US Patent Office cancels Commanders Trademarks

[Rockport]

It's inevitable that Washington will have to come up with a new name. All the owners aren't' going to be able to make money off of RGKnee jersey's. Once they start losing money, they'll be on Synder's *** like white on rice. The writing is on the wall and nothing you Commander fans say will change that. There's some American Indians who've come out and said they don't feel it's derogatory. There's some American Indians who have said they are offended by it. In this day and age, all it takes is someone who gets offended.

 

[Califan007]

It's inevitable that Washington will have to come up with a new name. All the owners aren't' going to be able to make money off of RGKnee jersey's. Once they start losing money, they'll be on Synder's *** like white on rice. The writing is on the wall and nothing you Commander fans say will change that. There's some American Indians who've come out and said they don't feel it's derogatory. There's some American Indians who have said they are offended by it. In this day and age, all it takes is someone who gets offended.

I approve of this post...it makes my earlier points so much more valid.

 

[Califan007]

This is 100% true. It is an insult to refer to a person in terms of race, rather then name. If a White Man walked into the room and you called him "White Guy" rather then his given name, that would be rude and Disrespectful. Same for any other race. That would be much more offensive.

That's why that whole, "If you were in a room with a Native American, would you call him Commander to his face?" argument is so idiotic. Of course not, nor would I do that to any other person of any color because he or she has a name and if you don't know it, you can refer to them in a respectful way such as Sir or Miss or Ma'am or any number of more respectful terms. Ludicrous. I have to wonder how these things get started.

Yep lol...someone used an argument about "I dare Dan Snyder to walk up to a Native American couple with their child and say 'What a cute little Commander'.."

All I could think was you shouldn't do that to ANYONE'S child..."What a cute little black kid", "What a cute little white kid", "What a cute little Asian kid"...they're ALL wrong, even if black, white and Asian aren't derogatory slurs in the slightest. It was an asinine argument but the person presenting it probably thought to themselves "Checkmate!" lol...

 

[Doomsday101]

Yep lol...someone used an argument about "I dare Dan Snyder to walk up to a Native American couple with their child and say 'What a cute little Commander'.."

All I could think was you shouldn't do that to ANYONE'S child..."What a cute little black kid", "What a cute little white kid", "What a cute little Asian kid"...they're ALL wrong, even if black, white and Asian aren't derogatory slurs in the slightest. It was an asinine argument but the person presenting it probably thought to themselves "Checkmate!" lol...

I don't know was the child wearing a Washington Commander blankie? Mom and Dad may not take offense. lol

 

[bb721]

This is 100% true. It is an insult to refer to a person in terms of race, rather then name. If a White Man walked into the room and you called him "White Guy" rather then his given name, that would be rude and Disrespectful. Same for any other race. That would be much more offensive.

That's why that whole, "If you were in a room with a Native American, would you call him Commander to his face?" argument is so idiotic. Of course not, nor would I do that to any other person of any color because he or she has a name and if you don't know it, you can refer to them in a respectful way such as Sir or Miss or Ma'am or any number of more respectful terms. Ludicrous. I have to wonder how these things get started.

You are entirely, completely, missing the point. It was never stated or implied that the person would be referenced as a Commander INSTEAD of calling that person by their name. The phrase, "John, I didn't know you were a Commander" comes across as offensive and racist, does it not? You're missing the forest for the trees.

 

[Califan007]

I don't know was the child wearing a Washington Commander blankie? Mom and Dad may not take offense. lol

LOL...well, true.

 

[jnday]

the ruling is absolutely absurd, stupid and idiotic, and sad that americans support such breaking of simple freedoms.

I agree. I am though with the NFL if the name is changed. I have more and more respect for Danny fighting this PC lynch mob. I have been looking for another country to consider moving to. This is not the country that I raised to proud of. It is no longer the " Land of the Free". My parents are getting up in age and they need me at this point of their life. If not for them and my grandchildren that I am raising, I would have moved several years ago. I know several people that have moved to Mexico. They love living there. It should be plenty of land and housing available. The Mexicans have moved here.

 

[BAZ]

Yep lol...someone used an argument about "I dare Dan Snyder to walk up to a Native American couple with their child and say 'What a cute little Commander'.."

All I could think was you shouldn't do that to ANYONE'S child..."What a cute little black kid", "What a cute little white kid", "What a cute little Asian kid"...they're ALL wrong, even if black, white and Asian aren't derogatory slurs in the slightest. It was an asinine argument but the person presenting it probably thought to themselves "Checkmate!" lol...

You are entirely, completely, missing the point. It was never stated or implied that the person would be referenced as a Commander INSTEAD of calling that person by their name. The phrase, "John, I didn't know you were a Commander" comes across as offensive and racist, does it not? You're missing the forest for the trees.

Big time, its like if you dumb the argument down enough they can't be wrong. The point should be would you say to someone you suspect to be of native decent wearing a skins jersey and say "so you're a Commanders fan?" or "so you're a Washington fan?", I know what side of the fence I would come down on.

 

[Califan007]

You are entirely, completely, missing the point. It was never stated or implied that the person would be referenced as a Commander INSTEAD of calling that person by their name. The phrase, "John, I didn't know you were a Commander" comes across as offensive and racist, does it not? You're missing the forest for the trees.

