This crap is offensive, says the US Patent and Trademark Office.
  • Dean Betoncelj / Shutterstock
  • This crap is offensive, says the US Patent and Trademark Office.

"In Landmark Decision, U.S. Patent Office Cancels Trademark for Redskins Football Team." That's the headline up at Think Progress, where the story broke this morning. The plaintiff's lawyer says, "We presented a wide variety of evidence—including dictionary definitions and other reference works, newspaper clippings, movie clips, scholarly articles, expert linguist testimony, and evidence of the historic opposition by Native American groups—to demonstrate that the word ‘redskin’ is an ethnic slur." Where is all this evidence so you can look at it? It's right here; knock yourself out.

Just a couple days ago, Harry Reid said he wouldn't attend any more Redskins games until they changed the name. He wrote to team management on June 12:

I have worked to right many of the injustices endured by Americans throughout the country. Among the most egregious in the history of our country are those injustices inflicted upon American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. This is personal for me. I represent 27 tribes as the Senator from Nevada and have worked to protect their homelands and their sovereignty. I have a duty to ensure that the United States uphold centuries-old treaty and trust obligations towards Native Americans, and I take this responsibility very seriously.

I will not stand idly by while a professional sports team promotes a racial slur as a team name and disparages the American people. Nor will I consider your invitation to attend a home game until your organization chooses to do the right thing and change its offensive name.

But this ruling was not made hastily, and was years and years in the making, the Washington Post reports. By the way, the owner of the team says "the name and logo honor Native Americans." Ha! Here's an open letter to that guy published on Grantland last year.