Idle No More is a Scam -- Fake Grassroots alert!

Here is a link to an article outlining how Idle No More was registered as a trademark in January, for the use of selling blankets, mugs and t-shirts.

So much for the Grassroots

The Trademark was registered by one of the four founders of the movement, Jessica Gordon.

reply to post by TheLastStand


Well, how exactly does a grassroots organization hope to be more than a pot-filled drum circle? Gotta raise funds! Obviously the people upset about this don't understand politics.

reply to post by TheLastStand


Seriously? So now there are suddnely rules to funding counter-culture revolutions? So it's okay if the GOP funds the Tea Party or that OWS gets co-opted by special interests but just say no to t-shirts and mugs?!

I'd be more skeptical of the movements that are somehow well-funded yet the participants are never asked for donations or to buy propaganda. I'd rather know who's funding them.

By registering it as a trademark they prevent people not affiliated with the organization from illegally making knock off merchandise and selling it just to scalp the profits. This is not uncommon for an organization to do. How else would you like them to go about it? They are merely trying to prevent what happens often with fake fundraisers and donation scams.

Originally posted by SpaDe_
By registering it as a trademark they prevent people not affiliated with the organization from illegally making knock off merchandise and selling it just to scalp the profits. This is not uncommon for an organization to do. How else would you like them to go about it? They are merely trying to prevent what happens often with fake fundraisers and donation scams.

Yes, this is another fantastic point. Entities trademark names so those unaffiliated cannot profit from the name/logo/trademarked material.

Ah sorry, but no.

Registering a trademark is so that people can't claim they are them while trying to distort the message of the group.

Sales of merchandise for grassroots movements is actually the most common thing to raise funds other than door to door and what not.

How is this anything like a scam?

~Tenth

reply to post by TheLastStand


Ha! This is why I kind of support Socialism...

reply to post by tothetenthpower


I agree. Activism is the Lip Service. Merchandise is the MAKE IT SEEN Service.

ATS has shirts.

is it a scam too?



.....dont answer that.

reply to post by LurkingRelentlessly


I have shirts... I'm a spam. Well met!

Idle No More is quietly idling while waiting for even more desperately idle politicians to actually walk the talk instead of talking and then waffling waddling away. While Idle No More idles, they can still be seen grumbling, mumbling and casting incredulous, but longing glances at Powerful Ottawa.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the idyllic wilds of the Canadian wilderness, nasty dwarves in caves and trolls under bridges are busy making Idle No More t-shirts and coffee cups in the faint hope of a gold coin or two. Who can blame them, really?

Above it all, liberal minded elves look down upon the scene with teary eyes, shaking their tiny little pointy eared heads at the unfairness of it all.

Human citizens of this vast land, for the most part, unfortunately, are aping the three monkeys: Hear no evil. See no evil. Speak no evil.

And that's the way The Harper, a most powerful wizard in the Mystical Land of Canucks, likes it.