No, it comes across more as insensitive..."John, I didn't know you were an Indian" doesn't sound any better. Nor does "I didn't know you were a Warrior" or "I didn't know you were a Brave", "I didn't know you were a Chief" (unless the guy actually was a chief lol). "Commander" as a label for NAs is antiquated, no doubt. But overwhelmingly the word is connected to the NFL and football. That was actually the original argument back in the 1990s: that even though "Commanders" is almost exclusively connected as an identifier for and NFL football team, the seemingly benign term has roots in horrendous violence against Native Americans, and has been used as a racial slur against NAs for centuries.

When none of those claims about the term's history could be proven (and the dissenting opinion in the trademark ruling completely agrees that it coudn't), the argument changed to "It doesn't matter what the history of the word is, all that matters is what it means now."

When that was argued against as "What it means now is that it's the name of an NFL team to the overwhelming majority of the country," the argument THEN became "That doesn't matter, either, the only thing that matters is that Native Americans find it offensive."

Curious...does anyone here agree with the former head of the FCC that "Commander" is the absolute worst thing you can call a Native American? Nothing else comes close?

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

You are entirely, completely, missing the point. It was never stated or implied that the person would be referenced as a Commander INSTEAD of calling that person by their name. The phrase, "John, I didn't know you were a Commander" comes across as offensive and racist, does it not? You're missing the forest for the trees.

LOL.... No, that's not the case. What if John was a Black Man who went about 6-4. 290 and played professional football at one point in his life? Would that question still be offensive?

 

[iceberg]

Why be so insensitive to a group of people. Thats all that is

do you even know the origin of the word "Commanders"?

i swear it's become popular to be offended these days so people start making crap up to be offended about just so they can be a part of all the rage.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Curious...does anyone here agree with the former head of the FCC that "Commander" is the absolute worst thing you can call a Native American? Nothing else comes close?

No. I am not entirely sure of it's origins but I believe that the term "Red Skins" actually came from Native Americans. How could it possibly be the most offensive thing you could call a Native American if that is the case?

 

[iceberg]

It's inevitable that Washington will have to come up with a new name. All the owners aren't' going to be able to make money off of RGKnee jersey's. Once they start losing money, they'll be on Synder's *** like white on rice. The writing is on the wall and nothing you Commander fans say will change that. There's some American Indians who've come out and said they don't feel it's derogatory. There's some American Indians who have said they are offended by it. In this day and age, all it takes is someone who gets offended.

the constitution provides life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

it never says you will be happy and it never said you have a right to never be offended.

 

[casmith07]

Looool Skins. I wish nothing but misery for that franchise and their fans!

 

[casmith07]

I also weep for ALLEGED COWBOYS FANS siding with the ******* SKINS on this. Are you KIDDING ME?

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I also weep for ALLEGED COWBOYS FANS siding with the ****ing SKINS on this. Are you KIDDING ME?

The enemy of my enemy Cas.

 

[iceberg]

Looool Skins. I wish nothing but misery for that franchise and their fans!

hey, i don't care for the team or the fans, but this is just wrong. from an article on forbes:

The decision came in response to a suit brought by five Native Americans.

"We are extraordinarily gratified to have prevailed in this case," said Alfred W. Putnam, Jr., Chairman of Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, which represented the five men and women, in a statement.

so 5 people is enough to say an entire race of people are offended?

from cbs:
There are Native American schools that call their teams Commanders. The term is used affectionately by some natives, similar to the way the N-word is used by some African-Americans. In the only recent poll to ask native people about the subject, 90 percent of respondents did not consider the term offensive, although many question the cultural credentials of the respondents.

it's just wrong and to me, part of a bigger problem in this country that i really can't get into here.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I have no idea if this is factual but here is an article I found from the Washington Post that suggest the origins of the term "Red Skin"

It was not until July 22, 1815, that "red skin" first appeared in print, he found -- in a news story in the Missouri Gazette on talks between Midwestern Indian tribes and envoys sent by President James Madison to negotiate treaties after the War of 1812.

The envoys had rebuked the tribes for their reluctance to yield territory claimed by the United States, but the Gazette report suggested that Meskwaki chief Black Thunder was unimpressed: "Restrain your feelings and hear calmly what I say," he told the envoys. "I have never injured you, and innocence can feel no fear. I turn to all red skins and white skins, and challenge an accusation against me."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/02/AR2005100201139.html

 

[iceberg]

I have no idea if this is factual but here is an article I found from the Washington Post that suggest the origins of the term "Red Skin"

It was not until July 22, 1815, that "red skin" first appeared in print, he found -- in a news story in the Missouri Gazette on talks between Midwestern Indian tribes and envoys sent by President James Madison to negotiate treaties after the War of 1812.

The envoys had rebuked the tribes for their reluctance to yield territory claimed by the United States, but the Gazette report suggested that Meskwaki chief Black Thunder was unimpressed: "Restrain your feelings and hear calmly what I say," he told the envoys. "I have never injured you, and innocence can feel no fear. I turn to all red skins and white skins, and challenge an accusation against me."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/02/AR2005100201139.html

awhile back i did a lot of research on it and it was more about "native americans" putting red paint on their skin as they went hunting, or to war. had nothing to do with the actual color of their skin.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

awhile back i did a lot of research on it and it was more about "native americans" putting red paint on their skin as they went hunting, or to war. had nothing to do with the actual color of their skin.

Entirely possible. Regardless, it's just crazy. IDK.