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View Full Version : Redskins being forced to change name by US gov



Phil316
06-18-2014, 10:08 PM
I hate when government buts into our lives. I hate it more when they do it to the sports teams.

http://washingtonexaminer.com/redskins-lose-team-trademark-expected-to-appeal/article/2549886

Skizzick
06-19-2014, 02:30 AM
I hate when government buts into our lives. I hate it more when they do it to the sports teams.

http://washingtonexaminer.com/redskins-lose-team-trademark-expected-to-appeal/article/2549886

The government isn't forcing them to change the name, so don't jump to that conclusion. The Patent Office's ruling says the team will no longer be able to have exclusive rights to their logo or name written in that text, meaning anybody could sell knockoff Redskins shirts and such (without the NFL logo), and can't be sued for trademark infringement. The Redskins can still use the name and the logo for their team.

I'm not calling you out for this, but some of the comments I've seen from people have been absolutely stupid. People are honestly saying, "we have problems with illegal immigration, Iraq, and the economy, and the government is really concerned with this? Waste of tax money blah blah blah!" Get real.

Go file a trademark application to call a team the Ni**ers or the Fa**ots, and they'll reject it for the same reason they give here. Trademarks with words that are inherently discriminatory.

Also, the Patent office has done this before and the Redskins one the appeal, so simmer down.

nickacs
06-19-2014, 10:04 AM
The thing I hate/don't understand about all this "Redskins" team name controversy is why NOW. Why even the last 5-10yrs that this is been blown up in the news and by the Native American community.

The "Redskins" team name came into play during the 1930's when the team was formed. Makes ZERO sense why now and even in the 2000's. Why not back years ago. If the team name is that insensitive/discriminatory, then they should've fought it a looooonnngg time ago.

Stupid IMO. Everybody wants to sue somebody these days :rolleyes:

johnsontravis@ymail.com
06-19-2014, 11:18 AM
Why not just change the stupid name. It is a pretty dumb name, their uniform or pretty blah to me, and it is pretty offensive to some.

Honestly this is basically forcing them to change it or lose a lot of money. Once people find out about all the knockoffs no one will really want legit gear.

Jags Fan Dan
06-19-2014, 01:03 PM
Miami University here in Ohio changed from the Redskins to Redhawks, no big deal.

gingi79
06-19-2014, 02:13 PM
Why not just change the stupid name. It is a pretty dumb name, their uniform or pretty blah to me, and it is pretty offensive to some.

I agree. This same city changed the name of their NBA team by choice to the Wizards from the Bullets because it implied violence. People in the Native nations have come out and said the name not only implies but IS offensive to them and the team is up in arms.

Playing Devils Advocate: If the Irish Anti-Defamation League came out and claimed calling the team from Notre Dame the "Fighting" Irish implied they were easily roused to fisticuffs because they are alcoholic brawlers, would anyone take them seriously? Lets not forget, the term Paddywagon was coined for the police van used to round up the drunk and disorderly because of the negative slang term for the Irish is "Paddy".

slab0meat
06-19-2014, 02:23 PM
Are there any hard numbers as to how many are offended? Almost every team name could offend someone, somehow.

Today on SiriusXM's NFL Channel, the morning show had an Indian Chief (I forget his full name) who stated he likes the name and would be offended if they changed it. Why is his opinion so easily dismissed?

johnsontravis@ymail.com
06-19-2014, 02:31 PM
Someone should tell the Indians that the Redskin and NFL fans pay millions in taxes. You know that money they get for doing nothing. Their lives are a cake walk because of Redskin s(the Indian ones)...They should be honored and idol them.

Why is it a big deal? Can't we just ignore them like usual?

gingi79
06-19-2014, 02:32 PM
My solution? Rename the team the Washington Pig-Skins. Here's why:

Washington has a long history of heavyset fans coming to games dressed as "Hogs" wearing pig noses and ears. "Hogs" is already a nickname established by the die hard fan base. This new nickname just embellishes it.

Second, its hyphenated. No one needs to stop referring to the team by their current abbreviated nickname, the "Skins"

Lastly, it's a rather clever use of double entendre: a Porcine outer organ and another term for a football.

Problem. Solved. :D

xsentrixsupra
06-19-2014, 03:01 PM
Seems like Snyder just wants to keep the name, because he wants to "win" even if the win is meaningless........I doubt hes losing money as is on merchandise sales and if they renamed, think of all the people who would be buying new gear? I know revenue from merchandise is split amongst the teams besides the Cowboys, but either way, it won't hurt them.

If he really wants to tighten the screws and irk some PC people, change it to the Washington Tea-party or something like that :D

Roady
06-19-2014, 03:21 PM
Native Americans wore the Redskin name with pride for hundreds of years. Anyone who cares to study the writings of the day and study history will know this. They were proud to not be white or black for that matter. They were proud to be red.
It has just been in the last little while that certain groups decided to be offended by it.

