Federal court: Feds can't strip trademarks just because they're supposedly offensive

The Washington Redskins were not a party to the case in question here. The successful plaintiffs, rather, were a rock band of Asians who call themselves The Slants. But the Redskins and the NFL understand the stakes in the Slants case, which is why they filed a brief in favor of the band - and why they have to be happy with the outcome:

"The government enacted this law - and defends it today - because it disapproves of the messages conveyed by disparaging marks," wrote the court in its decision. "It is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment that the government may not penalize private speech merely because it disapproves of the message it conveys."
The NFL filed a statement to the court supporting The Slants.
"This freewheeling ability to deprive trademark owners of significant benefits because of what they say through their marks strikes at the very heart of the First Amendment values this country holds dear," the league argued.
Redskins team owner Daniel Snyder has insisted the name is not offensive to Native Americans, but many Native American groups dispute that and have fought the trademark in court. Some politicians, including President Obama, have urged the team to change its name.

That last sentence should read: "Some politicians, including President Obama, prefer to harangue the Redskins rather than deal with their failure to do their actual jobs."
Read More: http://www.caintv.com/federal-court-feds-cant-strip
Related Article: European Patent (partly revised definition)