Comments about ‘U.S. Patent Office: Redskins name 'disparaging,' federal trademark must be canceled’

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Published: Wednesday, June 18 2014 11:02 p.m. MDT

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truth in all its forms
henderson, NV

What is so disparaging about using a racial slur for a team name?

clearfield, UT

Senator Harry Reid said he would not attend any Redskins games as long as the name remains. That alone would be a good reason for not changing the name.

DN Subscriber
Cottonwood Heights, UT

Political correctness run amok. Again, but not for the last time, either.

"Utes" will be next. After all, it disparages inner city thugs, so it must be eliminated.

And, shockingly, the BYU team names are very offensive! Disparaging millions of women by the use of a term which the Urban Dictionary defines as "An older woman who frequents clubs in order to score with a much younger man." This cannot be tolerated!

And, remember the name of our continent is that of some Italian guy, so lawyers can surely find someone with Italian ancestry who will be offended.

In all 57 states, we must demand that courts, and even Patent and Trademark Offices enforce our Constitutional right "not to be offended." And, to collect monetary damages we may be entitled to.

The fact that we have so many people easily offended is surely the modern day equivalent of fiddling while Rome was burning. I can think of 17.5 trillion more important things to be upset about.

Dammam, Saudi Arabia

There was recently a state department document that talked about fighting homophobia, which has become an epithet for anyone who believes in traditional marriage.

Then there was a rainbow flag flying over the US embassy in Israel which has become symbolic of intolerance.

If those are OK, then why is the term "Redskins" not OK? We need some consistency.

clearfield, UT

And in looking at polls on the subject it is still not clear just how many Native Americans really find the name offensive enough to want it changed. Some varied polling out there. Some polls even show a significant majority not being offended because they realize that the name is not meant to be a denigration, but a celebration of their culture. So the question is. How many offended does it take to change a light bulb. One? If someONE finds something offensive, should they be considered legitimate? How about 10%? Maybe 40%? Where is the line drawn before it is reasonable to consider it a legitimate argument? If the answer is one or ten or one hundred, then we will always be living in a country that is subject the PC whims of a small minority. Not a good way to go.

The Wraith
Kaysville, UT

DN Subsciber

No, Utes will not be next unless the Ute Nation asks for it to be removed. However, since the Ute Nation has on several occasions stated that they like that the University can help bring awareness to the Utes in addition to just completing a contract with the University allowing that to continue the Ute name won't be next. Just as every other team with a Native American mascot like Illinois, FSU, and others.

This isn't political correctness run amok. This is a very obvious example of a team name that needs to be changed. And no, Native Americans aren't claiming a right not to be offended in this one - the name is very plainly disparaging. And I'm glad you're not the only person on earth or changing it would be a few trillion down the list. In the real word there are lots of people and many off them are off handing the big tough work - so it's okay if a few people focus on this one.

There You Go Again
Saint George, UT

Change the team name to the Washington Lobbyists.

No one would disparage a lobbyist...


lost in DC
West Jordan, UT

I DEMAND the name Vikings also be banned - it dispareges my Swedish and Danish ancestry. Same with Bucanneers and Raiders. Fighting Irish has to go, too, along with Fighting Scots.

Utah needs to change its name, we cannot be named for a tribe. Same with Illinois, that refers to a group of tribes, so it is even more heinous. Oh, and don't forget INDIANa! How could we have tolerates such bigotry for so long?

Trojans - cannot use that one either, for a number of reasons, or Spartans. bad bad bad.

Cowboys and Indians, those names also need to go.

What do we allow the disparagement of meatpackers? change that one.

cannot disparage miners of those who participated in the goldrush.

And why do we hate the people of Texas so that we allow the NFL to name a team after them.

cannot disparage those who work in oil fields, either. shame shame shame.

Don't like the name? don't go to the game or buy the appaeral.

PC run amok.


How can anyone defend this word as non-derogatory?

American Fork, UT

Everybody who disparages political correctness is lucky it exists. Were it not for that, I could say what I think around here.

Fitness Freak
Salt Lake City, UT

Obviously, the U.S. Patent Office has become politicized. THATS' a bad idea. I have a very strong feeling that Harry Reid "made a phone call".

Do democrats REALLY want every government agency politicized?

They've already politicized immigration enforcement, DEA, IRS, etc., and to a large extent, the military.

The Redskins name has been fine for over 50 yrs. - what changed, except Harry Reid?

Frozen Fractals
Salt Lake City, UT

Why don't people who support the name say "Redskins shouldn't be offended" instead of "Native Americans shouldn't be offended"?

Eagle Mountain, UT

GZE - because you don't understand the context and you are intentionally looking at it as a derogatory term. It's not. But lets apply common sense - do you really think that at the turn of the century the Washington Football Club decided to name their team in a derogatory fashion? BY your definition it would be like a new team today naming their team the Nazis. Does that really make sense?

But I get that there are crazy PC people out there - just see the Jr High in Sandy that couldn't use the name "Cougars" because it is offensive to middle aged women. Really?????

Redskins was not then and still isnt a derogatory term. Only people trying to make something out of nothing find it offensive.

Ifel Of'a-sofa
Alpine, Utah

I am one to not go crazy about being PC, however I think there is a point to this.
I am honest when I hear the term redskins I think about the Washington Football team... always have.
However it IS a derogatory term for a persons RACE.

Washington W word (river swimmers)
Washington Chinks
Washington N word (I can't believe that cant be posted)
Washington Crackers... you get the picture.

Cowboys, Indians, Vikings, Mexicans, Utes, Seminoles, Indians, Africans, Irish etc are not derogatory names.

It is probably time Washington changed their mascot name in my opinion.

It's probably time

clearfield, UT

The Wraith

You were not very clear in your objection to DN Subscriber. Are you in fact defending the 17.5 trillion dollar debt of this nation? Because it would make sense to me that the Senate Majority Leader and President of the United States be concerning themselves with something that really threatens our country, the debt, rather than to make an issue of a small thing like a 50 year old team name. And if a small group of Utes were to come out and call for a name change, would that change your opinion? If not then how many would it take?


So, let me ask you this. What if a majority of Native Americans were to say that the name Redskin was NOT offensive to them? Would that be OK, or would you insist the name change because you want it so?

Go Big Blue!!!
Bountiful, UT

I have been a Vikings fan ever since I can remember, but today I'm buying a Redskins jersey. The PC crowd has gone too far.

Kearns, UT

With all the other more pressing issues facing the nation and the world my answer is, so what?


PP and SC,

So you would be comfortable describing a native american as a "redskin"? You would call them that to their faces? Since it's not at all derogatory?

Sioux City, IA

Please note that from this day forward potatoes, tomatoes, radishes, and apples can no longer be said to have "redskins" because that would be disparaging to the people designated as Native Americans. Although I could take offense at the term "Native American". After all I was born and raised in the US as were both of my parents, and all 4 of my grandparents which should qualify me as a "Native American" with ancestry from another continent the same as they have ancestry from another continent.

Cedar Hills, UT

I am guessing the Cleveland Indians are next to fall to the PC police. What a sad country America has become but we the people allowed this nonsense to happen by electing the liberal garbage that fills our courts and congress. Soon you won't be able to use the word "woman" or "she" because it is found to be gender damaging by the same PC police. You can see where this is all going.... I wish my kids could have grown up in the America I knew and loved as a boy but that place is no where to be found. Very sad. Soon you won't be able to tell America from Socialist Europe to the delight of liberals.

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