Today, Federal Judge Gerald Bruce Lee has ruled that the Patent and Trademark Office must cancel registration of the Washington Redskins\’ trademark, because it may be disparaging to Native Americans. In doing so, he has seconded an earlier finding by an administrative appeal board.
Last year, when the administrative appeal board decision was being considered, I wrote about other names that might catch the attention of the POPPOs. I think I would like to repeat them now:
Who are the POPPO\’s? They are the Professionally Oppressed and Perpetually Pissed Off crowd: the ones always looking for some offense, real or imagined, and then angrily demanding that because they have spoken up you have to change to their liking.
Most recently, we have seen this bunch at work against the Washington Redskins – resulting in the US patent office revoking that name as a trademark on the grounds that “Redskins” is somehow offensive. For 80 years it was just fine, but the POPPOs must be satisfied.
Well here is another cause for them. Oklahoma:
Oklahoma is based on Choctaw Indian words which translate as red people (okla meaning “people” and humma meaning “red”). Recorded history for the name “Oklahoma” began with Spanish explorer Coronado in 1541 on his quest for the “Lost City of Gold.” Oklahoma became the 46th state on November 16, 1907.
Red people. People with red skin. Redskins.
With me so far?
Now a bunch more, in alphabetical order:
-Alabama appears to be Choctaw for “thicket-clearers” or “vegetation gatherers”. That is a stereotype of Indians, no less than characterizing all Mexicans as farm workers. If “Redskins” is offensive, than this is too.
-Hawaii is a corruption of “Owhyhee”, the native-tongue word for “Homeland”. Since Hawaii is no longer a free-standing nation, but part of the USA, that is offensive to everyone else. A change is in order.
-Illinois is Algonquin for “warriors” or “race of superior men”. That not only insults everyone in the other 49 states, but all women in or out of Illinois. Women must be respected, so get rid of it.
-Indiana means “land of the Indians”. That excludes every non-Indian – i.e. the majority of the state\’s population – so it must be offensive. Out it goes.
-Iowa is the name of a specific tribe within the Sioux nation. Since only a small fraction of the population belongs to this tribe, it excludes everyone else. Bye Byeowa, Iowa.
-Maryland was named in honor of Henrietta Maria, wife of English King Charles 1. Well, we are not ruled by England anymore. I say, change it to Michelleland…..until January, 2017.
-North and South Carolina are named for King Charles I – the latin word for Charles being Cariolus. North and South Obamalina aren\’t as melifluous, but at least Barack is from the state of Owhyhee…..we think.
-Pennsylvania was named for Quaker William Penn, who was given the land by Charles I. Well, he doesn\’t own it anymore and I\’m not a Quaker, so I object.
-Virginia was named after “The Virgin Queen”, England\’s Elizabeth I. That not only honors a non-American, but is an affront to all women who choose to be sexually active, which makes it part of the war on women. It has to change.
-West Virginia – ditto.
Can I assume the same POPPOs whose outrage has caused the furor resulting in the patent office considering, then ruling against, this name, are similarly outraged with the offensively named states listed above?
I guess not…
Selective outrage, anyone?
Oh, one more thing for you. Here is the mascot of the Chicago Blackhawks:
Heard any complaints about this? Me neither.
What hypocrites.
