The U. S. Patent Office’s Trial and Appeal Board can’t decide if the DC NFL team name R-word slur deserves government protection, so members of Congress want to clarify it. Del. Eni Faleomavaega (D-American Samoa) has introduced HR 1278 – Non-Disparagement of Native American Persons or Peoples in Trademark Registration Act of 2013. Co-sponsors include co-chairs of the Congressional Native American Caucus Tom Cole (R-Okla.) and Betty McCollum (D, MN-4) as well as Reps. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Raul Grijalva (D, AZ-7), Karen Bass (D, CA-37), John Lewis (D, GA-5), Gwen Moore (D, WI-4), Donna Christenson (D-Virgin Islands), Michael Honda (D, CA-17).
The bill has been endorsed by the National Congress of American Indians, International Indian Treaty Council, the Wisconsin Indian Education Association, and the Morning Star Institute. “It’s wonderful to have such distinguished and courageous members of Congress stand up for us to oppose this indefensible racial epithet,” said Institute President Susan Harjo. “I hope this helps to open the eyes of those who have not seen or who have refused to see the harm this does to our young people.”
More:
“Bill Against Racist Washington R-Word Introduced in Congress,” E. F. Beall, FireDogLake
“Lawmakers offer bill to ban ‘Redskins’ trademark,” Ben Pershing, Washington Post
“House Introduces Bill to Ban Racist ‘Redskins’ Trademark,” Gale Courey Toensing, Indian Country Today
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Tags: Congress, football, NFL, racial slurs, racism, Redskins, sterotyping, trademarks, Washington DC
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