Washington Redskins

[Dandy]

Lib checking in. Current news is the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) canceled six Redskins trademarks because they were disparaging to Native Americans (a legal battle going since 1992). Trademark protection is given by the government and can be taken away by the government. Interestingly, there is no Constitutional basis for Trademarks as there is for copyright or patents (but those can be taken away too). The USPTO did not "force" the Redskins to change their name -- they just took away the organization's ability to sue for third party use. It is a government given right -- if the organization does not meet the current legal standards for that protection, then they do not deserve the protection.

Btw, just because "Libs" don't often chime in on these threads should not be taken as an indicator that people with a different opinion are on these boards.

Good, bad or otherwise - this is a prime example of how our government/country has changed over time. At one time, the government "supported" this by granting the Trademark and because of changing times - becoming more PC and overly sensitive to everyone - they now determine that they cannot "support" it and are revoking the Trademark. It doesn't seem to matter to government, big or small, everything is open to interpretaion.

[Duncan]

Good, bad or otherwise - this is a prime example of how our government/country has changed over time. At one time, the government "supported" this by granting the Trademark and because of changing times - becoming more PC and overly sensitive to everyone - they now determine that they cannot "support" it and are revoking the Trademark. It doesn't seem to matter to government, big or small, everything is open to interpretaion.

Laws evolve over time to reflect changes in society. I do not think that is surprising. I for one am glad that laws and legal standards are "open for interpretation". I would not want to be bound by all rules pertinent to a society hundreds of years (or even 50 years) in the past.

[Iwndr]

Agreed on not wanting to be bound by some particular laws.... Some don't even have to be fifty years old to know they are not going to be good for the nation. But our founding fathers did a dam good job drawing up that old piece of parchment with the constitution on it and I pray that the attacks on it continue to fall short. Happy Independence day to All Americans! Remember what we started that revolution for.

[robert theisen]

With Washington's record being as lousy as Washington DC. I haven't heard any more about a name change. I guess when you suck people just don't care to drag you down any further.