Founded in 1965 and the only facial hair advocacy group and think tank in the world, the American Mustache Institute is the standard-bearer for the relatively small and extremely tight knit Mustached American community. This is why other fine groups and individuals in the Mustached American community -- many of which are charitable in nature -- come to us like the Dons of the early 20th Century for assistance in promoting their exploits.
This includes the likes of Movember, the U.S. Beard Team, Jay Della Valle, TheCheapPop, and Mustaches Vs. Cancer. Another one of these fine groups is Mustaches for Kids -- which of course has in recent years come to AMI to kiss the ring and ask for assistance in promoting its mission.
And that is why it was so disappointing when Mitchell Goldman -- a Brooklyn-based nurse who formed the San Francisco chapter of Mustaches For Kids and soon thereafter joined the New York chapter -- sent what I found to be a very sad e-mail to AMI.
Certainly Goldman, who surprisingly does not go by his middle name of "Jason" as there are only six people named "Mitch" left in North American, should have known better. But instead he sent us a correspondence which in part said:
I’m writing in regards to the AMI’s use of the phrase ‘Stache Bash.
Mustaches for Kids owns a trademark registration for ‘Stache Bash, U.S.
Registration No. 3,647,024 (as well as U.S. Registrations for Mustaches
for Kids and M4K), so I’m requesting that you rename future American
Mustache Institute events in order to avoid confusion.
Very silly.
You see, the hard-liners here at the austere American Mustache Institute appreciate Mr. Goldman's partial-year interest in living the Mustached American lifestyle. And we recognize that in April of 2009 -- several years after the American Mustache Institute held its first 'Stache Bash -- he obtained a "Service Mark" (not a Trademark) for the phrase "'Stache Bash."
But what his Service Mark provides for is "Charitable Fundraising Services, Namely, Organizing And Conducting Charitable Mustache-Growing Events." And thus, from a legal perspective his only request can be that the American Mustache Institute cease to use our annual 'Stache Bash event to benefit Challenger Baseball -- a baseball league for kids and adults with disabilities. And clearly, this is not an option.
Regardless, his request is nonsensical, and we ask you to convey your displeasure to him via e-mail at mitch@mustachesforkids.org, or by mail at 329 Union Street, #3B, Brooklyn, NY 11231.
Be sure to tell him that not only is he unnecessarily becoming a divisive part of the normally harmonious Mustached American community, but that he should simply focus on the good service provided through Mustaches For Kids -- working to ply his trade and do the admirable work that the charity provides.
Carry on.