I say change it and let them be forgotten the way they want to be. They decide to live on welfare behind lines on a map. They decide to raise their children in poverty instead of going out into the world like every other race and bettering themselves. I am tired of feeling sorry for people who never try to help themselves.

gingi79
06-19-2014, 08:03 PM
Native Americans wore the Redskin name with pride for hundreds of years. Anyone who cares to study the writings of the day and study history will know this. They were proud to not be white or black for that matter. They were proud to be red.
It has just been in the last little while that certain groups decided to be offended by it.

I say change it and let them be forgotten the way they want to be. They decide to live on welfare behind lines on a map. They decide to raise their children in poverty instead of going out into the world like every other race and bettering themselves. I am tired of feeling sorry for people who never try to help themselves.

After spending years studying Native culture in college and teaching in two different Indian (their term) school districts, I wish I could refute any part of this post.

That being said, in today's climate, they are making a case for prejudice and there is no way it won't be heard. Right, wrong? Who cares. That's just the world we live in today.

Next the Indians will fall. Then the Braves. Finally, schools like FSU who have done more to champion the Seminole tribe's cause since 1892 than every other Native American group combined, will be forced to change AGAINST the wishes of actual Florida Seminoles.

I think we need MORE names of indigenous tribes associated with sports teams and schools. The history of said tribes should be taught and celebrated and thus they survive.

But that won't happen. Roady is right, their cultures are going to be eliminated by stupid PC driven rhetoric and a collective wallowing pity party pretending to be pride.

xpress34
06-19-2014, 09:25 PM
They decide to live on welfare behind lines on a map. They decide to raise their children in poverty instead of going out into the world like every other race and bettering themselves. I am tired of feeling sorry for people who never try to help themselves.

Wow - could you be more of a racist?

Maybe you should learn your history - where the whites (including some of my ancestors) came and STOLE their land from them and then put them on 'Reservations'... and when they discovered oil or other minerals with monetary value, they took the land back and moved them to other 'Reservations'...

Yes, they DECIDED to live 'behind lines on a map'...

Even now, when many tribes have educated themselves and used the law in their favor (Sovereign Nation) to build Casinos and such, to make money to pull their tribes out of poverty, the whites (particularly Las Vegas, Atlantic City, etc) lobby the state and federal congresses to block them from building Casinos on their lands...

Regardless of the Topic of this thread, I personally found your post to vile, repulsive and in very bad taste.

Roady
06-19-2014, 09:33 PM
I am not racist. I am a realist and I realize the Indians decide to live on the Rez and not go out into the world and improve their station in life. This despite special programs to help them do it.
They were the first welfare recipients and it has ruined them for generations. Most will not work. Most will not go to college. Most will not do anything.
Their young are leaving in droves because the Rez is a death trap that their parents decide to live on instead of assimilating into society like everyone else.

Your comments do not affect me in the least. I know what is really going and it is not a Disney movie like you think it is.

Just like modern Americans did not enslave anyone, none of us were at Wounded Knee.
They have every advantage anyone could have to better themselves and most refuse to do it.

Mark17
06-19-2014, 09:43 PM
The government isn't forcing them to change the name, so don't jump to that conclusion. The Patent Office's ruling says the team will no longer be able to have exclusive rights to their logo or name written in that text, meaning anybody could sell knockoff Redskins shirts and such (without the NFL logo), and can't be sued for trademark infringement. The Redskins can still use the name and the logo for their team.

I'm not calling you out for this, but some of the comments I've seen from people have been absolutely stupid. People are honestly saying, "we have problems with illegal immigration, Iraq, and the economy, and the government is really concerned with this? Waste of tax money blah blah blah!" Get real.

Go file a trademark application to call a team the Ni**ers or the Fa**ots, and they'll reject it for the same reason they give here. Trademarks with words that are inherently discriminatory.

Also, the Patent office has done this before and the Redskins one the appeal, so simmer down.

Well, Skizzick, I'll call YOU out on this: When you say "the team will no longer be able to have exclusive rights to their logo or name written in that text, meaning anybody could sell knockoff Redskins shirts and such (without the NFL logo), and can't be sued for trademark infringement," you are, in effect, saying they WILL have to change their name if the ruling withstands their appeal.

Saying they don't have to change their name, they just face the loss of tens of millions of dollars in merchandise licensing revenue, and the myriad headaches opportunists will cost them by pretending to be affiliated with the team, is silly. Obviously a billion dollar company needs to be able to own its own name. Give me a break.

It has nothing to do with the government not having other things to concern itself with. It's all about an assault on capitalism, taking a shot at the 1% owners, curtailing free speech that someone wants to say is "offensive," and basically, just another government power grab. Do you think this is the end of government seizing intellectual property from businesses it may not like? If you do it's time for YOU to get real.

I agree, you probably wouldn't be successful filing a trademark application with a name like Redskins today. But that's a whole different situation than taking away a trademark that has been in effect for the better part of a century.

