Damon Wayans tries to trademark "N" Word

[Alouette]

Hot Mess Alert:

http://www.wired.com/news/technology/1,70259-0.html

"The actor Damon Wayans has been engaged in a 14-month fight to trademark the term "Nigga" for a clothing line and retail store, a search of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's online database reveals.

Wayans wants to dress customers in 14 kinds of attire from tops to bottoms, and use the controversial mark on "clothing, books, music and general merchandise," as well as movies, TV and the internet, according to his applications.

But, so far, his applications have been unsuccessful. Trademark examiner Kelly Boulton rejected the registration dated Dec. 22, citing a law that prohibits marks that are "immoral or scandalous." A previous attempt by Wayans was turned down on identical grounds six months earlier.

"While debate exists about in-group uses of the term, 'nigga' is almost universally understood to be derogatory," Boulton wrote to Wayans' attorney, William H. Cox, according to the application. Cox and other representatives of the actor did not respond to interview requests about the registration."

Bad, bad, BAD idea....

[CrimsonTide4]

Dear Damon Wayans,

N WORD are you CRAZY!?!?!!?!?!?!?! **sigh***

[Honeykiss1974]

What the cow!!!

A retail store and clothing line?!?!?!?

Father forgive him for he know not what he does.

[CrimsonTide4]

Al Sharpton better be the Grand Marshall of the ANTI-N WORD CLOTHES PARADE. He just had better be.

Now I feel justified that I lost interest in his television show after season 1.

[Alouette]

Originally posted by BetaRose
He may be able to get it approved eventually. Not to long ago, a group of lesbians successfully trademarked "Dykes on Bikes" after battling against the prohibition against "immoral or scandalous" trademarks.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg...ype=gaylesbian

"A lesbian motorcycle group in San Francisco declared victory Thursday in their fight for a federal trademark for the name "Dykes on Bikes."

The U.S. Patent and Trademark office twice rejected the group's application on the grounds the term "dyke" was offensive and derogatory. The office reversed itself after the group's lawyers appealed, submitting hundreds of pages of additional material that they said showed the slang word does not disparage lesbians.

"The applicant came in at the last moment with a lot of evidence to show that the community did not consider it disparaging," said Lynne Beresford, a U.S. commissioner for trademarks.

Vick Germany, president of the San Francisco Women's Motorcycle Contingent, a.k.a. Dykes on Bikes, called the decision a huge victory. "The word dyke has been used to put us down, and we have taken that name and reclaimed it as a source of pride," Germany said."

The big difference here is that I would HOPE there would be enough of us out there who would NOT support or stand for this. IMHO, there is nothing redeeming in the 'n' word, I don't care HOW it's used.

Could you imagine the Klan: "Look, a bunch of 'em with 'n' plastered across their chest!" *sigh*

[Eclipse]

You know what would be cool? If he patented it, then sued every rapper that used the word!! LOL

[MightyQuinn]

Originally posted by Alouette
[
. . . "The word dyke has been used to put us down, and we have taken that name and reclaimed it as a source of pride," Germany said."

While I understand the term dyke is used as a derogatory term for Lesbians I just can't bring myself to compare dyke to the N-word. I'm looking at the N-word from a historical point of view and I really don't see the majority of Black American "reclaiming the N-word as a source of pride. "

[ladylike]

Originally posted by Eclipse
You know what would be cool? If he patented it, then sued every rapper that used the word!! LOL

That was my same train of thought. LOL

[Alouette]

Originally posted by MightyQuinn
While I understand the term dyke is used as a derogatory term for Lesbians I just can't bring myself to compare dyke to the N-word. I'm looking at the N-word from a historical point of view and I really don't see the majority of Black American "reclaiming the N-word as a source of pride. "

I totally agree 110 percent sistafriend

[Tickled Pink 2]

Originally posted by Alouette
Hot Mess Alert:

http://www.wired.com/news/technology/1,70259-0.html

"The actor Damon Wayans has been engaged in a 14-month fight to trademark the term "Nigga" for a clothing line and retail store, a search of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's online database reveals.

Wayans wants to dress customers in 14 kinds of attire from tops to bottoms, and use the controversial mark on "clothing, books, music and general merchandise," as well as movies, TV and the internet, according to his applications.

But, so far, his applications have been unsuccessful. Trademark examiner Kelly Boulton rejected the registration dated Dec. 22, citing a law that prohibits marks that are "immoral or scandalous." A previous attempt by Wayans was turned down on identical grounds six months earlier.

"While debate exists about in-group uses of the term, 'nigga' is almost universally understood to be derogatory," Boulton wrote to Wayans' attorney, William H. Cox, according to the application. Cox and other representatives of the actor did not respond to interview requests about the registration."

Bad, bad, BAD idea....

Ridurndiculous.

