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CNN Live At Daybreak

"Let's Roll" Phrase Controversy

Aired February 01, 2002 - 06:24   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: There is some controversy this morning over the common phrase "Let's roll." Those were the words, the final words, from one of the heroes of the September 11 tragedy. Well now a foundation in his name wants to make money off of it.

Our Michael Okwu has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was a catch phrase, a colloquial expression that was so light, so common, you'd never associate it with tragedy or heroism. That, of course, all changed on September 11. Todd Beamer's "let's roll" defiantly uttered aboard United Airlines Flight 93 has taken on a life of its own.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: For too long our culture has said if it feels good do it. Now America's embracing a new ethic and a new creed, let's roll.

(APPLAUSE)

OKWU: The president tried to make it a rallying cry, singer Neil Young an anthem, hawkers on the Web a cash cow. And now the latest, the Todd Beamer Foundation has applied to trademark this commonly used phrase to sell hats, T-shirts and mugs in his memory.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know I think of it as a disturbing trend.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's part of the common parlance, I don't see how it could or should be done.

OKWU: The foundation says this was not the idea of Lisa Beamer, Todd's widow, but she approves of the plan to raise hundreds of millions of dollars to benefit the children who lost parents on Flight 93.

DOUG MACMILLAN, TODD M. BEAMER FOUNDATION INC.: The trademarking of "Let's roll" is a strictly preventive measure from our standpoint, from the Beamer Foundation standpoint. You know we want to take control of that, we want to limit its use, we want to be able to protect and we're -- we want to utilize that to benefit the children.

OKWU: Thousands of phrases are trademarked, including "hot potato" and "let's talk." Avon owns that one. You've probably seen this.

WILLIAM GOLDEN JR., KELLEY DRIVE: Trademark can be any -- anything you can use to put on a product or to use in connection with the service you sell. It can be a symbol, a triangle, words, letters.

OKWU: Thirteen other entities have applied to trademark Todd Beamer's last words. Trademark experts say even though two of them applied before the foundation, the public associates the phrase with him and that gives its foundation a legal advantage.

We'll all be able to say "let's roll" no matter who wins the legal fight, we'll just have a harder time profiting from it.

Michael Okwu, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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