Supreme Court May Rule on Redskins Name (1 Viewer)

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Skins Trademark Battle Goes to Supreme Court
Group claims Redskins is derogatory
By JIM IOVINO


The battle of the Washington Redskins' team name has reached the U.S. Supreme Court, but don't worry, you probably won't have to tape over the Redskins' logo on your favorite jersey anytime soon.

Lawyers for a group of Native Americans filed a petition for certiorari in the case that has bounced around courtrooms for years, according to Legal Times. The Native American group claims that the name "Redskins" is a derogatory term for Indians. They want the Redskins trademark, which was issued in 1967, canceled.

The latest ruling on the case by the U.S. Court of Appeals said the claims weren't allowed because the group didn't file in a timely manner, not because any court agrees or disagrees that the trademark is offensive or racist. So now the group's lawyers are asking the Supreme Court to review that decision........................


Supreme Court Asked to Weigh Redskins Case

By Robert Barnes
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Native American activists are trying to get the Supreme Court involved in its long-running dispute with the Washington Redskins about whether the team's name is so offensive that it does not deserve trademark protection.

The group is asking the court to review a decision this year by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia that the group waited too long to bring its claim.

The dispute started in 1992, when seven activists challenged the Redskins trademark. They won seven years later in a decision by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. The team appealed to the federal court...................

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy...9/09/15/AR2009091500973.html?wprss=rss_sports
 
On a scale of 1-10. How derogatory is the term Redskin? As compared to the word Indian?

Cause I know alot of universities lost the Indian nickname a few years back. ULM included.
 
Skins Trademark Battle Goes to Supreme Court
Group claims Redskins is derogatory
By JIM IOVINO


The battle of the Washington Redskins' team name has reached the U.S. Supreme Court, but don't worry, you probably won't have to tape over the Redskins' logo on your favorite jersey anytime soon.

Lawyers for a group of Native Americans filed a petition for certiorari in the case that has bounced around courtrooms for years, according to Legal Times. The Native American group claims that the name "Redskins" is a derogatory term for Indians. They want the Redskins trademark, which was issued in 1967, canceled.

The latest ruling on the case by the U.S. Court of Appeals said the claims weren't allowed because the group didn't file in a timely manner, not because any court agrees or disagrees that the trademark is offensive or racist. So now the group's lawyers are asking the Supreme Court to review that decision........................


Supreme Court Asked to Weigh Redskins Case

By Robert Barnes
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Native American activists are trying to get the Supreme Court involved in its long-running dispute with the Washington Redskins about whether the team's name is so offensive that it does not deserve trademark protection.

The group is asking the court to review a decision this year by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia that the group waited too long to bring its claim.

The dispute started in 1992, when seven activists challenged the Redskins trademark. They won seven years later in a decision by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. The team appealed to the federal court...................

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy...9/09/15/AR2009091500973.html?wprss=rss_sports

The term Indian is considered derogatory by Native Americans.
 
It's not worth changing the name. I don't know anyone who hears the Redskins and thinks of anything other then a football team.

It's a pointless ruling if they make them change it.
 
Here's the thread from when the appeals court decision came down. http://www.saintsreport.com/forums/showthread.php?t=110239

The links have more info. about the dispute. The issue the Supreme Court would like review would be whether the native groups waived their right to challenge the team's trademark, which was issued in 1967 because they have waited a couple of decades to raise the issue.

There isn't any law out there that says "Redskins" is offensive or illegal, so it was actually a pretty inventive way to go after the team's name - by challenging its trademark. But it sounds like the appellate court found that trademark law requires challenges to be made within a certain period of issuance.

Pretty interesting nonetheless.
 
oh man, see this is what ****** me off about america. If they dont like the name then don't watch the damn game. just like freakin non smokers, madd, anti-pot orginazations, anti obortionists, anti gun activists, and the rest of those ice hole anti anything. Thats what made this country great was a choice. We are slowly losing it bit by bit. Alot of things I dont agree with so I IGNORE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! k i feel better lol :mwink:
 
The term Indian is considered derogatory by Native Americans.

I'm not sure that's actually true.

The federal government's primary arm for handling native american issues is the Bureau of Indian Affairs, housed in the Department of the Interior. http://www.doi.gov/bia/ The head of BIA at the moment is Larry EchoHawk http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_EchoHawk and the agency employs many many native americans.

Also in Washington, the newest Smithsonian museum on the mall is the National Museum of the American Indian. http://www.nmai.si.edu/. I used to think that "indian" was offensive to native americans but I just don't see how those institutions would still having "indian" in their names.

I'm pretty sure it isn't offensive.
 
It's not worth changing the name. I don't know anyone who hears the Redskins and thinks of anything other then a football team.

It's a pointless ruling if they make them change it.

I spent some time in the state of Montana, whose population is roughly 8% Native American. That is a very high concentration compared to most states in the U.S. Let me just tell you that if you were to call a Native American there a "Redskin" you would have some serious problems on your hands. To Native Americans, it is absolutely one of the most derogatory things you can say to them.
 
It still wouldnt change anything.
It just means they would no longer have the Trademark Exclusivity.
So what, so you can call your football team the Redskins or make your own Redskin Jerseys or logos.
The Redskins wouldnt be able to enforce knock-off jerseys as trademark infringements in the court of law.

Really, so what?
I doubt this changes anything win or lose.
 
oh man, see this is what ****** me off about america. If they dont like the name then don't watch the damn game. just like freakin non smokers, madd, anti-pot orginazations, anti obortionists, anti gun activists, and the rest of those ice hole anti anything. Thats what made this country great was a choice. We are slowly losing it bit by bit. Alot of things I dont agree with so I IGNORE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! k i feel better lol :mwink:

Just think of it in this light...

what if our team was called the New Orleans N*****'s

That's offensive yes?

Now you can see where they're coming from.
 
oh man, see this is what ****** me off about america. If they dont like the name then don't watch the damn game. just like freakin non smokers, madd, anti-pot orginazations, anti obortionists, anti gun activists, and the rest of those ice hole anti anything. Thats what made this country great was a choice. We are slowly losing it bit by bit. Alot of things I dont agree with so I IGNORE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! k i feel better lol :mwink:

This is not nearly in the same category as the things you mentioned above. It is one thing to have choices. But it is a whole different category to openly use racist slurs against other people. I don't see how you could possibly link the two.
 
I spent some time in the state of Montana, whose population is roughly 8% Native American. That is a very high concentration compared to most states in the U.S. Let me just tell you that if you were to call a Native American there a "Redskin" you would have some serious problems on your hands. To Native Americans, it is absolutely one of the most derogatory things you can say to them.

Tomato...Toe-Mato.
 
nahhhh

Just think of it in this light...

what if our team was called the New Orleans N*****'s

That's offensive yes?

Now you can see where they're coming from.


No i just probably wouldnt be a fan. I think you should have the right to do what you want in this country. That's all. That team would go bankrupt in no time and that would be that.
 

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