[DableST_1]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 8, 2006

CONTACT:
H. Lewis Smith
310-712-2662
huhi3139@aol.com
www.burythatsucka.com



DAMAN WAYANS ACTIONS SHOULD BE AN INSULT TO ALL SELF-RESPECTING AFRICAN AMERICANS

By H. Lewis Smith

Los Angeles, CA (BlackNews.com) - As a comedian and actor Daman Wayans is about as good as they come, however and unfortunately, for the past 14 months Daman Wayans has been trying to trademark the term "Nigga" for a clothing line and retail store and so far his application is being denied, citing the word as being immoral, scandalous and disparaging. It is a sad day in America when the system has to save us from ourselves. Have we become our own worse enemy?

The N-word. Everyone knows it, but many will not use it. Except for African Americans. They seem to have no problem using this derogatory term within their communities and as part of their culture. Needless to say, that in light of the explosive use of the word on rapper CD's, the green light has officially been given to other races to freely use the word...and they do. "Bury That Sucka", a new novel, and non-fictional account of a scandalous, strange love affair that the black community has with the N-word, has just hit bookstores.

There are those African Americans who simply do not get it or don't want to get it...for almost 400 years they have been programmed and conditioned to relate to the N-word and now find themselves inseparable from it. Back in 1945 when the Black soldiers returned home from WWII-after fighting for their country-they were greeted with jeers of don't forget "You will always be a nigger". Year 2006, 61 years later there are those African Americans who have not forgot and still identify with this word and will go to any length to justify their embracing and affectionate use of a word that they have been programmed to identify with for almost 400 years.

For the African American users of the N-word who see nothing wrong in referring to themselves as niggas try approaching a Jew and refer to them affectionately as a kike or hymie, or a Latino as a wetback or approach a police officer and call him a pig and then tell them its okay-its just a word-and you should not mind being referred to in such a manner.

Of course you would not dare...because these people would immediately be up in arms against you. Yes! They think too much of themselves to go around degrading and demeaning themselves and will not allow you to degrade and demean them, their standards are way too high and they have too much self-respect to allow that to happen.

African American users of the N-word on the other hand have no self-respect, self-esteem is virtually non-existent combined with self-hatred, have set and accepted the lowest of standards for themselves and wonder why...they can garner no respect from other races.

This mindless act of self-contempt should be totally unacceptable by those African Americans who are not confused and do have high self-esteem and opinion of themselves as well as of their rich, rewarding history and tradition. Lest not forget that silence implies approval and acceptability. A national hot-line has been established to explore what can be done to stem this escalating tide of traveling down the road of self-disrespect and self-contempt.

If you are interested in taking part in a national movement to derail the current trend...of an indigenous lackadaisical attitude with regards to self-respect, pride, dignity, integrity and strength of character...please go to my website, click on the Contact Us page let your feelings be known and information will be forwarded to you as to how to gain access to the national hot-line. Do not think for one moment that you are helpless and can do nothing about this insane, contemptible, self-defeating usage of the N-word; you have more power than you realize. Let's learn to work together to raise the bar towards higher excellence and standards. No longer should we be content and complacent with wallowing in the mire of lower standards than the rest of the human race.

H. Lewis Smith is the author of "Bury That Sucka". To learn more about him and his book, visit his web site: www.burythatsucka.com


-END-

[DST4A00]

Originally posted by BetaRose
He may be able to get it approved eventually. Not to long ago, a group of lesbians successfully trademarked "Dykes on Bikes" after battling against the prohibition against "immoral or scandalous" trademarks.

I can see it now


"And here's Giselle modeling N*****" Whole room erupts in violence.

[CrimsonTide4]

Originally posted by DST4A00
I can see it now


"And here's Giselle modeling N*****" Whole room erupts in violence.

BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHHAAGAA

[DableST_1]

Now a days I see a lot of Hate'n on the net.....I tried to post on this yesterday after posting the article but I guess it never went through... ANYWAYS.......When I first read about this I was VERY skeptical....There have been SOOOO many rumors on the net going on round (50 and his left hand...Hezekiah Walker coming out of the closet only to find out they were BOTH lies!!!! So I am smell'n a rat on this one as well...I am not sure if this is true or not, and I will give Mr. Wayans the benefit of the doubt! I am looking for him or his publicist to come out and deny this, but I won't hold my breath on it either!

If this IS indeed true, SHAME ON HIM!!!!! I never understood why WE as blacks feel that it’s OK to use a word of such Disgusts! I remember back in college when a song came on that either degraded women, or had the "N" word in it, I would encourage sorors to STOP strolling to it. SO WHAT it has a TIGHT BEAT,,, or it's the HOT song of the day/week/year. I just have issues with dancing, strolling, singing to SUCH MESS! Some sorors respected that and didn't stroll, but then you had those who didn't give a damn...Maybe I am just TOOO old school, and we are dealing with the new generation Y? (As in WHY?????)

[KAPPAtivating]

Hello lovely Ladies of DST! Please allow me to show some Krimson and Kream