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ITN: Asian-American band not allowed to trademark band name "The Slants"


pail

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>:D >:D >:D >:D >:D >:D >:D >:D

 

I bet they wouldn't be buttflustered if a group wanted to call themselves The White Devils!

 

>:D >:D >:D >:D >:D >:D >:D >:D >:D >:D

 

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/a93cff9f30b84e89918769eda11f58a3

 

"The Oregon-based band says the 70-year-old law violates free-speech rights. A federal appeals court had ruled that the law is unconstitutional, but the government appealed.

 

A victory for the band would be welcome news for the Washington Redskins, embroiled in their own legal fight over the team's name. The trademark office canceled the football team's lucrative trademarks in 2014 after finding the word "Redskins" is disparaging to Native Americans.

 

But the justices also seemed concerned that imposing absolutely no limits on trademark names might go too far.

 

At issue is a law that prohibits registration of marks that "may disparage ... persons, living or dead, institutions, beliefs or national symbols." A trademark confers certain legal benefits, including the power to sue competitors that infringe upon the trademark.

 

Slants founder Simon Tam says his goal was to reclaim a derisive slur and transform it into a badge of ethnic pride. But the trademark office said a term can be disparaging even when used in a positive light. A federal appeals court sided with the band, ruling that the law violates the First Amendment."

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>:D >:D >:D >:D >:D >:D >:D >:D

 

I bet they wouldn't be buttflustered if a group wanted to call themselves The White Devils!

 

>:D >:D >:D >:D >:D >:D >:D >:D >:D >:D

 

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/a93cff9f30b84e89918769eda11f58a3

 

"The Oregon-based band says the 70-year-old law violates free-speech rights. A federal appeals court had ruled that the law is unconstitutional, but the government appealed.

 

A victory for the band would be welcome news for the Washington Redskins, embroiled in their own legal fight over the team's name. The trademark office canceled the football team's lucrative trademarks in 2014 after finding the word "Redskins" is disparaging to Native Americans.

 

But the justices also seemed concerned that imposing absolutely no limits on trademark names might go too far.

 

At issue is a law that prohibits registration of marks that "may disparage ... persons, living or dead, institutions, beliefs or national symbols." A trademark confers certain legal benefits, including the power to sue competitors that infringe upon the trademark.

 

Slants founder Simon Tam says his goal was to reclaim a derisive slur and transform it into a badge of ethnic pride. But the trademark office said a term can be disparaging even when used in a positive light. A federal appeals court sided with the band, ruling that the law violates the First Amendment."

Asian Carpfish is that you?
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