Despite Monday’s court ruling once again denying the Slants the right to trademark their name, the self-described Chinatown dance rockers are vowing to appeal the latest ruling, reports KOIN.
The federal appeals court refused to overturn a Patent and Trademark Office decision to deny the trademark on grounds the name is disparaging.
Band leader Simon Tam finds irony that regulators tell them the band’s name is racist, but Asian Americans do not.
“When you talk about the law, they say the only opinion that matters is that of the Asian community,” he said. “Well, everyone in my band is Asian and we play for hundreds of Asian American events throughout North America.”
In its ruling the federal court wrote “it is abundantly clear from the record not only that THE
SLANTS… would have the ‘likely meaning’ of people of Asian descent but also that such meaning has been so perceived and has prompted significant responses by prospective attendees or hosts of the band’s performances.”
You can watch Tam’s complete response to the ruling in the clip below from KOIN.