Washington loses it trademark for team name.

[Kyle Cactus]

So the mere mention of skin color makes it racist? That's what we've devolved to?

It's not devolving or evolving or anything along that spectrum. It's a social norm that reflects human sensibilities. People are defined by much more than there race. Referring to an entire ethnicity of people by skin color trivializes their identity. You're welcome to do it, but it seems indisputable that it's in bad taste.

Maybe I misunderstood your prior arguments, but it seems like you're defending the term "Redskin" itself. Do you really not find this to be a racist term? I can't reconcile with that view point, regardless of the terms origin.

If you're simply arguing over whether the gov't should be poking around in this, then (IMO) there's room for debate, even if we fall on different sides of it.

[Kyle Cactus]

The Patent Office can't force him to change the name, but they certainly can cancel his trademarks, and it seems awfully hard to argue with their logic that the trademark never should have been granted in the first place under the law.

Agreed

[Dade]

I'll ask again.

Question for those who are in favor of changing the name; Should we change the name of Oklahoma as well?

[Brien Jackson]

I'll ask again.

Question for those who are in favor of changing the name; Should we change the name of Oklahoma as well?

I don't see why not.

[JustaslowZ06]

AGAIN! What about the "Braves" "Seminoles" etc.... esp the "tomahawk chop" that the Braves fans do? Are those offensive to those of you saying the term "Redskin" is offensive? Because as far as "court battles" go there was a far stronger one for the tomahawk chop that got shot down.

[JustaslowZ06]

And if you want to argue derogatory "terms" how about the "Fighting Irish"? I don't see people getting all bent about calling a group of people(much larger than Native Americans BTW) a bunch of drunk bar fighters.

[HotInHere]

This cuts to the core of the issue for me. It's beyond me how anyone would try to defent the term, which clearly seems racist, but having any gov't entity forcing Snyder to change it doesn't seem right. Snyder should change it. He won't unless he stands to lose money. So people are trying to make his use of the name less profitable, whether it be through legal means of removing a trademark or just through public rebuking.

I'm not going to lose sleep over this no matter how it plays out. But if people have the right to be offended, and Snyder has the right to the name, then why shouldn't anyone have the right to target his business for using a name they find offensive?

Let's be clear on this: at this point, the government is not forcing anybody to do anything. The government has a policy limiting what things they will apply their trademark protection to. One of those limits is that they do not trademark things deemed 'offensive.' All they have done is remove that protection.

[Brien Jackson]

AGAIN! What about the "Braves" "Seminoles" etc.... esp the "tomahawk chop" that the Braves fans do? Are those offensive to those of you saying the term "Redskin" is offensive? Because as far as "court battles" go there was a far stronger one for the tomahawk chop that got shot down.

Seminoles is used through a licensing deal with the tribe, so it's neither here nor there. The Tomahawk chop is definitely racist, but there's no legal authority to stop it. I suppose I can see an argument that "Braves" is, in a generic sense, analogous to "knights," but given the Tomahawk chop and a former caricatured mascot I certainly wouldn't argue that the team's lineage isn't racist, no.

[moose10101]

And if you want to argue derogatory "terms" how about the "Fighting Irish"? I don't see people getting all bent about calling a group of people(much larger than Native Americans BTW) a bunch of drunk bar fighters.

"Fighting Irish" doesn't have any reference to drunks or bars. Is that how you think of Irish people?

[flraven]

I'll ask again.

Question for those who are in favor of changing the name; Should we change the name of Oklahoma as well?

Tornado Land!

[Kyle Cactus]

Let's be clear on this: at this point, the government is not forcing anybody to do anything. The government has a policy limiting what things they will apply their trademark protection to. One of those limits is that they do not trademark things deemed 'offensive.' All they have done is remove that protection.

Yea, meant to mention that in my post. I think we're on the same page with that.

[moose10101]

Tornado Land!

North Texas. That would start some fights.