without the trademark you can still show you own the mark through evidence of prior use.

 

[fskimospy]

The team name was changed from Braves to Redskins, apparently in honor of the coach, who was a Native American, but not a Brave. I don't know when they got the trademark, but why should you lose a trademark because society changes the connotation of a word?

If a charity (or maybe a wheelchair store) had named itself "Handicapped," should it lose the trademark when the politically correct term changed to disabled?

If someone created a company that helped people fulfill unusual or eccentric requests and named the company "Queer," should they have lost the trademark when that word became a derogatory slur? Should they get the trademark back when the word was embraced as a positive and fell out of use as a slur?

Are you arguing that the USPTO should be required to issue and maintain trademarks on slurs?

 

[fskimospy]

Man, I can't win with you. Alright, I suppose it would be unreasonable of unreasonable people to ignore complaints they unreasonably consider valid.

I'm over the trademark issue. There's something about khoran wine here: https://en-maktoob.news.yahoo.com/whether-challenge-protect-offensive-trademarks-145035555.html. but it was rejected. "jesus jeans" was accepted in the us, but rejected in most other countries due to it being offensive. They make summary reference to there being other offensive trademarks, but don't say what they are, and I gave up looking after a couple minutes.

But on the first point, why do we need to take seriously people being offended over words, whether maliciously uttered/printed or not? Why are they valid complaints? Genuine question. It's incomprehensible to me.

There very well may be and if there are it seems a bit silly to single out the Redskins. I guess the squeaky wheel gets the grease though.

As for why we need to take people's offense seriously in some cases, it's because words frame perspective and meaning for the world. One of my favorite quotes is "to speak two languages is to have two souls", basically meaning that each language evokes a different way of understanding the world around you. When you allow derogatory terms about groups of people to enter the common lexicon, people can reasonably be concerned that others are allowing prejudicial and irrational ideas about them to be entered into the common understanding.

 

[TerryMathews]

Are you arguing that the USPTO should be required to issue and maintain trademarks on slurs?

I am arguing that they should be required to maintain trademarks they issued.

It's not like beloved patriot suddenly became a slur.

 

[fskimospy]

I am arguing that they should be required to maintain trademarks they issued.

It's not like beloved patriot suddenly became a slur.

So they shouldn't be able to revisit previous decisions that may have been made in error?

 

[Moonbeam]

They should be counted at a ratio of 6.014.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Can you honestly not see how "Redskins" is an offensive term, and Seminoles, Chiefs, and Braves, are not? This is way past due.

I think it's silly and I am of native American decent on my mother's side. Some of my ancestors died on the Trail of Tears. The "Redskins" in this context is fine by me. People need a pair and a thicker skin, "red" or not. The reservation system, the compensation for stolen land, broken promises- these are issues. The football teams name being the real offense? Not even a blip.

 

[CitizenKain]

Seems like the actual redskins should have registered the name before the football team did.

What an amazingly dumb thing to say. Where are you from, I want to bounce some team names off of whatever particular ethic group you are.

 

[nehalem256]

So they shouldn't be able to revisit previous decisions that may have been made in error?

When are you going to revisit your user name to a less offensive one?

 

[fskimospy]

When are you going to revisit your user name to a less offensive one?

When are you going to seek help for your pathological hatred of women?

 

[nehalem256]

When are you going to seek help for your pathological hatred of women?

Treating women as equal human beings capable of agency isn't hating them.

News headlines were made in New Zealand after a female Inuk tourist from Canada alleged that the use of 'Eskimo' was racially insulting.[9] The allegation was not positively received in New Zealand[10] and both the manufacturer and Cadbury Pascall, who produce the similarly named Eskimo marshmallow sweets, commented there were no plans to either rename the products or cease production

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eskimo_Pie

But considering that you have an anti NA slur as part of your username while complaining about the Redskins I can see why you have problems telling the difference.

Might I suggest

Hypocritespy or Ironyspy as new ones?