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mahatmakanejeeves

(56,897 posts)
Mon Jun 24, 2019, 10:27 AM Jun 2019

F-word wins in Supreme Court free speech case on trademark protection for 'immoral, scandalous' mate

Source: USA Today

F-word wins in Supreme Court free speech case on trademark protection for 'immoral, scandalous' material
Richard Wolf, USA TODAY Published 10:19 a.m. ET June 24, 2019

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court defended free speech Monday, even for four-letter words. ... Faced with a clothing line called FUCT, the justices struck down federal prohibitions against granting trademark protection for "immoral" or "scandalous" material.

The vote was 6-3 in an opinion written by Associate Justice Elena Kagan. Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justices Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor dissented.

The case was brought by Erik Brunetti, founder of the 30-year-old streetwear clothing line, who previously met a blockade at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. A federal appeals court overturned that decision, prompting the government's Supreme Court petition.

The government already could not stop Brunetti from selling his wares, which the Justice Department pointedly noted are available even in children's and infants' sizes. The issue was whether he deserved to register his trademark – a federal benefit that makes it harder for competitors to challenge.

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/06/24/fuct-supreme-court-trademark-misspelled-f-word/1367858001/



News link coming. I'm going for the 1A stuff.

Here's the original link:

#SCOTUS rules that federal ban on registration of "immoral" or "scandalous" trademarks violates the First Amendment, in challenge brought by designer who wanted to register the trademark for his FUCT clothing brand




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This was supposed to be the last day of the #scotus term. But with 12 cases still to decide and more work to be done: OVERTIME!




11 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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F-word wins in Supreme Court free speech case on trademark protection for 'immoral, scandalous' mate (Original Post) mahatmakanejeeves Jun 2019 OP
Iancu v Brunetti [6-3]... PoliticAverse Jun 2019 #1
Thanks. The .pdf of the opinion ought to be up right away. mahatmakanejeeves Jun 2019 #2
Boy, the news guys are delicate - FUCT is NOT the "F-word" csziggy Jun 2019 #3
The Prince of Whales tear ducks are blocked. groundloop Jun 2019 #4
Good one! csziggy Jun 2019 #5
Yeah, I don't see how they could ban it. LiberalLovinLug Jun 2019 #6
No, they don't sound like a swear word. FUCT does sound identical to 'fucked' (nt) muriel_volestrangler Jun 2019 #7
So? Technically, I don't see "fuck" as a swear word csziggy Jun 2019 #8
So? I'm just trying to explain puns to people. muriel_volestrangler Jun 2019 #9
My comment was about how they justs will not say the trademark name on TV csziggy Jun 2019 #10
Censorship *ALWAYS* is wrong The Mouth Jun 2019 #11

csziggy

(34,120 posts)
3. Boy, the news guys are delicate - FUCT is NOT the "F-word"
Mon Jun 24, 2019, 11:14 AM
Jun 2019

Spelling counts. FUCT is not spelled the same as "fuck" so it is not the same word. Elementary school kids can have fun with the sound of the brand name, but it still is not the "f-word."

If changing a letter didn't count my eyes would have tear ducks!

csziggy

(34,120 posts)
8. So? Technically, I don't see "fuck" as a swear word
Mon Jun 24, 2019, 02:32 PM
Jun 2019

To me, a swear word or blasphemy is one that involves a deity. "Fuck" does not. Yes, it is a rude word, but these days, rude is not considered to be a problem for many, including the current asshat sitting in the Oval Office.

I defer to George Carlin:





muriel_volestrangler

(101,154 posts)
9. So? I'm just trying to explain puns to people.
Mon Jun 24, 2019, 02:41 PM
Jun 2019

'FUCT' is a better pun than 'ducks'. And for some reason you blame "the news guys", when the case was about a Patent and Trademark Office ruling.

csziggy

(34,120 posts)
10. My comment was about how they justs will not say the trademark name on TV
Mon Jun 24, 2019, 03:00 PM
Jun 2019

It was funny watching Pete Williams deal with it - spelling it out and promising that that would be the only time he ever even did that.

I was laughing at the coverage - not making a comment on the court decision.

The Mouth

(3,123 posts)
11. Censorship *ALWAYS* is wrong
Mon Jun 24, 2019, 03:09 PM
Jun 2019

and any who would impose it, anywhere, for any reason, are at least as evil as any MAGA assholes.

If you don't support free speech you find offensive, dangerous, shocking, and abhorrent, then you don't support free speech period.

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