Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2018/06/24/damn-vegans.html
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“And if trademark law can’t tell the difference, then neither will we.”
I’d argue that anyone depending on the USPTO for this purpose had a problem long before the current decision.
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If two white guys tried to register The Slants, would it be seen as a reference to geometry? It’s a pretty unusual slur.
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That puts an interesting slant on the situation.
That would be “the Inclines.”
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It’s based on the term “slant-eyes”, which is used for a large portion of east Asians. That being said, while I’ve heard “slant-eyes” used before, I’ve never heard just “slant” or “the slants” before this article. Maybe it’s more of a west coast thing?
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Honestly, I’ve never heard it used. I’ve seen it on lists of racial slurs.
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It’s one of my dad’s go-tos so I heard it growing up.
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Man, I’m sympathetic to the concept of intellectual property and all, but trademark law is the absolute worst.
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“Damn vegans” doesn’t seem to belong with the other terms on the list. (Just to be clear, like Ismo I love vegans.)
Finally! I am free to name my next software Two Crackers Short of a Crackerbarrel.
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I wouldn’t mind owning that swastika trademark as long as I can shut down anyone violating my trademark, hmm-mm delicious irony.
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Forget it Jack, it’s crackertown.
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Simon Tam mentioned in a TEDx video that the only reason their application for a trademark on the term “The Slants” was denied was because they themselves were Asian. In fact, out of 800- odd applications for trademarks on the word slant, his was the only one denied.
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Now THAT is a top band name!
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“There was even a swastika in the mix, registered for use on “fabric, apparel, upholstery, and flags.””
What, no love for Tanks and Planes and Airships?
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Used to be quiet common here in Australia
But I wondered about the “damn vegans”. Was that the best they could think of?
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Ha ha, cliche about self-righteous vegans gets laughs once again.
Meanwhile, having met many vegans, I’ve never met one who goes around openly proclaiming that status to others.
It’s a cliche that says more about people who are both obnoxious and consumers of meat than it does about actual vegans as a group.
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Was it though, all that common back in the old days of OZ? Upstream another poster pointed out that the word slant always accompanied the word eyes, ie. “That slanty eyed bastard”. Unlike slope with was used in the singular.
God I feel terrible for writing that.
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Yeah I would agree. Maybe it was the second form I am thinking of. I can’t imagine going to see an African American band called the n…
But we did have Wogs out of Work here in AU. Maybe some slurs have just gone too far to be rescued.
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