I was talking to my dad and he made an excellent point. Bureau of Land Management has for years used the initials BLM; however, their initials are being hijacked currently. Isn't this a trademark infringement? I'd assume the BLM movement website would also need to stop selling anything using the initials BLM correct? Is this something the government could request for the infringement to stop? On a completely other thought, wouldn't anyone going around representing as BLM be impersonating a federal officer? That's a crime right?
Bureau of Land Management website: https://www.blm.gov/
Their website also makes it clear that the BLM does not support political activities:
The BLM Seal and Logo are for the official use of the BLM and not for the use of the private sector on its materials. To the public, such use would send a message that the BLM favors or endorses an organization, its activities, its products, its services, and/or its personnel (either overtly or tacitly) which it does not and cannot do.
Whether the private sector grantee/vendor/contractor is non-profit or commercial is not a factor. >>>> https://www.blm.gov/info/notices/logo
Does the BLM assert trademark rights in three letters of the alphabet?
Not sure. I know that with other companies if you use anything of theirs you get sued. So by them selling merchandise that says BLM isn’t that an infringement? You could argue now that when you hear BLM you think of something else other than Bureau of Land Management. If you saw signs that say these lands are BLM managed lands, would you associate it with Bureau of Land Management or Black Lives Matter? To me that’s a problem.