Paula, right on for "stickin' it to 'em", no pun intended!! Thanks Peta on continuing to fight in this long up hill battle. Only when it's over will there be peace.

Posted by: Carla | May 26, 2009 03:50 PM

I would buy that shirt- Carol Gross has problems. Freedom of Speech, anyone?

Posted by: Vegetartiansmakebetterlovers | May 26, 2009 03:56 PM

Freedom of Speech. Parodying a logo is allowed, provided it does not directly attack the group using the original logo.

Posted by: pam | May 26, 2009 04:07 PM

I had no idea this was even Cafepress.com Thanks for letting me know, now I'm going to get a few! PETA rocks!!

Posted by: Robert | May 26, 2009 04:59 PM

The visionary Leonardo Da Vinci envisioned a day when people would equate the killing of animals with the killing of people. Sadly, that day seems to a long day away.

Posted by: Brien Comerford | May 26, 2009 09:58 PM

As a Canadian who is disgusted by the seal hunt I love the above logo!

Posted by: Steph | May 26, 2009 10:36 PM

I wouldn't be surprise if Gross showed up in a fur coat!!?! Doesn't the Olympic Committee have ANY kind of Ethic Department? How can ANYONE not want to stop the barbaric "bashing in of heads" of baby animals? Gross should be thrown out on her butt! And keep the name, Gross, it fits you, you are nothing but an earth-bound abomination, and don't think it won't be remember how YOU felt when these ANIMAL TERRORISTS are finally stopped.

Posted by: June | May 27, 2009 02:19 AM

Actually freedom of speech does not allow for use of copyrighted or trademarked logos. Yes you can parody or spoof them, but to produce it in it's entirety and too, for profit, is not allowed.

Posted by: HC | May 27, 2009 05:49 AM

Why the shirt can only be shipped within US? People abroad also cares about about baby seals.

Posted by: Tiago | May 27, 2009 11:07 AM

HC, clearly the logo has been modified to parody, so Peta is safe here! I love it :)

Posted by: Stray | May 27, 2009 12:18 PM

You people are so ignorant. you realize stopping the seal slaughter would displace thousands of canada's and force them to comepletely change their way of life that has been going on for thousands of years?? I am not saying I want baby animals heads bashed in, but I look at things from a logical perspective, and guess what, DEATH IS A PART OF LIFE. If it wasn't for hunting and such wildlife population would be out of control in certain parts of canada. So tell me this, would you rather have the baby seal get his head smacked in (if done right they are knocked out instantly) and suffer some fear and pain for a short amount of time. Or would you rather have the baby seals spend weeks starving to death?? Slowly (but as just surely) going to die. Personally I would rathe someone bash my head in then let me lie there and dye from starvation, as many would if we did not hunt them, as there would not be enough food for the extra 300,000 seals, and if we did let the 300,000 seals live, even if half of them didnt starve to death, then our fish population would dwindle incredibly, along with many of the Natives who live in that part of Canada. Grow up and stop trying to force your beliefs on other people

Posted by: Ben | May 27, 2009 12:21 PM

The comment by Stray illustrates ignorance at its best. Mother Nature has a way of regulating itself and if populations are out of control it is usually due to humans. Mother Nature also has a very good way of culling the populations with disease, you want to progress in this world for the benefit of yourself & use modern medicines to prevent the death of you & your family but at the same time you refuse to progress in your thinking & want to "hold on to" traditions of abuse & slaughter when there is no need. If they can't survive doing what they always have done then they need to move like the rest of us do & get other jobs to support their families.

Posted by: Anti-Stray | May 27, 2009 02:49 PM

Ben, animals and mammals did just fine before us and will continue long after us. In nature it's "survival of the fittest". Seals have their own natural preditors, they don't need us to come in and BASH IN THEIR HEADS!!

Posted by: Carla | May 27, 2009 03:04 PM

I can't resist: to Ben. How many "Canada's" would be displaced? Using the words "you" and "logical" in the same sentence has NO "logic" whatsoever! "Death is a part of life" (how many little whimpering heads did you bash in before coming up with that one!?!) may be true when death is natural; you know, (or maybe you don't) when death comes at the hands of their CREATOR not insensitive, heartless, soul-less HUNTERS LIKE YOU! YOU DID NOT CREATE THEM, KEEP YOUR DAMN HANDS OFF!!! If you would "rathe" have someone bash your head in and "then" let you lie there and "dye" (which color?)please, come see me. I'm sure your "Products of Satan" other HUNTERS would love to use YOUR SKIN AND EAT YOUR FLESH!!! WHAT "THING" (CAN NOT CALL IT A WOMAN OR FEMALE OR HUMAN) GAVE BIRTH AND REARED A SATAN-LIKE HUNTER LIKE YOU!! REMEMBER, SHOULD YOU COME SEE ME, I AM NOT A TINY, WHIMPERING TERRIFIED BABY SEAL; I FIGHT BACK!!!!

