Posted on 07/09/2015 8:53:04 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
D.C.’s delegate to Congress urged the Washington Redskins to throw in the towel after a key loss in court over the team name.
Last year, the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board decided 2-1 not to renew the team’s trademark registration, ruling that Redskins is offensive to American Indians. The case went to court, and today U.S. District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee upheld the Patent Office decision.
Lee noted that Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, in 1898, defined Redskins as an “often contemptuous” word, 70 years before the first team trademark was granted. The ruling doesn’t ban the team from using the name or logo, but trademarking it.
Redskins President Bruce Allen said the team is taking the case up to the 4th District Court of Appeals.
“We are convinced that we will win on appeal as the facts and the law are on the side of our franchise that has proudly used the name Washington Redskins for more than 80 years,” he said in a statement.
Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) said that after the Patent Office and federal court rulings, “I hope that [owner] Dan Snyder gets on with his real business of getting the team back in winning form and selecting a new mascot.”
“The national public outcry has been overwhelming and it is clear residents do not want their beloved Washington football team name to be aligned with the disparagement of Native Americans or any other ethnic group,” Norton said. “As a former First Amendment lawyer, I have looked closely at Snyder’s free speech defense and could find no precedents in federal law that would predict further litigation would be successful. In light of today’s ruling, further dependence on the courts could destroy what good will remains for the team and further harm Snyder’s own reputation.”
“Surely, these two rulings should summon NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and the 29 other NFL team owners, who benefit from our team, to exercise their leadership and hasten what appears to be the inevitable outcome of changing our team’s name.”
Our courts have become a cruel joke.
If I were Dan Snyder, I’d pack up the team and get away from DC just to spite Norton and her ilk.
She makes Algonquin J. Calhoun look like Perry Mason.
What national outcry are they talking about? Polls I’ve seen show overwhelming support for keeping the name. So if a small liberal minority want to change something, that means there is a national outcry??? What the heck???
They’re going to have to dig up Ernie Davis and remove his remains, too.
If it goes to the final round and they lose....there is no reason to remain in DC. I’d pack the team and head to Fairfax and rename them the Virginia ‘English’ (to go with the Commonwealth). The trick here....is that by placing the team in Fairfax, there’s no way that the NFL would place or discuss the idea of another team in DC (you got the Ravens out in Baltimore)....there would be too much competition for a third team.
But by doing this....I don’t see how you can allow any sports team to use an Indian name....or for that matter....any state or city to use an Indian name.
5.56mm
The ruling doesn't ban the team from using the name or logo, but trademarking it.That's false too. The trademark exists BEFORE and AFTER registration. The Redskins still have the trademark. All that has been taken away is federal registration, which carries a few perks when the Redskins sue infringers, like treble damages, and a presumption of using the mark in interstate commerce. The past existence of registration establishes at least a past use in interstate commerce, and I would think evidence that use of the mark is ongoing would be trivially easy to produce.
This is a group of Black men playing football. Poorly. If anything, American Indians should be offended that their name sakes suck.
But I digress.... If you’re offended, don’t watch. How can something offend you that you don’t see? It’s football, nothing is happening to you. Get over it.
If he wants to spite Norton and her ilk then he should call a press conference and say that henceforth the team will be known as "Washington". No new logo. No new mascot. No new nothing. Make it clear that they are not dropping the Redskins name and logo, just not using it. And since they aren't dropping it then there is no need for an new mascot.
Eleanor Holmes Norton wagging that bony scolding finger would make cadavers get up and storm out.
In which State do more NFL teams play their home games: Maryland or New York?
Seriously, D.C. is crazy about that team.
Snyder should pack the moving vans and relocate to Los Angeles and resurrect the AAFL team name of the Los Angeles Dons. Go from REDskins to BROWNskins.
Let the NFL sue him. Remember how well they did against Al Davis?
Change the nickname to the “REBELS”...........
Washington Albinos.
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