Earlier in the week, a shirt from Cubby Tees showing a modified Jets logo that read “My Jesus” hit the blogosphere. The shirt was the center of a controversy in which Tim Tebow, or more likely his lawyers without Tebow’s direct action, sent the designers a cease and desist letter instructing them to stop making the shirt.
I understand that Tebow is the inspiration for the shirt, as the designing company readily admit, but why is Tim Tebow the one suing this company? The shirt brings attention to Tebow’s faith, and nowhere on the shirt’s webpage does it say that it indicates Tim Tebow should be equated to Jesus. The site simply acknowledges that the shirt was inspired by Tim Tebow.
No, I believe if anyone should be suing the shirt maker, it should be the New York Jets. Why have we forgotten that it’s the Jets’ logo that’s being altered. I’m not saying I think the Jets should sue. I’m saying that if anyone is going to be suing anyone, the Jets should be the group suing Cubby Tees, not Tim Tebow.
Despite the legal action taken by Tebow’s lawyers, Cubby Tees is not backing down. On Wednesday, Cubby Tees released a statement, indicating their commitment to defending their own rights, indicating that they believed the design was legally sound, and that they were just protecting their own rights as designers.
“We are artists and have no desire to trespass on anyone’s legitimate intellectual property rights, but we also will not roll over and sacrifice ours.” – CubbyTees.com in a statement on Wednesday
Good for Cubby Tees. I hold to a narrow view of what types of intellectual property should be protected. Without getting overly political, I simply think an open flow of ideas helps give rise to even better ideas. It seems as if Cubby Tees will stand their ground. Now we’ll get to see just what level of resolve Tim Tebow and company have.
