My take on Trademark issues

Well here goes my 2 cents...a few years ago, like 10 or 15 years ago, "Harley Davidson" did the very same thing that "FORD" and "SHELBY AUTOS" are currently doing. "Protecting" their trade marked products from being manufactured and sold by Folks that they are unfamiliar with. Back when H-D did this, they had been on the skids financially for some time. Us bearded Tattooed guys who rode their oil dripping, out dated machines kept them in business before the Yuppie crowd and Reagan saved them from Total Bankruptcy. During the period prior to the Crackdown by H-D, folks were producing numerous items and not asking Harley for permission or kicking up any royalties. Many off the wall products bearing the familiar Black and Orange "Bar and Shield Harley Davidson" LOGO. Drug Paraphernalia like "BONGS", Harley Davidson edible underwear, Harley Davidson T-Shirts with Profanity, people even named their kids "Harley" (Sound familiar yet??) Harley Davidson Dog Collars, Harley Cigarette Lighters even Harley BEER!! the list is too lengthy to go on but you get the point. Now these items were all entertaining "Novelty items". And anybody worth a quart of 70 weight oil understood that Harley Davidson themselves were not producing these products. Instead it was being done by the very same Bikers who rode Harleys and spread the good name on whatever they could produce. Free advertisement many said. Well next thing you know, Harley Davidson started hitting swap meets confiscating entire loads of T-Shirts, Bandannas, Knives, etc. anything a vendor had for sale with the words "Harley Davidson" on them was fair game! they went as far as going after the numerous businesses that used the infamous "Bar and Shield" LOGO to put their name on for signs or advertising. Yeah it was a big stink as I recall. And everybody back then was gonna stop riding Harleys .......I just can't remember what year this happened. But I know it did!! My Harley is still in the Garage in between 2 Shelby's ....! Nowadays, after the smoke cleared from the Harley Bongs being put out, anything and I mean anything with "Harley Davidson" on it has a little "Licensing Rights" label somewhere on it. which basically means they may be making $00.25 on each T shirt sold at Wal-Mart. but add them all up and they are making BIG MONEY now!! and Nobody really even speaks of what happened back then because as Americans, we learn to just Deal with it. $3.00 bucks a gallon for gas you say?? I thought we were all supposed to riot over that!! We bitched and moaned and after a few short months of paying this, I get excited to find a station that has 87 octane fuel for $2.99/gallon!! Sick huh? but I digress. as for how the Harley thing turned out, the Big Bad Harley Brass won hands down as the competition could not come together and muster an attack against them. I will say this incident was "pre-internet", so I do not know how any proposed Boycotts will play out. Maybe Tony Branda and all the other vendors should pull out of the SAAC convention?? That might be the shot heard round the world! Start the revolution!! In summation, I think it stinks. And I believe it is a little too late to cry foul. And there is a reasonable alternative to end all of this. A simple "AMNESTY" Program could be created where all the "Violators", ie: Product Mfgrs., Magazines and web sites could apply to, and be heard by a "Fact finding" Panel. Then determine their fate after hearing how long they have used the Name for their business or created and sold GOOD parts thus keeping the "Mustang" (Am I allowed to say that??) and the Hobby surrounding it alive which in turn has influenced and generated Dollars for both Companies. So There! Now pull out your Shelby underwear, fire up your Old school Mustang Bong and Take to the Streets People!! "ATTICA-ATTICA-ATTICA......."