Dear Congressperson

Dear Congressperson,

This week the U.S. Olympic Committee took on the wrong people when they sent Ravelry a nasty cease and desist letter.

It seems they think the "Ravelympics" is a threat to their trademark.  Hunh?  Like anyone seeing this name is going to be misled into thinking it has any association whatsoever with the Olympic Games?

While I don't agree with the amount of rage many in the fiber community have been displaying, I would like to ask you one question.  How the he** can Congress grant ownership of a single word to someone?  If that's ok, I would like you to grant me ownership of "the."  Then I'm going to bully the heck out of everyone who uses my word.  Or even includes it in part of another word.  By default, I will own "theater" and "monothestic."  Actors and religious studies scholars, look out!  And I will also own neat words like "sympathy" because they sound kinda like my word.  Talk about a Hallmark moment!  Those Hallmark people are going to have to give up a whole line of greeting cards or pay me big time for the privilege of using a word that sounds like mine.  (Sorry Hallmark -- I like you,  I really do. You have the best greeting cards and I buy them all the time. But trademarks is trademarks.)

Silly?  Yes.  So is giving one entity exclusive rights to a single word.  I can see granting exclusive rights to "Olympic Games."  or "Games of the XXXX Olympiad."  But seriously?  If  I'm reading my history right, the fine community of Olympia, Washington was chartered in 1859.  And a whole bunch of businesses since that time have named themselves after the town.  Isn't that prior art?  Doesn't that give them a prior right to the name?  Apparently the USOC doesn't believe so, because they have consistently bullied businesses in that area to change their names.

What about all the American citizens  of Greek origin?  Shouldn't they have the right to name their businesses after the home of their ancestral gods?  I don't think I would walk into the Olympic Drycleaners ever imagining that it has anything to do with THE Olympic Games.

And, dear congressperson, may I point out that you agreed to give ownership of this word to a group supporting amateur athletics?  Seems that the amateur part isn't so important any more.

Then there's the parody defense.  As distasteful as their events sound,  I'm pretty sure the Redneck Olympics are a parody of the real Olympic Games.  I'm not likely to attend those, but if I did, I would not for a second confuse the toilet seat toss with the shot put.   But after a run-in with the USOC, it's now the "Redneck Games."  

Maybe it's time to reconsider giving away ownership of words.  Phrases, ok.  Words, no.  Or maybe allow people to use "Olympic" or a variation thereof as long as it is accompanied by the phrase "not associated with the Olympic Games or the USOC."


Oh, and one last thing.  While I admire and respect most athletes for their dedication and accomplishments, they are not heroes.  The real heroes in this world are the policemen and firefighters who daily risk their lives to save mine.  And the soldiers who have sacrificed themselves to defend freedom.  And maybe the Ravelers who make caps for cancer patients, or afghans for sick or orphaned children.  Or beautiful prayer shawls for people in need of comfort.  Self-sacrifice to achieve a personal goal is (usually) an admirable thing.  Self-sacrifice to bring aid and comfort to others is heroic.  Let's stop confusing the two.

Thank you, dear congressperson, for reading my letter.  If you have actually read this far, I want to tell you how super you are.  Uh oh -- are the NFL people going to come after me for using their exclusive word?