Awwwwwwww W Va governor doesnt like Abercrombie shirt

[historian]

this is too sad - what a world we live in - this is certainly a subject to challenge the constitution and to bring out the troops
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&e=12&u=/ap/t_shirt_tussle

[jdsmith]

1. Are you serious??

Are you suggesting that the governor has no right to defend his state against this corporation's hate-filled attack? That West Virginians ought to smile and take it when Abercrombie and Fitch does to them what they did to Asians in an earlier round of t-shirt hate speech?

Sorry, but "Lighten up, you big babies! They're just kidding!" is no way to combat bigotry.

[historian]

2. no i didnt say that

What im saying is that everything "offends" some one of the other, to the point where free speech is all but eliminated. Dont like the shirt? Dont buy it. Think some tv or radio anchor is a bigot or racist? Dont listen to him.
Reacting to everything is a wonderful way to divide people and distract them from reality - and its worked wonderfully.

[DeaconBlues]

17. Reacting to bigotry is a way to distract people from reality? I'd like to

know how.

The t-shirt maker has the right to make the shirt and people have the right to buy the stupid-ass shirt. But the governor also has the right to denounce the shirt and people have a right to boycott the company if they see fit. It is not attacking free speech or being "politically correct" (how I hate the term) to denounce something that tars your people with an offensive stereotype.

I'm very tired of elitists thinking its okay to put down poor rural people. Its only one step away from putting down people based on their ethnicity or race.

[bedtimeforbonzo]

11. if they want a better image for their state

they could start by not sending klansmen to the senate.

just a suggestion.

[noiretextatique]

15. excellent suggestion!!!

:toast: and another welcome

[DeaconBlues]

16. Nice use of Republican talking points

Senator Byrd has not been a member of the Klan for decades. And his words and deeds in the Senate have long since made up for this horrible mistake.

After 9/11 and during the build-up to war in Iraq, Byrd was often the only voice in congress that stood up to the Bush administration. West Virginia should be proud of its Senator.

[newyawker99]

13. Hi jdsmith!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[OneBlueSky]

3. here's a visual . . .

along with a list of other shirts they're hawking . . .

http://www.abercrombie.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10901&storeId=10051&parentCatgroupId=12202&childCatgroupId=12214&categoryId=12214&productId=147602&divName=mens&deptName=Humor%20Tees&prodName=Its%20All%20Relative&langId=-1

[historian]

4. dont know about you

but i find most of them to be childish

[jdsmith]

5. The "childishness" is the problem

Abercrombie and Fitch equates hate speech with hipness and markets bigotry to the young--which is something that WV's governor (and anyone who doesn't approve of such synergy) ought to criticize.

[Blue-Jay]

6. I dunno, but this one made me chuckle..

[hippiegranny]

18. me too!

you beat me to it.

[madrchsod]

7. he should bitch at the

stupid people who pay 22+ for a cheap imported t-shirt.wash these t`s once and they become rags..worst t`s on the market.

[jdsmith]

8. Easy solution

Put a t-shirt factory in Huntington, WV.

[historian]

9. there you go

and no more complaints! whats wrong with their shirts? they are employing locals arent they? f.... the captions

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

14. wow...manufacturing jobs here in huntington

imagine that! it boggles the mind

[CrownPrinceBandar]

10. As a West Virginian...

I don't think Gov. Wise was wrong to criticize A&F for the shirt (its pretty cliché). WV has been trying to shake negative cultural stereotypes for a long time. And the shirt directly targets a certain geographic population for derision, unlike any of the other shirts. Its just stupid.

However, I agree that if one doesn't like it, one shouldn't buy it. I wish that the Guv could better spend his time doing more positive work for the state, like creating more jobs.

[hexola]

12. West Virgina rules - a truly beautiful state...

We love it...stay away!!!

We hope nobody ever moves here...

It would become "Boulder East" real quick!

[DaisyUCSB]

19. A+F is an evil organization. I would love to throttle the owners

The person comparing the outrage of Wise at this and the the cencorship of Stern is just completely off the mark. This mean-spirited product marketed to the upper middle class vapid snob set is only destructive.