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Patent office cancels Redskins trademarks

Ockham said:
I would bet this all has to do with merchandizing and money. People are getting rich off the name "Redskins" and certain people are objecting because they want to wet their beak a little and aren't getting the opportunity.
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Possibly. But more than that, I see the ugly head of political correctness driving the process--that concept that we must all think alike, embrace the same values (theirs), and be punished if we step out of line. And I can't shake the fact that it could even have the ultimate purpose of a giant, mostly bloodless coup that would allow the government to order a specific society into existence with full authority to discipline or punish any who failed to toe the required mindset and behavior. Once accomplished, the Constitution of the United States would effectively no longer exist at least as having any power whatsoever. And THAT would be the ultimate goal of would be dictators.
 
radcen said:
I'm sure some people actually are offended, but for the most part, no, I don't think so.
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But can you think of any way that any person is actually harmed or compromised or demeaned or belittled or shamed or embarrassed or deprived of any liberty, opportunity, option, choice etc. because of that team name? On what basis is a person offended? If I didn't like the team name--and personally I am ambivalent about it other than it is considered the No. 1 rival of MY team :)--I honestly cannot find any words to articulate a rationale for why it is offensive.
 
Pretty soon Irish Americans will be up in arms because of the mascot of the University of Notre Dame. Atheists will want most of the town and city names in California changed because they refer to saints - to say nothing about that team in New Orleans. Perhaps Cowboys will get angry and storm in from the cattle drive. I guess we need animal names for all the teams. The animals can't complain. I'm embarrassed about what our society has become.
 
AlbqOwl said:
But can you think of any way that any person is actually harmed or compromised or demeaned or belittled or shamed or embarrassed or deprived of any liberty, opportunity, option, choice etc. because of that team name? On what basis is a person offended? If I didn't like the team name--and personally I am ambivalent about it other than it is considered the No. 1 rival of MY team :)--I honestly cannot find any words to articulate a rationale for why it is offensive.
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No, but that's a different question.

People have the right to be offended, and some people are simply hyper-sensitive. We, however, as a society at-large, should recognize this and not pander to it. For example, I have heard people say that discrimination is "whatever the receiver says it is". That's patently absurd. There needs to be some baseline for society to work with.
 
fmw said:
Pretty soon Irish Americans will be up in arms because of the mascot of the University of Notre Dame. Atheists will want most of the town and city names in California changed because they refer to saints - to say nothing about that team in New Orleans. Perhaps Cowboys will get angry and storm in from the cattle drive. I guess we need animal names for all the teams. The animals can't complain. I'm embarrassed about what our society has become.
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Notre Dame can keep the mascot. They just have to limit themselves to only Irish players on their teams. :rofl
 
fmw said:
Pretty soon Irish Americans will be up in arms because of the mascot of the University of Notre Dame. Atheists will want most of the town and city names in California changed because they refer to saints - to say nothing about that team in New Orleans. Perhaps Cowboys will get angry and storm in from the cattle drive. I guess we need animal names for all the teams. The animals can't complain. I'm embarrassed about what our society has become.
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Good thing Robert Wadlow (the tallest person to live since they kept such records) is no longer alive. He could go after the patents of the football & baseball Giants for hurting his feelings.
 
Top Cat said:
And who do you think made that trade happen? I do hope RG3 gets healthy and has a stellar career.
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I actually like RG3 and wish the Giants had snagged him (and jettisoned Manning along the way). He seems like a good guy and I think he has amazing natural talent.
 
Does anyone else notice the irony this thread presents?
 
AlbqOwl said:
But can you think of any way that any person is actually harmed or compromised or demeaned or belittled or shamed or embarrassed or deprived of any liberty, opportunity, option, choice etc. because of that team name? On what basis is a person offended? If I didn't like the team name--and personally I am ambivalent about it other than it is considered the No. 1 rival of MY team :)--I honestly cannot find any words to articulate a rationale for why it is offensive.
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And even if the was offensive or demeaned or belittle what of it? That is no basis for formulating law.
You can argue that if the name is offensive to enough people the owner should change it out of respect to their sensibilities. But as a matter of law, or government regulation? Nope. Goes too far.T
 
fmw said:
Pretty soon Irish Americans will be up in arms because of the mascot of the University of Notre Dame. Atheists will want most of the town and city names in California changed because they refer to saints - to say nothing about that team in New Orleans. Perhaps Cowboys will get angry and storm in from the cattle drive. I guess we need animal names for all the teams. The animals can't complain. I'm embarrassed about what our society has become.
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There are enough animal psychics that can tell us what the animals are thinking.
 
