The U.S. Patent And Trademark And Political Correctness Office
That's effectively what they are. A band made up of a bunch of Asians wanted to take a piss out of an Asian slur and adopt it as their name -- which they did -- and then they wanted to protect their name with a trademark. Whoopsy. No go. Thanks to PC Uncle Sam. Ryan White writes in The Oregonian:
As a Portland-based rock band with a growing fan base and national ambitions, the Slants figured it wouldn't hurt to take care of some business interests. On the advice of their attorney, they decided to register their name through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Protect the brand. It seemed simple enough."It didn't occur to us at the time that there would be an issue with the name," says Simon Tam, the band's manager and bass player, who performs under the name Simon Young. As a band of Asian Americans who play to a fan base with a high percentage of Asian Americans why would they anticipate a problem?
One year, two rejections and a case file closing in on 200 pages later, it's clear there is an issue with the name. That issue is Section 2(a) of the 1946 Trademark Act. It says, in part, that a trademark can be rejected if it "consists of or comprises immoral, deceptive, or scandalous matter; or matter which may disparage ..."
In the estimation of the trademark office's examining attorney, the band name Slants fits the description. But it's a complicated issue with a history of conflicting outcomes: The Washington Redskins have been able to hold on to their trademark despite lawsuits from Native American groups; the rap group N.W.A has a trademark. But, like the Slants, Heeb Media was denied a trademark on the grounds of Section 2(a).
"We deserve the right to protect our name," Tam says. "In the larger sense, minorities should have the right to label themselves."
The band can still call themselves the Slants. What the band can't get are the legal protections of a federally registered trademark.
Oh, I get it. We're all "correct" now. "PC" solved our problems. The world really dodged the bullet of having to hear the offensive title of this band. That was a close one! I'm off to my KKK rally now- free speech! Weeeeeeeeeee!
Gspotted at March 28, 2011 1:20 AM
Speaking of Pee Cee, cancer survivor Lance Armstrong apparently has his spandex cycling pants in a twist over Rep. Steve King's characterization of Obamaocare as a "malignant tumor."
As a fellow cancer survivor, I say boo hoo, Lance. Get over it.
mpetrie98 at March 28, 2011 2:32 AM
Oh, I get it. You can DO anything you want on stage. Just don't tell anybody beforehand!
And what will the patent office do if these guys decide on "EpicAnthic Fold"?
Don't they recognize the inherent harm conveyed by "System of a Down"?
And "Butthole Surfers" and "Dead Kennedys" are OK?
We gotta stop hiring Federal employees without some damned standards!
Radwaste at March 28, 2011 2:41 AM
Oh, yeah...
... wait'll the Feds find out about Steely Dan!
Radwaste at March 28, 2011 2:49 AM
I wonder if Heeb Media has any name legality issues. At my university 'heeb' was what the rednecks called the middle eastern students, when said rednecks felt like being nice.
Mary Q Contrary at March 28, 2011 4:54 AM
Note to self, read the article. Duh!
Mary Q Contrary at March 28, 2011 4:55 AM
"... wait'll the Feds find out about Steely Dan!"
Yeah, and wait till they hear about the female British band The Slits.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Slits
David Crawford at March 28, 2011 8:48 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/03/28/the_us_patent_a.html#comment-1970502">comment from David CrawfordI love when people appropriate bad terms used against them. I'm godless, but I sometimes tell people who ask my origins that I'm "a Heeb." Somebody tells me I'm bitch, and I say, "And?" And this woman who's very sweet but takes no abuse from anyone -- she and I both have "our brand" at my favorite cafe: "Bitches Brew."
I love the name "The Slants." It's funny.
Amy Alkon
at March 28, 2011 9:01 AM
Time to read The Handmaid's Tale again. Maybe I'll move to Canada.
DaveG at March 28, 2011 9:59 AM
How about Pearl Jam?
ken in sc at March 28, 2011 10:42 AM
Well, unfortunately, the post on the beauty shotting the intruder is off the roll, but here is an update.
Updated March 24, 2011 -
Meghan Brown is courting controversy by her words and action. Brown posed for some ads wearing lingerie and holding a silver colored pistol, not her private gun which was used to shoot Hill dead. She capitalized on her new found fame being the home owner who shot the burglar dead. Why did she do it? Brown admitted she wanted to make money and the creative director wanted to capitalize on her recent home invasion news. Sure, Planthaber is affluent but she could do well to make her own money while the sun still shines for her.
Brown said she thought Hill was going to get killed one day, one way or another. Brown said she thought he was a confirmed criminal who wasn’t going to transform. Police are investigating her background and she better not have anything fishy to foil her alibi for shooting Hill.
Brown was arrested in 2010, in the early months of 2010, for domestic violence against her boyfriend, Bobby Planthaber. He called police for assistance after Brown allegedly slapped his face and beat his chest. Planthaber said he was trying to break up his relationship with Brown when she turned physical against him. Brown admitted she slapped Planthaber, because he threw her pet out of the car. Brown and Planthaber got together again after the blowup and they became engaged. Planthaber refused to press charges on Brown
Hmmm. Brown said she throught Hill was going to killed some day, one way or the other?
Oh, this stranger who you admitted to your home at 3 am, because he knocked? The beauty queen shoots intruder story has more holes than a New Orleans brothel.
BOTU at March 28, 2011 11:10 AM
Uncle Kracker, anyone?
Justin at March 28, 2011 1:22 PM
Oh yeah, using minority anti-discrimination laws to discriminate against minorites.
Isnt government great?
lujlp at March 28, 2011 5:40 PM
wait... Simon Tam!?
Radwaste at March 28, 2011 6:04 PM
Steely Dan and Pink Floyd are kissin' ... well, ...cousins... and Bitches Brew is (or was for a limited time) an awesome brew by Dogfish Head Brewing Co. to commemorate Sony's re-release of Miles Davis' landmark album of the same name. Stream-of-consciousness word association ...
Mr. Teflon at March 29, 2011 8:21 PM
Dunno where you got that idea about Pink Floyd. They're named after bluesmen Pink Anderson and Floyd Council.
Radwaste at March 30, 2011 3:01 AM
Radwaste: exactly what I was thinking!
Apparently after Serenity wrapped they all went to Portland and started a rock band.
Speedy
Speedy at March 30, 2011 6:12 AM
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