[zbckFNlW]

The Royal Canadian Legion has threatened legal action against a group of veteran motorcycle riders who use the poppy as a small part of their insignia. Legal action against fellow veterans is no way to remember their sacrifices.

http://news.sympatico.ca/oped/coffee...poppy/162564c2


Remembrance Day is only a few weeks away, and many people have already started wearing the iconic poppy on their jackets as they go about their days. One veteran's group, however, will be spending the next few days embroiled in a legal suit because of that said poppy, instead of simply wearing it as a silent remembrance of those who served to save and protect our country.

The Royal Canadian Legion recently sent a letter to the Canadian Veteran Freedom Riders (CVFR), threatening legal action if they did not remove a small insignia of the poppy from their logo. The Legion currently holds a registered trademark for the poppy, prohibiting commercial or personal use of the image without approval. The CVFR, a veterans' motorcycle group that is not a profit-seeking organization, uses the poppy as a small part of their larger logo.

From a legal standpoint, I can understand the position that the Legion is taking: if they do not enforce the use of their trademark, then precedent will be set for the rampant use of the poppy by any group, commercial or not. In order to maintain the trademark, they must enforce it.

That said, the way that the Legion has decided to approach the matter, by threatening legal action, is wholly inappropriate in this case. The CVFR is not a company trying to make a profit off the memory of soldiers, but instead a group that is honoring and remembering our veterans. The Legion could have first approached them and explained the trademark issues, and worked with them to apply for an exemption to the trademark. By threatening legal action instead of working with the group to ensure the poppy is used respectfully and appropriately, the Legion seems to care more about its brand and the marketing power that it holds than it does about actual remembrance.

After all, we were all taught that the poppy we wear on our jackets is just for that: remembrance. When we put them on, I doubt many of us think of the Legion and it's legal structure. Instead, we are reminded, regularly, of the people who fought bravely to make sure that us Canadians can live the life that we currently live. The Legion should be encouraging that kind of use of the symbol, and not threatening legal action against those that use the poppy as a way to remember.

I'm sure the Legion will work with the CVFR to resolve the issue without a costly legal battle, and that they will see that the CVFR is using the poppy in the way it was meant to be used. I'm just sad that it had to come legal threats before resolution, because that's no way to remember our veterans today. i think this year i will refuse to buy or wear a poppy, and if approached by a veteran to purchase one, i will tell them "no, i don't wish to violate copyright law."

actually, i hope the bikers put a booth right next to them explaining whats happening...that would be something!

[Nekas48]

See, shit like this blows my mind. he poppy is a FLOWER that GOD CREATED that GROWS on the EARTH.

How can any group claim rights to it and say that no-one is allowed to use it's image? It's not like the Legion created teh flower from scratch and has a patent on that life form. Insane and disgusting, and a sign of how we have let things go too far.

[Nekas48]

You know, if people printed this article off and started handing it out to people whilst standing right beside these volunteers that are trying to take donations for poppies, and a significantly less amount of people bought poppies, that would send a message.

[plaiskegizils]

See, shit like this blows my mind. he poppy is a FLOWER that GOD CREATED that GROWS on the EARTH.

How can any group claim rights to it and say that no-one is allowed to use it's image? It's not like the Legion created teh flower from scratch and has a patent on that life form. Insane and disgusting, and a sign of how we have let things go too far.

I couldnt agree more. I guess this, along with a bunch of other useless litigious crap, is what you get when the schools turn out more lawyers than the public needs. They are bending the law every way they can think of to try and make their fees to pay back their out of control student loans. Welcome to our modern civilized society! Ha!

[zbckFNlW]

yeah, it's pretty frikkin' disgraceful, imo...

having thought about it some more, i have decided when they ask me to buy one (and they will, the buggers are everywhere) i will ask them if the proceeds collected will be going to help veterans, or to help fund the current lawsuit??

this really pisses me off, i used to have a lot of respect for the legion, and what they do (besides sell cheap beer)...but now, if i want to help a veteran, i will go buy one a gift card to a grocery store or something like that...

no more organizations collecting for whatever-the-fuck, i say if you want to help out, help someone out, make it personal, not some faceless donation that never gets to the people who need it anyways...

sorry for the rant,

this is just MHO...






...ok, i'm done...lol