The Peregrin Falcon

Tulsa Today - New T-shirts: Filthy or Funny?

The link above leads to a TulsaToday.com article asking about the pervue of Abercrombie & Fitch to print semi-pornographic material on a new line of shirts.

This is my reply:

The A&F shirts are definitely crass. However, in college, crass is cool. Crossing the line is the way to earn popularity points. As a parent, this would never be acceptable dress in my house, and my kids wouldn’t have gotten anything from A&F because of their past. Yet, as a former marketing salesman, this is a clever ad campaign that I am sure will win big points with the core purchasers. Writing letters to the company won’t stem the tide of bad taste already prevalent on college campi.

If you find the shirt offensive, do not allow your child to have one. If you can’t control your child enough to have them respect your wishes, you have bigger issues than shirts with bad taste to deal with. Colleges ought not to allow such shirts in classrooms or on the campus or in dorms. If there is no where acceptable to wear the shirt, then there is no reason to buy the shirt and natural market forces will get rid of it. Finally, if it breaks the decency laws of the town or state it is in, then authorities should talk to the persons wearing them and use tape or other to cover up the offensive parts of the drawing.

It is not possible to outlaw stupidity or poor choices. Also, it is the job of marketers to push the envelope of society. So, it is society’s job to push back when it feels the line has been crossed. If I were to advise a person wearing the shirt I’d ask them how they might feel at a job interview after finishing a four-year degree if the interviewer found a picture of them wearing this shirt on facebook, etc.

For those we lost, and for those who still suffer losses, take comfort in the fact that they will not be forgotten.

The honored dead and the evil enemy that stole their lives will not be allowed to slip into the mists of time unknown. Bells will ring, children will sit in silent observation, old men will salute, and the heroes will commiserate for the fallen comrades in service; and we will not forget.

Look carefully upon the city square made holy by the shed blood of the innocent, and listen to the ghosts of the past. Hear them cry out for justice and hear them whisper, “Remember us.” Freedom will always have enemies.

Freedom will always be a threat to tyranny and oppression. Freedom will always have a price. On one day, one nation was reminded how large that cost can be.

We, the people, of the United States of America, who hold this precious gift of freedom given by God and paid for by the slain, will not forget.

written by,
The Peregrin
September 11th, 2008

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