Reckon if the US Government filed suit against NWA?

[Ike Bana]

Niggaz With Attitudes isn't a slur?

"Slants" fight the US Government. (http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2015/05/08/404748835/whats-in-a-name-band-founder-fights-government-to-retain-the-slants)

[d-ray657]

Niggaz With Attitudes isn't a slur?

"Slants" fight the US Government. (http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2015/05/08/404748835/whats-in-a-name-band-founder-fights-government-to-retain-the-slants)

The story doesn't address a government lawsuit against a band because of its name. The government denied the band the protection of the trademark law for a name that was deemed offensive in that it was based on a racial stereotype. The story does not address whether NWA is a registered trademark. It does indicate that the Washington Redskins lost the trademark protection for that team name. It is still questionable whether a government official should determine whether something is offensive, but its not the same as actively prosecuting someone for a name.

Regards,

D-Ray

[icenine]

According to one place I saw NWA is trademarked. Although we all know what it means in regard to the rap group from LA I would imagine it was allowed to be trademarked because the three letters themselves are not offensive, either as an abbreviation or as just three letters of the alphabet. The other terms like redskin or slant under the old trademark law have been declared offensive.

I don't know why Ike finds this so compelling to merit a thread. You are free to use the unabbreviated term Ike as long as you don't want your old face bashed in...the first amendment does not come with health insurance. Are you upset that you don't get to use the word without impunity while some African-Americans do? That is the price of being white I guess....;)

I am sure there are millions of African-Americans that find NWA offensive also.

[donquixote99]

It can be read as an 'aren't niggaz awful' story.

[Ike Bana]

It can be read as an 'aren't niggaz awful' story.

If one like you so chooses. I read the NPR story as "aren't slants awful."

[Ike Bana]

I don't know why Ike finds this so compelling to merit a thread.

I'll just have to remember to check in with the local self-appointed arbiter of appropriate threads next time.:rolleyes:

Just seems to me the PTO is being strangely selective in its enforcement.

[Ike Bana]

The story doesn't address a government lawsuit against a band because of its name. The government denied the band the protection of the trademark law for a name that was deemed offensive in that it was based on a racial stereotype. The story does not address whether NWA is a registered trademark. It does indicate that the Washington Redskins lost the trademark protection for that team name. It is still questionable whether a government official should determine whether something is offensive, but its not the same as actively prosecuting someone for a name.

Regards,

D-Ray

Who said it was the same? A government agency filed suit with some Asian guys for an offensive trademark. Niggaz With Attitudes was also trademarked. I'm curious why the PTO is only taking this action with the Asian guys? If nobody else in this joint finds it interesting...that's fine, and maybe to be expected.

[Tom Joad]

Niggaz With Attitudes isn't a slur?

"Slants" fight the US Government. (http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2015/05/08/404748835/whats-in-a-name-band-founder-fights-government-to-retain-the-slants)

That Dude second from the right must be a Blacklist fan. He looks like he's a Raymond Reddington wannabe.

http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/zz359/Dog_of_the_Earth/the-slants-20141_wide-721712a0fad5b78561d5aaec04f02241e870eac1-s800-c85.jpg (http://s843.photobucket.com/user/Dog_of_the_Earth/media/the-slants-20141_wide-721712a0fad5b78561d5aaec04f02241e870eac1-s800-c85.jpg.html)

http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/zz359/Dog_of_the_Earth/tumblr_np1kdhrye11u8u63to1_500.jpg (http://s843.photobucket.com/user/Dog_of_the_Earth/media/tumblr_np1kdhrye11u8u63to1_500.jpg.html)

[d-ray657]

Who said it was the same? A government agency filed suit with some Asian guys for an offensive trademark. Niggaz With Attitudes was also trademarked. I'm curious why the PTO is only taking this action with the Asian guys? If nobody else in this joint finds it interesting...that's fine, and maybe to be expected.

Incorrect. The government agency denied the band's application for trademark protection and the band appealed that decision. It was not an active effort to prevent the use of the name. That is what your thread title implies. It is an interesting enough issue without misinformation.

The thing I find interesting is the concept the one would want to protect an economic interest in an offensive name. I understand the stated aim of the name, and I don't think that action should be taken to prevent them from calling themselves anything. They can be the Screaming Nazis if they want. The protection of a commercial interest in the name is a different issue. After all, the level of First Amendment protection afforded commercial speech is not as great as the protection afforded private speech. It is not a simple issue.

Regards,

D-Ray

[icenine]

I'll just have to remember to check in with the local self-appointed arbiter of appropriate threads next time.:rolleyes:

Just seems to me the PTO is being strangely selective in its enforcement.

I don't know the history, but maybe when they formed the group they chose to use NWA knowing they would not get permission for trademark if they used the words those letters stood for. I am not offended by those letters in relation to the rap group itself but I feel uncomfortable saying them; however in context with the musicians, the music, and their fans (both black and white) it is obvious it is not offensive to them in context. NWA is not a group that performs music that is against black people per se in other words, but have been criticized for their attitudes toward women.

Something tells me NWA is not really offensive to you but the fact that you yourself cannot perhaps use such language upsets you more. That is the impression I get when people bring this discussion up, forgetting that there is also a huge amount of white on white crime.

If I was with all my friends (white people for example) and we were calling each other hicks, crackers and rednecks, I probably would not get upset. If I was at a cocktail party with a bunch of professionals from my work place and somebody started to use the same language then people would get offended.
Perhaps alienated youth used to discrimination and poverty use a term that historically was utilized to de-humanize them as a weapon. You cannot do anything about that.

Of course you could form your own rap group with some of your favorite abbreviations. If your songs are mostly pro-Israel people will probably forgive you if the name of your group is offensive.

[icenine]

NWA is trademarked...not the words they stand for.


http://www.trademarkencyclopedia.com/nwa/

[Ike Bana]

Something tells me NWA is not really offensive to you but the fact that you yourself cannot perhaps use such language upsets you more. That is the impression I get when people bring this discussion up, forgetting that there is also a huge amount of white on white crime.

And as with so many of your other attitudes about moi...you would be wrong about this as well.


Of course you could form your own rap group with some of your favorite abbreviations. If your songs are mostly pro-Israel people will probably forgive you if the name of your group is offensive.

The Kikes. I always wanted to be in a band called The Kikes. Or preferably, "The Kikes Kill The Baby Jesus In His Little Panties."

[d-ray657]

We can't forget Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6b-OdfboLE)

For some reason, I doubt that he sought trademark protection for that name.

Regards,

D-Ray

[Boreas]

We can't forget Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6b-OdfboLE)

Nah, that don't count fer nuthin!

Man, this thread is so Ike! Let's get all indignant over some damn whatabout that never happened so that we can get on our high horse about prejudice and unequal treatment.

[icenine]

In reality there is no connection between the Redskins and NWA. Much more people are upset about the current moniker of the football team than the name of a 25 year old rap group.

[mpholland]

In reality there is no connection between the Redskins and NWA. Much more people are upset about the current moniker of the football team than the name of a 25 year old rap group.

And the fact that the football team wasn't named the RWA.

[bobabode]

And the fact that the football team wasn't named the RWA.

Didn't they win the NFC East title this weekend? ;)

[Ike Bana]

Nah, that don't count fer nuthin!

Man, this thread is so Ike!

Man, this post is so john! Obsessing about Ike. An actual life may await him out in the real world...then again, probably not.


Sorry bob...but you know how those fuckin' Jews are, always refusing to participate in the one sided ceasefires.