ESPN’s Tuesday Morning Quarterback (TMQ) opens this week’s column with news:
[T]hat Federal judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly is expected to rule soon in the marathon 11-year lawsuit against the Potomac Drainage Basin Indigenous Persons and their ‘R*dsk*ns’ trademark.
TMQ objects to both ends of the ‘Washington’ R*dsk*ns name. The front end: This club practices in Virginia and performs in Maryland, lacking the decency to so much as maintain an office in Washington. The back end: R*dsk*ns is a slur. Fans don’t mean to denigrate anyone, of course; fans view the name as mere tradition. A slur it is, nonetheless. What if the mere traditional name were the Washington Darkies?
There is a 1946 federal statute prohibiting the government from registering a trademark that disparages any race, religion or other group. In 1999 the Patent and Trade Mark Office agreed that the name “Redskins” was a violation of that law. The team could keep the name if it chose — and owner Dan Snyder is adamant about keeping it — but it would no longer be able to protect its rights to market the team name and logo. TMQ says that would cost the team $5 million in lost revenue annually.
NewMexiKen agrees with the Indian critics, and with the Patent and Trademark Office, that the name is derogatory. Further, I don’t like the team or its owner and am happy to see them sweat. I’m pretty certain however, that there is not a consensus among American Indians on this issue. As one example, check out the Red Mesa High School Redskins of Teec Nos Pos, Arizona.