In what might be the most significant pressure put on Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder to change his team's name, the United States Patent and Trademark Office has canceled the team's trademarks on the basis that it is "disparaging to Native Americans." In its 2-1 ruling issued on Wednesday, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, an independent tribunal within the USPTO, wrote that it was charged with determining only whether the trademark was offensive to the people it referenced, not the entire U.S. population. Five Native Americans, representing four tribes, brought the case against the league in 2006. Although the Redskins name and past logos are involved in the decision, the trademarks that were canceled do not include the current Redskins logo. "Petitioners have found a preponderance of evidence that a substantial amount of Native Americans found the term Redskins to be disparaging when used in connection with professional football," the ruling said. "While this may reveal differing opinions with the community, it does not negate the opinions of those who find it disparaging." The ruling does not force the NFL or Snyder to change the name, but trademarks registered between 1967 and 1990 will no longer be protected under federal law if the NFL and the Redskins lose an appeal to the U.S. District Court. Source: ESPN
Big Brother has spoken. Never thought I'd see the day. This decision just cost Snyder megabucks. For as anti-litigious as I am, I'd like Snyder to enlist the help of Donald Sterling and sue the crap out of those rods. What's next? Cleveland losing their patent protection because these narrow-minded twerps think that Browns infers a slanderous jab at African Americans?
What about the Florida Seminoles? Cleveland Indians? Are they going to go after them as well? Dallas Cowboys? Cowboys killed Indians...would it be alright if a team named themselves after Hitler or a terrorist group?
Add the Chiefs to the list. Time to start thinking of some alternative names for any team vulnerable to the idiocy in DC.
Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but I heard one of the local sports radio stations say this morning that Snyder will make a boatload of money once the name change takes effect. Right or wrong?
Chicago Blackhawks. Atlanta Braves. And what about the Fighting Irish Logo...that's not flattering to the Irish...
Phucking pussification liberal political correctness of America. Not like Washington has any other crap to clean up.
Good point. I'd imagine some waste of space bureaucrat is figuring some way to ban the Tomahawk Chop at Turner Field and Arrowhead about now.
When this is all over and the Redskins are no more, will the government go after the military and their helicopters? The Apache, Black Hawk, Comanche, Cheyenne, Chinook, Kiowa, and Lakota.
