Best Buy Threatens Priest's ''God Squad'' Car

[drutort]

sadly it was there mistake to make the logo exactly like the geek squad, im sure though that it wouldnt hold up in court if they had God squad and something else fallowing it, since they are not in the same business not even close and they are not even selling any kind of tech they would be ok, but i dont know how much would have to change. IMO the car has nothing to do with the trade mark since Best buy doesnt own vw or right... in fact they might have to pay to vw to have these cars be displayed... never know vw might not like a geek outlook

they would have been better off with "God Squad - fixing everything but your computers" or something like that or maybe they could have had Gods Squad and a pic of Jesus the one with smile or something like that... with the words above... i doubt best buy could do anything about it since u make the words and your logo be part of it they couldnt aruge that someone could confuse that with geek squad

 

[Guest]

Looks really close to a geek squad label to me. If it was on a different vehicle I wouldn't see the point. They are helping him change the logo. Plus they have to protect their trademarks. Just like you would do if you trademarked something and someone else took it and used a trademark like yours for their intentions. yes I am using someone elses trademark for my own intentions.

 

[bak0n]

That just made my decision easier to buy from newegg or tigerdirect.

 

[mrmike_49]

[citation][nom]WyomingKnott[/nom]God Squad public-access TV show (on Long Island) is older than the Geek Squad. So there.[/citation]
"God Squad" as a label has been around for more than 20 years - maybe the churches need to sue best buy!?!?!?!?

 

[grieve]

[citation][nom]otacon72[/nom]I wouldn't want to be those execs when they get to the gates of St. Peter "Oh we've been waiting for you...." Down elevator...[/citation]
If i believed in Heaven and Hell i would agree with you!

 

[plznote]

Jane, you spelled squad wrong

 

[nada lemming]

I think God was here first.. before the Geeks...

 

[Guest]

i dont want to live on this planet anymore.
lets go jesus.

 

[jerreece]

As a former Best Buy Employee (circa 1999?)... and as a Catholic... I think I'm done with Best Buy.

I don't like the way the company has gone since I left them. And suing a Priest who has absolutely no competitive nature with them is ridiculous. Isn't that the point of a trademark? To protect you from having competitors taking away customers by using a logo or trademark to trick customers into shopping elsewhere? That's why you protect your logo.

I highly doubt Mr. Monday Quarterback is going to show up at the local Parish Church in hopes of finding the new 42" LED HDTV he saw listed on sale because there's a "God Squad" vehicle in the parking lot.

 

[grieve]

As a nonprofit organization i would think this priest could not only have a "god squad" logo but in fact he could slap "geek Squad" all over his car also.

Last time i checked i can put any sticker on my car i want! (Like a hockey/football/baseball team logo, or a radio station logo)…. Not that I would.

It is a NOT FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATION... there is no infringement. I hope Father Luke Strand stands up for his rights as well as the rest of you Americans. (Im Canadian)

 

[Bluescreendeath]

I'd expect another religion to file a dispute for the "God" trademark...not Best Buy.

 

[grieve]

The guy second from the right in the picture looks like Friar Tuck!

 

[Kryan]

"Best Buy is said working with Strand to come up with a new logo."

something missing?

 

[wotan31]

[citation][nom]V8VENOM[/nom]We have laws to protect original ideas, regardless of who these people are (from Christians, to athestist, to the Muslims), it wasn't their idea, hence they violated US law.[/citation]
WRONG. Nice try there armchair attorney. Trademark law only pertains within your industry!! I could start a business today and call it Best Buy or Geek Squad and it would be perfectly legal... so long as my business doesn't sell consumer electronics or do computer repair. There is a long precedent for this.

For a real world example, look at Apple Computers. They coexisted peacefully with Apple Corps, the music publishing company of the Beatles. It wasn't until Apple Computers entered the music business, with their iPod and iTunes and whatnot, that they got sued by Apple Corps. Apple Computers was perfectly legal - until they entered the industry of Apple Corps.

Since the Catholic Church clearly is not in the same industry as Best Buy, this cease and desist order is meaningless. Those priests should tell Best Buy to 'go to hell' with their cease and desist order, because it wouldn't last a day in court.

 

[rooket]

going against the largest Christian organization on earth. smooth move best buy, think about how many customers you are going to lose LOL. not that best buy seemed to ever care about the people that shop in their store anyway.

 

[killerclick]

The Catholic Church was throughout its history responsible either directly or indirectly for deaths of millions and for holding back scientific progress for centuries. If you're going to sue them, you might start with that.

 

[V8VENOM]

Me thinks, this entire discussion would be drastically different if they were 5 Muslims and not 5 Christian priests even though it's exactly the same regardless.

 

[jerreece]

[citation][nom]killerclick[/nom]The Catholic Church was throughout its history responsible either directly or indirectly for deaths of millions and for holding back scientific progress for centuries. If you're going to sue them, you might start with that.[/citation]

You need to relearn your history from solid sources, and not "common misknowledge" my friend. Most of the "deaths" of millions you associate with Catholicism were actually committed by municipalities (Monarchies in most cases) and by rogue bands of knights and soldiers. Not by the Church itself.

In fact, many of the bloodiest periods in human history (post Christ) were committed no by the Catholic Church, but sects that deviated from Catholic Teaching. What we today call "denominations".

 

[adikos]

satan is my motor.

 

[SpeedyVV]

[citation][nom]killerclick[/nom]The Catholic Church was throughout its history responsible either directly or indirectly for deaths of millions and for holding back scientific progress for centuries. If you're going to sue them, you might start with that.[/citation]
why not start with something more recent. like ignoring and hiding the knowledge of the fact that some in the church have been raping children.

I dont know, I am actually catholic.... seen too much good work being done by catholic priest and nuns to ignore the evil of some. but that is just me.