Posted by: June | May 27, 2009 03:33 PM

Ben - you are so clearly uninformed I shouldn't even be addressing you. Humans animals are overpopulated too... is bashing human skulls in the way to fix the problem?

GO PETA! I'm heading to Cafepress to buy a shirt or 4 (a girl can never have too many color choices!)

Posted by: shelly | May 27, 2009 04:50 PM

I hate to be the bearer of bad news guys, but yes, that design is too similar and can be confused for an official logo (odd, I know, but you do in fact use the man in the Vancouver pic and it looks exactly like him). I also believe that, even if the person design you can get away with, you can't do anything to alter the Olympic logo.

HC is right, you cannot produce a logo - even in parody, and then *sell* it. That is copyright infringement, a suable and fineable offense. AND, the fines are PER ITEM SOLD, so they can be really hefty.

Pam's comment, though I think she did not mean for it to be used this way, is a point in Gross' favor: "Freedom of Speech. Parodying a logo is allowed, provided it does not directly attack the group using the original logo."

However, this logo parody PETA made DOES attack the Olympics and the country of Canada. Therefore again, Gross is within her rights to demand they be removed or face legal action/fines.

Plus, Canada is not the United States, they may have more restrictions of freedom of speech than America.

PETA, I think for the sake of your group you reconsider. These fines could easily reach in the millions and easily harm what credibility you do have. You're already being scoffed at for the maple syrup idea (which a. is green and vegan and b. harms people who have NO tie in to your cause). There are other ways to protest, but doing something that's copyright infringement will get you the news you do not want, and could harm you long term

Posted by: mel | May 27, 2009 04:54 PM

I think we should agree that when someone starts off their comment with "you people are so ignorant", that anything said after that is surely just that......ignorant.

Posted by: Tamra | May 27, 2009 06:59 PM

You PETA supporters should grow up and get educated. The seal hunt has been going on for more years than you have been around. Quit trying to push your childish beliefs off on other people. Humans eat meat. Meat comes from animals. Animals are raised as a crop. The seals are culled for their meat and hides. Do you people wear shoes? Where do you think the leather for the shoes has come from? Pamela is okay strutting in her leather spikes isn't she. Would you feel the same about rats, mice and bats?

Posted by: Yvonne | May 27, 2009 08:12 PM

I would love to buy one of these t-shirts but they are not available to Canadians.....pity!

Posted by: linda | May 28, 2009 04:17 AM

Yvonne, seriously? You are commenting on an issue with people that have a more compassionate and evolved thought-process. Just because humans 'do' things doesn't make them right. Yes, most of us would feel the same about rats, mice, and bats but nice try on trying to minimize the topic at hand. Most of us try to eliminate altogether the use of leather products but nice try in trying to minimize the positive strides that people make for animals. And I guarantee that most of us do not eat meat much less seal meat nor use their hides (but nice try in trying to justify bashing in their cute little skulls)!!

Maybe you should take your own advice on your opening statement. Again, I think PETA people (for the most part) just have a more evolved way of thinking. It does come in part with education and growth. Maybe you are not there yet.

Posted by: Tamra | May 28, 2009 10:07 AM

Ben,
I'm sorry, but that's incredibly selfish. You have to think about the seals' lives. They have feelings too. And Maybe it's easier to ignore problems and go on with your life, but it's also wrong. Death is a part of life, true. But death should come after a naturally long-lived life. Also, are you saying that murder is okay? Because that's what it sounds like to me. If you think there are way too many seals, you should take a look at the humans. Is it now okay to murder babies because there are too many people on the planet? Oh, but we're all going to die eventually, so why not when we're babies and don't know what we're missing.
Killing animals is equally as bad as killing babies. If you support the murdering of babies then your argument is logical. If you think that killing babies is wrong and cruel, then you have no point. All your logics would apply to humans as well.

