The public loved it! Ronald Reagan hated it! STAR WARS!

   Gayle Anderson is at the Reagan Presidential Library and Museum that examines the connection between former president Reagan’s military defense program to destroy Soviet missiles and the popular George Lucas “Star Wars” movies. In fact, if you visit the exhibit in now through Saturday May Fourth, “the force will be with you” for discounted admission!  

   The new exhibition “STAR WARS AND SDI: DEFENDING AMERICA AND THE GALAXY.” SDI, Strategic Defense Initiative, was a President Ronald Reagan plan to develop a space-based missile defense program to protect the country from a large-scale nuclear attack. Media and public reaction were negative, and the program was “clowned” and sarcastically nicknamed “Star Wars” since it seemed impossible as the events of a galaxy far, far away.

   According to “The Atlantic”, Lucasfilm sued several on both sides of the political aisle, for releasing press releases, videos, etc. using “Star Wars” to refer to the SDI. The company argued that it was disparaging to the trademark they had on “Star Wars“ and was likely to cause damage to the brand by associating it with political controversies and real-world nuclear war.

   The judge ruled that while the risk of the brand being harmed was there, Lucasfilm had no standing under trademark law: it’s meant to protect the value a brand name within its market or trade, and it has no jurisdiction over people using it in a noncommercial and completely different context.

   This exhibition contains iconic “Star Wars” movie artifacts and the Strategic Defense Initiative components of the Reagan Administration that are credited with ending the Cold War.

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Star Wars and SDI: Defending America & The Galaxy

Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum

40 Presidential Drive

Simi Valley, CA 93065

800 410 8354

Reaganlibrary.gov

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