Mascots bite the dust

Anti-mascot movement made headway in 2006The decades-old effort to abolish the use of sports logos considered racist, offensive and damaging by American Indians advanced significantly in 2006, despite opposition and a well-funded attempt by pro-mascot lobbyists to pass a law that would protect universities from banning their “Indian” trademarks.

On the legal front, six young American Indians filed a petition in August with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office seeking cancellation of six trademarks owned by the Washington Redskins that use the word “Redskins” or “Redskinettes.”