It would be interesting to see if the Supreme court would actually hear their case or not. Your starting to get into first amendment issues. With the current make up of the court I would doubt they would rule in their favor. This goes back to the issue that not all native Americans are offended by Native American caricatures/logos. What is going to happen next? Are these groups going to go after sports teams that are named sacred animals such as Eagles, Wolves, Bears, Owls, Bison?
WASHINGTON (AP) — A group of American Indians who find the Washington Redskins name offensive wants the Supreme Court to take up the matter.
The group on Monday asked the justices to review a lower court decision that favored the NFL team on a legal technicality.
The seven Native Americans have been working through the court system since 1992 to have the Redskins trademarks declared invalid. A U.S. Patent and Trademark Office panel ruled in their favor in 1999. But they’ve been handed a series of defeats from judges who ruled that the plaintiffs waited too long to bring their suit in the first place.
A lawyer for the group says he’d like to see the highest court decide whether the Redskins name defames Native Americans.
I wonder why the NCAA hasnt gone after Notre Dame yet. Fighting Irish sounds about as offensive as Fighting Sioux to me.
ReplyDeleteMiami moved away from Redskins at the request of the Miami Tribe for whom the school is named. Certainly, we had our share of debate around it, but in the end, it was probably the right decision since the school has always claimed, and enjoys, a tight relationship with the Tribe. But, as with all things, ask 5 people for their point of view and you're likely to receive 5 answers.
ReplyDeleteMatt - I like your analogy on the Irish. I've always found that curious.
I agree that people in today's society have become too touchy and overly PC, but I side with the Native Americans on this "Redskin" issue.
ReplyDeleteThe difference betwen this and the UND nickname issue is that there is no tribe called the "Redskins." It is basically a racial slur. It would be along the same lines as calling a team the "N-words." Obviously the "N-words" nickname would draw way more outrage but it is the same concept.
I would guess that Native Americans of all tribes would be offended if someone called them a "Redskin" to their face.