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Justices say law on offensive trademarks is unconstitutional
WTOP News [Washington DC] ^ | June 19, 2017 10:35 am | AP

Posted on 06/19/2017 8:02:07 AM PDT by COBOL2Java

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday struck down part of a law that bans offensive trademarks in a ruling that is expected to help the Washington Redskins in their legal fight over the team name.

The justices ruled that the 71-year-old trademark law barring disparaging terms infringes free speech rights.

The ruling is a victory for the Asian-American rock band called the Slants, but the case was closely watched for the impact it would have on the separate dispute involving the Washington football team.

Slants founder Simon Tam tried to trademark the band name in 2011, but the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office denied the request on the ground that it disparages Asians. A federal appeals court in Washington later said the law barring offensive trademarks is unconstitutional.

The Redskins made similar arguments after the trademark office ruled in 2014 that the name offends American Indians and canceled the team’s trademark. A federal appeals court in Richmond put the team’s case on hold while waiting for the Supreme Court to rule in the Slants case.

(Excerpt) Read more at wtop.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Government; News/Current Events; US: District of Columbia; US: Maryland; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: lawsuit; nfl; redskins; ruling; scotus; trademarks
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To: GrandJediMasterYoda

OUCH


121 posted on 06/21/2017 5:53:40 AM PDT by HANG THE EXPENSE (Life's tough.It's tougher when you're stupid.)
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To: COBOL2Java

LOL


122 posted on 06/21/2017 5:57:47 AM PDT by HANG THE EXPENSE (Life's tough.It's tougher when you're stupid.)
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To: Reno89519
If using disparaging names, and symbols and flags are okay--because they don't offend you and you want to not worry about others--then I presume you were perfectly fine with some skinheads out flying the confederate and nazi flags and do Heil Hitler salutes. Maybe they live in the DC area, so they'll wear Redskin memorabilia, put pig snouts on their faces, and Indian headdress.

It seems to me that you want to lump everyone who wears a Redskins shirt into one group...most conservatives don't think like this.

If a group of idiots (i.e., BLM, skinheads, whatever...) are all wearing Seattle Seahawks gear, I don't assume that all Seahawks fans are racist skinheads or racist blacks! I don't assume that the Seattle Seahawks team supports that particular nutjob group and their radicalism!

Nope, like MOST conservatives, I just live my happily knowing that THOSE PARTICULAR Seahawks fans are real a$$holes and racists. See the difference?
123 posted on 06/21/2017 6:02:42 AM PDT by ExTxMarine (Helping Make American Great Again, by ignoring Liberals!)
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To: BuffaloJack

“...My wife would smack me up side the head is I ever called her an Asian; she’s Oriental....”

I sometimes refer to my wife as “blackhead” or “Dragon Lady”. My Thai sister-in-law and I also call her E-gaa, which is a somewhat impolite form of Old Lady.


124 posted on 06/21/2017 11:39:47 AM PDT by USMCPOP (Father of LCpl. Karl Linn, KIA 1/26/2005 Al Haqlaniyah, Iraq)
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To: RKBA Democrat
I'm not willing to go THAT far for the cause- I reckon it'd be a real pain in the *ass!
125 posted on 06/21/2017 5:03:01 PM PDT by NativeSon ( Grease the floor with Crisco when I dance the Disco)
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To: bar sin·is·ter

I’m going to (not culturally) appropriate that image.


126 posted on 06/21/2017 5:04:55 PM PDT by NativeSon ( Grease the floor with Crisco when I dance the Disco)
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To: NativeSon

By appropriation I mean the slur. I’m white so I would appropriate the slur honky or cracker.


127 posted on 06/21/2017 5:24:30 PM PDT by RKBA Democrat (In the medium term, islam wins)
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To: Fai Mao

Momma always said it’s always better to be the yankee than the yanker.


128 posted on 06/22/2017 4:15:52 AM PDT by zaxtres
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To: COBOL2Java
Yelling “fire” in a crowded theater puts people in danger.Calling a team “the Redskins” doesn't.Calling someone “cracker” or “nigga”,while surely impolite,doesn't.
129 posted on 06/22/2017 4:27:34 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Comey = The Swamp Fighting Back)
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To: GrandJediMasterYoda
The only race that gets true "red skin" are caucasians.

I spent a good portion of my childhood...and a fair portion of my early adulthood...looking like her.So now I get to put the kids of my Dermatologist...and some faceless Pathologists...through Harvard with all the biopsies I've had.

130 posted on 06/22/2017 4:33:44 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Comey = The Swamp Fighting Back)
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To: COBOL2Java
Straight outta central Florida!


131 posted on 06/25/2017 5:05:11 AM PDT by Impala64ssa (Islamophobic? NO! IslamABHORic)
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