Texas A&M has vigorously defended its use of ’12th Man’ for a long time. They have sued or threatened to sue anyone who doesn’t comply and that is their legal right but this just doesn’t seem right.
A&M has now threatened to sue a double amputee cancer survivor for using the website 12thManThunder.com:
One of those Bills fans is a double amputee and a cancer survivor named Charles “Chuckie” Sonntag, according to the Buffalo News. Sonntag beat cancer last year. He’s suffered from polyostotic fibrous dysplasia, also known as Albright’s disease, since he was a child. His left arm was amputated 20 years ago and his left leg was amputated in March, according to the paper. He also lives on a monthly $825 social security check.
“My experience has proven two things: a handicapped person can accomplish just about anything and Texas A&M will sue just about anybody,” Sonntag told the paper.
Charles and his 3 friends changed the name of the website to BillsFanThunder.com but A&M’s lawyers want more:
“We have been negotiating about a turnover date for several weeks. When it became apparent they would not make that change, we gave them a deadline of last Friday to respond. The domain name still needs to be transferred from their ownership. It is still redirecting to their website. Their use of social media is still in question,” Texas A&M spokesman Shane Hinckley told the paper.
This is a bit extreme on the part of Texas A&M in my mind. The fans aren’t actually causing any real harm to them, their brand, or their ability to make money of the ’12th Man’ by having some posters up. A&M’s attorneys have been notified who Sonntag is. I hope that makes them show a little compassion.
