The Washington Redskins won another victory over Native American litigants challenging its name as racially disparaging and offensive. U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ruled that the name was permissible and not sufficiently insulting to justify stripping it of trademark protection. The Redskins name has been protected since 1967.
The ruling mirrors a decision by Kollar-Kotelly rejected claims of activists in 2003, click here.
For a copy of the decision in PRO FOOTBALL, INC. v. HARJO, et al, click here.
Due to an appellate ruling in 2005 on standing, Kollar-Kotelly was forced to revisit the question. Other teams have human-based names like the Vikings, Cowboys, Patriots, etc. As a Bears fan, the only group that could try to challenge might be PETA but Chicago is pretty safe legally. It is the actual football that has been a bit of a problem.
For the full story, click here.
Maybe teams shouldn’t have names at all. Just numbers. And not really numbers. Just one number. For all the teams. The number would be 1. Because we are all number 1.
“In a thriller of a match, The Chicago 1s beat the Denver 1s, by a score of [I don’t know football scores]!”
Be nice to my Bears now! We made it to the Super Bowl a couple of years ago and we will be back. DofG, I like that “chews with stolen teeth” line.
This decision is understandable, since these indigenous people are disadvantaged, in seeking justice from a nation that “chews with stolen teeth”!
JT:
I resisted as long as I could, but did I really hear Danny Snyder squeakily singing “Hail Victory,” after the decision! I also lament your love affair with the affable but stumbling Bears. George Halas left the building long ago and the old man took his winning ways with him save a brief return to glory under Mike (“I’ll trade my whole team for Ricky Williams”) Ditka, who did return with a roar in 1985. Personally, I am a Steeler fan and know a thing or two about suffering with a bad team for years. Hey you know what JT, I saw Chuck Noll recently. Bad back and all he looks tanned, rested and ready. Another stint on the sidelines might be in order, and you know he looks good in navy blue, and the orange is ok too.
As a Norwegian, I am outraged at how Minnesota can slander Vikings by naming a scandulous football team after these seafaring heroes of Norway. This needs to stop now. Also, I hear the Irish are ticked about the Fighting Irish slanders.
What we need is a Federal level investigation of the name of the name of every sport team in America whether it is professional, amateur, high school, middle school, bowling, bad minton, and volleyball team………
Start the investigation with a team of 50 Federal experts TODAY! Tomorrow is too late!
The Bears will be back, I hope! I am amazed that we still have these team names that utilize Native American sterotypes. I know in Illinios, several school districts have changed their mascot names because of this issue. The University of Illinos has had an ongoing dispute over the mascot, Chief Illiniwek. Of course, the Chicago NHL team uses the name Blackhawks much in the same way as the Redskins. I would hope that that hockey name would be changed at some point, but I am not holding my breath.