DOJ gives up on "Redskins" objections

Started by quiller, June 29, 2017, 06:21:33 PM

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quiller

After an Asian group successfully won the right to trademark themselves as The Slants, the Department of Justice saw the writin' on the proverbial wall....

QuoteIn a letter to a federal appeals court, the department said last week's Supreme Court decision in Matal v. Tam in favor of an Asian-American band calling itself the Slants means the NFL team will prevail in a legal battle to cancel the team's trademarks because the name is disparaging to Native Americans.

"Consistent with Tam, the Court should reverse the judgment of the district court and remand the case with instructions to enter judgment in favor of Pro-Football," Mark Freeman, an attorney for the Justice Department's civil division, wrote to the Richmond, Virginia-based 4th Circuit Court of Appeals.

The Redskins case had been on hold in the federal appeals court while the Slants decision was rendered. The Supreme Court found that Simon Tam could trademark the Slants as the name of his Asian-American rock band because it would be unconstitutional for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to discriminate against it, citing the First Amendment's free speech protection. The justices were unanimous in saying the 71-year-old trademark law barring disparaging terms infringes free speech rights.

Redskins' owner Dan Snyder said last week he was "thrilled" by the Supreme Court's ruling, and lawyer Lisa Blatt said it resolves the team's dispute and vindicated its position. Snyder has refused to change the name despite intense public pressure, saying in the past that the name "represents honor, respect and pride" for Native Americans. 

http://pro32.ap.org/article/justice-department-gives-washington-redskins-name-fight

Hoofer

Further evidence the tone of the Administration can have quite an effect what's important and what is nonsense.

Obama:
You feel someone is hurting your feelings - sue the crap out of them, run their name into the mud, teach them a lesson, make 'em pay!

Trump:
Go get a job and help make America Great Again... sick and tired of funding your political witch hunts, we're reducing funding to your stupidity.

I'd applaud the news of the knuckleheads who brought this lawsuit pay the Redskins lawyer fees, including every network that intentionally tried to harm the Redskins brand.  And... get the damn politics out of sports - fire Bob Costas as an example.
All animals are created equal; Some just take longer to cook.   Survival is keeping an eye on those around you...