Check out Brothers of John the Steadfast for loads of legalese information on the Trademark Dispute between LCMS, Inc. and the good folks at Issues, Etc. Long story short: President Kieschnick and LCMS, Inc. just can't seem to part with the trademark "Issues, Etc." even though LCMS, Inc. let that very trademark lapse in 1999 and callously canceled the radio program on 18 March 2008.
Long story even shorter: Apparently, the folks at LCMS, Inc. simply cannot stand that they did not get the final say in the destiny of Wilken, Schwarz, and Issues, Etc. or the satisfaction of limiting their free speech.
Message #1 to President Kieschnick and LCMS, Inc.: Let go of the trademark "Issues, Etc." and be done with it. You're certainly not helping your image by taking the path you're currently on.
Message #2: I'm very sure that the money being thrown into legal fees and the whole trademark dispute could be better used to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. After all, wasn't the chief reason given for cancelling Issues, Etc. one of finances? Why spend more money on the show that you cancelled in order to save money?
Message #3: "When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints?... So, if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between brothers, but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? But you yourselves wrong and defraud--even your own brothers." (1 Corinthians 6:1, 4-8)
They can't let it go, because it was never about saving money but about silencing a voice of opposition to the leadership's corporate, emergent mindset. Plus, from what I've heard of Kieschnick, what he does best is intimidation & vendettas. He certainly can't do theology; at least, not Lutheran theology.
ReplyDeleteThe actions of the synodical president & BOD show quite clearly that the operative & all important words in the canceling of Issues Etc was "programmatic."
Randy,
ReplyDeleteTime to bring back the "Why?" graphic. I'm thinking about wearing my button to the SID Convention next week.
George,
ReplyDeleteOf course they cannot let it go, and of course I know it wasn't really about the money. I just wanted to use their publicly stated reason to show the pettiness and sheer silliness of what they are doing now.
James,
Bring back the "Why?" graphic? Why? That was so last year! :-)
Seriously though, you probably did see it on my previous post, about the Open Mics session.
However, I like to think of the "Why?" graphic as serving the greater injustice of last year's cancellation of Issues, Etc. This nonsense of the trademark dispute is just petty bickering. I mean the folks at LCMS, Inc. are actually saying in their briefs that they "believe" another show with that name will actually hurt them in the event that they want to air a show with that same name or refer back to the archives of the old show? Never mind the fact that they simply got rid of the archived shows, as if the show never existed.
Besides, I think the new graphic serves better to illustrate that Issues, Etc. has indeed come up from the ashes that LCMS, Inc. was really hoping would smother the show.
Randy,
ReplyDeleteI know that you know that I know that you know that it wasn't just about the money. :)
Still, no matter the reason, it's disgraceful & arrogant of the synodical leadership to think themselves above criticism from anyone. Although we know that's the way they think.
synod fax # 314-996-1016
ReplyDeleteI just sent them a copy of this post.
All this money and fuss over a program that was hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt and with no real audience to speak of. So we could save a few bucks.
ReplyDeleteIf it wasn't so pathetic, it would be laughable.
Kevin in Indiana
(one of the 7600+ who didn't really matter)
Todd and Jeff can simply find another name for their program, a name sufficiently different to squash any legal issue, but similar enough to make the program recognizable as the same one. For example (if these would pass legal muster), "More Issues, Etc." or "New Issues, Etc." or "Issues and Answers, Etc."
ReplyDeleteBy doing so, Todd and Jeff could spare the faithful of their synod the whole controversy, which is so divisive, so undermining of trust, and so expensive (for all parties).
I've been thinking of alternative names as well. Unfortunately, my evil mind can't stay away from names that would probably--purposefully--twist the noses of LCMS, INC., like:
ReplyDeleteMy Grandfather's Radio Show
or
Let's Don't Make a Deal
or
L.utheran C.hurch-M.an's S.how
or simply
Free to Talk.
SusanR