Posted by: alice | May 29, 2009 03:15 AM

May I add that I am a Native woman from the Mik' Maq Tribe. I am Canadian and I am ashamed that the barbaric seal hunt is still going on ... When I was a child and learned about this horrific suffering - I made a wish. I wished that by the time, I got older that it would have finally stopped. Sadly, it is not the case. I know that one day, all of the cruelty towards animals and humans will stop as humans will finally evolve and realize how wrong it was 'back then' to inflict such pain on other beings ... I bear such suffering in my heart, each day that I am on this earth. I feel 'displaced' ... My head knows how barbaric the human primate can still be and yet ... my heart doesn't understand nor comprehend.

Posted by: Sequoia | May 29, 2009 07:39 AM

I love the parody of the Olympic logo and I hope PETA fights to keep it.

I am a fan of Big Dogs shirts. I own quite a few, and my favorite is the Big Dog parody of the Pirates Of The Caribbean shirt. It has some not too subtle changes from the original design, most notably the skull is now the face of a large dog in a bandanna and the slogan, "Dead Dogs Wag No Tails," but people really do not look at things. Most people look at the design, start to say how Pirates is their favorite movie, and only look closely when I ask, "Notice anything different?" That is when they start laughing. There is a disclaimer on the shirt stating this is a parody but the print is almost microscopic. This shirt is still being sold so either the Disney company is unaware of its exsistance, which is unlikely, or they don't care. My point is that if the Olympic commitee really objects, Cafe Press should put that this is a parody in very fine, un-noticeable microscopic print on the shirt...that way they can say that people know this is not the real Olympic logo.

Posted by: Rev. Meg Schramm | May 29, 2009 11:30 AM

What I do find funny here is that some of the PETA supporters call people Satan, idiots and such for not supporting their ideas. I understand this is an animal support group; however, a note of civility should be shared. You CAN disagree without the rudeness. When I read these comments, I put you at the same level as those who you condemn as being cruel to animals.

Me? I don't like that seals are clubbed. There isn't a need to kill them for food and fur. That said, I also know there will always be a third factor in balancing out nature - and sometimes that's human nature. I know PETA doesn't support that, but it is a factor if you really think about it - not all animals have natural predators (I can list a few) and have to rely on a human factor.

The only thing is, we have to take an active stance to make sure we personally don't do too much to throw that balance off. We're the ones who think on many planes that it makes us the most dangerous animal of all.

As far as this case with the shirts - I know you want to support your cause, but you would be in violation of copyright simply because you sell your parodies. The Fair Use doctrine is using "a section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright."

That said, even there, you cannot sell a parody for money. That's where the violation is coming from.

I cannot ascertain if the laws are different for fair use in Canada (another factor to consider), but even so, the fact that it's being used for profit is grounds for Gross to pull a cease and desist. I would predict that her request will stand and the shirts will not be able to be sold without causing copyright infringement.

Posted by: Mel | May 29, 2009 01:33 PM

im not saying killing animals just for fur is ethical however think of this due to global warming seal populations have exploded this is simply an allbeit cruel form of culling if no culling was done these seals would lead very short starved lives from depleted food sources so horrible death for some seals decent life for the others and saying i quote from vp dan mathews it amazes us that canadians would indulge in such bloodlust. it sound like shes (gov. gen michaelle jean) tring to give canadians an even more neandrathal image around the world than they allready have will only hurt your position. dan was talking about one seal that wasnt clubed and was eaten not just skinned every part was likely used and you talking about the inuit what do you want them to eat veggies they cant its called permafrost b**ch.

Posted by: zach | May 30, 2009 07:03 PM

the olympic commitie sues for just using the word olympics or even olympic they are going to sue you for every penny you have to spare take those shirts down because you wont win a case against them

Posted by: zach | May 30, 2009 07:08 PM

Canada doesn't club baby seals anymore. I don't really understand what you're trying to do here.

Posted by: Kelsey Eliasson | June 16, 2009 08:23 PM

I support people involved in modern day seal hunting...most parts of the animal are used.
Also, I think the logo parody is awsome, and works fine for people on both sides of the issue. I'd buy one...oh, wait, I DID! Ha! PETA, You guys are genius. You even manage to get money from people, such as myself, who are against your campaigns...you have my grudging respect! :-)

Posted by: Mark | June 17, 2009 06:12 AM

I agree with Ben, and i am not a hunter i am an omnivore, and i think that the aboriginals should preserve their waste-less way of life they use everything!from bones to make tools, to even the stomach for a waterproof bag. so if you want people to stop practicing their way of life, and support your vegetarian ideology, its not going to happen...you cant teach an old dog (person) a new trick (way of life)
--thank you form a non hunter

Posted by: Sean | November 9, 2009 04:37 PM