And, by the way, I see and hear people say things every day that offend me. I either engage them in a respectful debate, or I just let it go. I don't try to use the force of government to prevent them from expressing their views (and costing them millions and millions of dollars in the process.)

sox83cubs84
06-19-2014, 10:01 PM
Political Correctness has become the standard for the left these days, and, given the desire of their politicians to force their agenda down everyone else's throat, they now want to tell us what we can and can't say or even think. Disapprove of Obama? Then you're a racist. Not on board with gay marriage? Then you're a homophobe. The left resorts to labeling and name calling because they can't win a debate on ideas and facts. And, with the left in the White House and as the majority in the Senate, politicians of this ilk (not so much rank and file lefties) want control over peoples' lives through bigger government, and that includes telling private business how to run their operations and penalizing them if they don't follow the left's ideology to the letter.

FTR: This approach was already tried by the Patent Office in 1999. The team appealed, and the case took several years to be decided, but when it was, the Patent Office was overruled by the presiding judge, which I hope is what happens here.

Dave Miedema

Mark17
06-19-2014, 10:01 PM
Why not just change the stupid name. It is a pretty dumb name, their uniform or pretty blah to me, and it is pretty offensive to some.

Honestly this is basically forcing them to change it or lose a lot of money. Once people find out about all the knockoffs no one will really want legit gear.


You don't happen to like their name, and from that, you leap to the conclusion that it is just fine for the government to arbitrarily FORCE them to change it?

Maybe I'm offended by the name of your dog, or cat, or children, or whatever. How would you feel if the government forced you to change their names? For no other reason that someone is "offended".

I have never understood the mentality that says if someone has a preference, it's just fine for government to use it's massive power to force it. I may think purple houses are ugly, but I don't want my local government to outlaw them. I find certain music and some talk shows to be offensive but I don't want them banned.

What I'd rather do is live in a country with individual freedom and liberty as guaranteed by a First Amendment.

The Fifth Amendment ends with this: " ...nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation". If the Redskins have their trademark taken away, that would certainly be a "taking", and I suppose the government's "public use" excuse would be that a handful of activists would be appeased (and have to start looking for the next thing to be offended by.)

For those who don't mind seeing other peoples' freedoms trampled, all I can say is, I hope you don't value your own freedoms very much because eventually it'll come around to you.

xpress34
06-19-2014, 10:36 PM
I am not racist. I am a realist and I realize the Indians decide to live on the Rez and not go out into the world and improve their station in life. This despite special programs to help them do it.
They were the first welfare recipients and it has ruined them for generations. Most will not work. Most will not go to college. Most will not do anything.
Their young are leaving in droves because the Rez is a death trap that their parents decide to live on instead of assimilating into society like everyone else.

Your comments do not affect me in the least. I know what is really going and it is not a Disney movie like you think it is.

Just like modern Americans did not enslave anyone, none of us were at Wounded Knee.
They have every advantage anyone could have to better themselves and most refuse to do it.

The Indians did not DECIDE to live on the Res - they were PUT on the res by the whites when our ancestors decided they wanted their land.

I grew up in the Southwest and have many Native American friends who have done well for themselves so don't think you know me with your condescending 'Disney movie' remarks.

You sound like an elitist like many other people I know - and I don't know where you get that they have every advantage that anyone could have. That's a bunch of crap.

They had to fight to get back their own rights to leave the reservations - it wasn't like we told them 'here's some land - come and go as you please'. It took generations for them to get back to that point - and even when they did, they were treated as poorly as other minorities by the whites.

I don't know what rose tinted glasses you look at history through, but it's not as even keeled as you want to make it sound.

Roady
06-19-2014, 10:40 PM
The Indians did not DECIDE to live on the Res - they were PUT on the res by the whites when our ancestors decided they wanted their land.

I grew up in the Southwest and have many Native American friends who have done well for themselves so don't think you know me with your condescending 'Disney movie' remarks.

You sound like an elitist like many other people I know - and I don't know where you get that they have every advantage that anyone could have. That's a bunch of crap.

They had to fight to get back their own rights to leave the reservations - it wasn't like we told them 'here's some land - come and go as you please'. It took generations for them to get back to that point - and even when they did, they were treated as poorly as other minorities by the whites.

I don't know what rose tinted glasses you look at history through, but it's not as even keeled as you want to make it sound.

You are living in the past. They can leave anytime they want and they have advantages now when it comes to school, housing, loans, jobs, etc.......
Nothing is holding them back from becoming productive members of society and bettering their lives. Nothing but themselves.

You act as if they are too ignorant to fend for themselves and need our help to survive.

Roady
06-19-2014, 10:48 PM
And I NEVER said they decided to live on the Rez. (past)
I said they decide to live on the Rez. (present)

Roady
06-19-2014, 10:57 PM
xpress34,
I am not allowing you to upset me over this. I know the history. I know the people. I know the present. I have done more for Native Americans than you could hope to do the rest of your life.