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Redskins trademark ruling: Another Washington political football?

By canceling the 'Redskins' trademark on the grounds it is disparaging, the US Patent and Trademark Office has turned Washington pigskin unity into one more bone of contention.

The Washington Redskins used to be one of the few forces for political unification in D.C. Republicans and Democrats alike could cheer or bemoan the fortunes of the local football team on the field.

That may not be true any longer. The fight over the implications of the team鈥檚 name has seen to that. Many area Democrats view 鈥淩edskins鈥� as a racial slur that must be changed. Many 鈥� but not all 鈥� local Republicans see it is an honored moniker with only gridiron connotations.

This conflict was brought into focus by Wednesday鈥檚 ruling by the US Patent and Trademark Office, which canceled the 鈥淩edskins鈥� trademark on the grounds that it is disparaging.

When the news broke, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D) of Washington interrupted a debate on the Senate floor to hail the decision. 鈥淪o many people have helped in this effort, and I want to applaud them,鈥� said Senator Cantwell, who helped organize a letter endorsing a name change that was signed by 50 Senate Democrats and sent to NFL offices earlier this year.

Contrast that with the reaction from Larry Hogan, the Republican gubernatorial candidate from next-door Maryland. The ruling 鈥渟hould offend anyone concerned about constitutional limits on government power and free speech,鈥� Mr. Hogan said Wednesday.

Yes, we鈥檙e being a bit loose here in our definition of 鈥渁rea resident.鈥� But the fact is that politicians elected elsewhere live here (usually), settle their families here (often), and have local as well as home-state sports loyalties. One of the biggest all-time Redskins fans was Richard Nixon 鈥� though there is little evidence he ever actually called plays for the team, as was widely alleged while he was in office.

And the Washington metro area is large, encompassing as it does the city itself, northern Virginia, and D.C.鈥檚 Maryland suburbs.

Plus, there鈥檚 no doubt the whole 鈥淩edskins鈥� thing has become politically polarized nationally. Senate majority leader Harry Reid also hailed the decision, warning team owner Dan Snyder that the writing is on the wall, and it鈥檚 time to change the name.

Conservatives, meanwhile, are incensed. On his show Wednesday, pointed the rhetorical finger directly at the White House. 鈥淎ll this stuff is coming out of the executive branch. All of this, well tyranny,鈥� he said.

Well, we don鈥檛 know about that 鈥� the suit the Patent Office ruled upon was brought by private citizens years ago, long before Obama took office. The members of the appeals board which made the decision aren鈥檛 presidential appointees.

Furthermore, the scope of the decision is limited. This isn鈥檛 the government stripping owner Snyder of his right to use the 鈥淩edskins鈥� name. What the Patent Office said was that the federal government will no longer register that name as a trademark in conjunction with an NFL team. State laws, as well as common law, still provide the Washington team with extensive protection against outsiders producing bootleg 鈥淩edskins鈥� merchandise for their own profit.

Plus, the federal registration is still in place, pending the completion of the appeals process, which could take years.

The immediate impact is upon the team鈥檚 image and public relations. That鈥檚 not negligible, particularly for an organization that鈥檚 not exactly producing a juggernaut on the field.

In terms of partisan sniping, perhaps the most interesting fight at the moment is over what should come next 鈥� what Snyder should name the team instead of you-know-what.

Over at left-leaning , they鈥檝e suggested the 鈥淲ashington Taxations without Representations.鈥� (D.C. has no floor vote in Congress, meaning local voters have no say on tax bills.)

At the right-leaning , they鈥檝e got a list that includes the 鈥淲ashington Red Tapes,鈥� and the 鈥淲ashington Shutdowns.鈥�

But our favorite comes from Washington Post columnist . In our view, it perfectly captures the bureaucratic ethos.

鈥淚 repeat: Redskins should change name to 鈥楾he Washington Department of Football Services鈥� 鈥� tweeted Weingarten Wednesday.