The Redskins have lost another battle in the war over their name. Some see it as racist, and the government agrees.
The US Patent and Trademark Offices has ruled on a suit brought against the Redskins by five Native Americans. And the ruling is that the name “Redskins” cannot be protected under copyright law. That’s because the law won’t allow the use of words that may “disparage people” or bring them into “contempt or disrepute.” This does not mean the Redskins are required to change their name, but they won’t be able to sue people who make counterfeit Redskins gear, either.
The team is appealing the decision, which is a smart thing to do, since they faced this exact same ruling five years ago, appealed, and won. The courts said the plaintiffs didn’t have have authority to file the case. There’s question about whether the five people involved could actually represent the whole of Native Americans… especially when you throw in all the other names and brands that seem to flow in a similar vein.
But that was five years ago, and the political landscape is very different today. There are newspapers and sports websites that won’t use the Redskins’ name. In short, the issue is out there more.
So our Man on the Edge, Robert Wilder, asked: is it time for the redskins to just give in?