This is stupid. the government has 0 right to remove a trademark if someone is offended. i hope they sue and i am sure they will win.
 
tres borrachos said:
I actually like RG3 and wish the Giants had snagged him (and jettisoned Manning along the way). He seems like a good guy and I think he has amazing natural talent.
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He can take a lesson of two from Russell Wilson. Learn how not to take hits when you run. As a Hawk's fan. I promise you he takes it to an art form.
 
tres borrachos said:
Did you know that the name Oklahoma is based on Choctaw Indian words which translate as red people (okla meaning "people" and humma meaning "red")?

When the **** are they going to force Oklahoma to change its name?
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That may not be right around the corner, but someone might be working on that.

You may have just given it a little push.
 
vasuderatorrent said:
That's easy. The answer is 4 or less. It requires 5 to be considered a general consensus.
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I know you're being flippant - truth is often comical. I'd say you could probably find 5 people offended by almost anything. I'm sure some are upset at Burger King because it speaks to imperialism or the NY Yankees, offending the south - I'm sure if Atlanta changed their name to the Confederates or Rebs, there'd be some in the north offended. Point being, government should not act on the impulses of the few.
 
Top Cat said:
He can take a lesson of two from Russell Wilson. Learn how not to take hits when you run. As a Hawk's fan. I promise you he takes it to an art form.
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I also like Wilson. Not a big Hawks fan, primarily because they are probably the team I see and know the least about in the NFL.
 
The language used in this ruling was that "the name Redskins is disparaging to Native Americans".

Let that settle for a moment. "Disparaging to Native Americans."


With this as the precedent, who out there has any doubt that "disparaging to <fill in the blank>" is going to be all the rage as far as the eye can see? Fill in that blank with Christian or Muslim and it looks like the view from the top of Aspen Colorado.:roll:
 
No problem- lots of Irishmen in the USA.

And quite a few who claim to be Irish.
 
ludin said:
This is stupid. the government has 0 right to remove a trademark if someone is offended. i hope they sue and i am sure they will win.
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Would you say the Patent Office is being an Indian giver?
 
tres borrachos said:
I also like Wilson. Not a big Hawks fan, primarily because they are probably the team I see and know the least about in the NFL.
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LOL. Yeah, the Hawks don't get much press out east. Their defense did something only one other team ever has done. Led the league in the trifecta of defensive stats.

Fewest points allowed.
Fewest yards allowed.
Most turnovers.

The other team? 85 Bears.

LOB!
 
AlbqOwl said:
And do you believe anybody's feelings are really hurt? If I objected to a team name I simply would not attend the games, would not watch them on TV, would not buy their merchandise, and, if I felt it was sufficiently insulting and offensive, might express my opinion about it in a letter to the editor or call the local radio talk show people.

But what is really offensive about the term 'Redskins' when associated with a popular sporting event with fans who are proud of their team and cheer it on and regard it fondly? Yes, a generic Native American caricature is used but it is not one that is insulting but rather endearing and shown in a positive light. Nobody sees Notre Dame's 'fighting Irish' as offensive. The Seminole Indians, to their credit, gave the Florida Seminoles a green light to continue to use their tribal name proudly. That's the attitude that should be promoted I believe.

Nobody can tell somebody else what they OUGHT to feel about anything. But if I was a Native American, I would personally be proud that I was seen as worthy to represent something the American people see as a good, healthy, all-American institution.
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There's a world of difference between a tribes name and a racial slur. And remember, the Native Americans were kind of genocided and Washington DC was the capital of the country that did the bulk of the killing and land theft. The Redskins most rabid fans call themselves the "Hogs", they could easily change their name to the Pigskins, and everyone calls them the 'skins anyway.

It's hard to imagine a team name being more offensive. You'd have to have something like a Football team in Rowanda calling themselves the Inyenzis to come close.
 
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