Who Decides What's Culturally Insensitive?

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Produced by: 
KBOO
Air date: 
Fri, 07/24/2015 - 8:00am to 9:00am
Simon Tam of The Slants talks about cultural appropriation and trademark law
For years the federal government has blocked Simon Tam and his “Chinatown Rock Band,” The Slants, from trademarking the name of their group. The US Patents and Trademarks Office argues the name is racially offensive — the all-Asian band counters they are re-appropriating the hateful slur and putting it to use educating Americans about racial bias. But in April a panel of judges handed down a bombshell ruling that could be a game changer in the case. Fill-in host Lisa Loving chats with Simon about the trademark law, racial appropriation and free speech. 
Listen to their music at 
http://www.theslants.com/

The Slants press photo from May 2010, photo by Ellenote
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