Fashion Gets Political

[banana]

I think slogan like these are very funny (if not a bit old... these types of anti-bush t-shirts have been around for a while) but it's annoying when people who really don't know anything about politics get involved in these things. I find that in some cases it distracts rather than aids the cause. Unfortunately, there are still a lot of Bush supporters who consider the anti-Bush or anti-war protestors to be "uneducated hippies".

 

[Orochian]

Originally posted by nycgirl84+May 26th, 2004 - 7:40 pm--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (nycgirl84 @ May 26th, 2004 - 7:40 pm)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-softgrey@May 26th, 2004 - 4:32 pm
[i am speaking of the overall majority of the student body...the ones who got in because mumsy and daddy and grandpa all went there and donated large sums of money to insure junior's admission...oh my...does that sound like anyone we know?...

True, his connections helped him get in, but that doesn't help you pass the classes. Most college professors are liberal anyway, so it's doubtful they would have been leniant on his grades. I just get annoyed when people make a statement like, "Bush is dumb" and give no explanations. Yes, he is the not the best speech-giver or the most articulate, but that does not automatically shout idiocy. I would feel the same if someone said, "Kerry is a liar" and then didn't back it up with examples. Kerry, by the way, was likely helped by his family's connections and prestige. His father was a big military guy and his mom was Rosemary Forbes of the Forbes family. I don't know who I'm going to vote for this year, but I just thought I should present this bit about Kerry to be fair. [/b][/quote]
And you actually expected a thorough political debate in a fashion forum?

I frequent political forums and I'd love to elaborate on why I think Bush is an incompetent person and president, but this is simply not the venue for this issue.

I'll also keep it short regarding your "tid bit" about Kerry: at least he made the most out of his background and privileges, with an illustrious list of diverse accomplishments, which is a lot more than can be said about our current president.

 

[banana]

Voting is really just choosing the lesser of two (or more) evils.

 

[Sephora_Socialite]

Originally posted by eloes@May 26th, 2004 - 1:20 pm
'f*ck Bush' panties?!



:writes down the address:

That would make me smile all day long.

Not only is it political, it has a dirty double meaning...



If I had those undies on, I think I would go around to every friend and flash the message to them just to see if they think the political saying or the dirty saying...

I vote the dirty will come to first.

 

[eloes]

Originally posted by Orochian+May 26th, 2004 - 8:53 pm--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Orochian @ May 26th, 2004 - 8:53 pm)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

Originally posted by nycgirl84@May 26th, 2004 - 7:40 pm
<!--QuoteBegin-softgrey

@May 26th, 2004 - 4:32 pm
[i am speaking of the overall majority of the student body...the ones who got in because mumsy and daddy and grandpa all went there and donated large sums of money to insure junior's admission...oh my...does that sound like anyone we know?...

True, his connections helped him get in, but that doesn't help you pass the classes. Most college professors are liberal anyway, so it's doubtful they would have been leniant on his grades. I just get annoyed when people make a statement like, "Bush is dumb" and give no explanations. Yes, he is the not the best speech-giver or the most articulate, but that does not automatically shout idiocy. I would feel the same if someone said, "Kerry is a liar" and then didn't back it up with examples. Kerry, by the way, was likely helped by his family's connections and prestige. His father was a big military guy and his mom was Rosemary Forbes of the Forbes family. I don't know who I'm going to vote for this year, but I just thought I should present this bit about Kerry to be fair.

[/b][/quote]
I hate it when things are 'backed up' with information taken out of context or that isn't quite applicable to the situation. I'm not pointing any fingers here, I'm just making a general comment because the issue of supporting evidence was raised. For example, I don't like it when people point out that Kerry was 'inconsistent' in the Senate whereas Bush has always been 'decisive.' It isn't fair to compare the records because they have such different political backgrounds. Kerry was in the legislative branch, which includes plenty of negotiation about bills and small changes in bills...etc, while Bush has had to worry about maintaining a decisive image because he's been in the executive branch. The two positions are hard to compare accurately the way they've been comparing them.

Sorry, I just had to get that off of my chest.

As far as the lightheartedness of such clothing goes...While I agree that many people seem to think that Che was a singer in some rock band , I still feel that clothing is a valid method of communicating political ideas. As Lena said so nicely,

fashion has always been political, since middle ages and beyond,
wearing a slogan may be cheap and 'light', nevertheless,
it is communicating a political view, for all to see.

Aside from simply wearing anti-Bush paraphernalia, wearing tshirts for political organizations or causes can be effective in sending a certain message (like, for example, wearing a 'Love Makes a Family' shirt or some other pro gay marriage thing). I'd much rather wear a shirt advertising a cause that I care about than Abercrombie or Old Navy, for example. Why should I care whether Abercrombie gets more business because someone likes my shirt? If my clothes make people ask about the cause or notice that I support the group, though, then I'm glad to make a difference.

 

[banana]

But what if someone was wearing a pro-life, pro-capital punishment, or anti-gay marriage t-shirt? Would you be as supportive of political messages in fashion?

As a professor of mine once said: politics is partisan. People take it personally if opposing views are shoved in their faces in an aggressive manner. I think witty is good, but blatant political views should be kept to one self unless prompted.

 

[asta]

fashion is political.

plain and simple.

 

[Amélie]

i've had a "Give Peace A Chance" top for years now...a great investement because the notion of peace is everlasting...however, bush t-shirts are likely to go out of date...hmmm, lets say hopefully by the end of the year?

 

[ignitioned32]

I totally believe in taking a stand in what you believe in. I also like Body and Billboard's concept.

 

[Lena]

Originally posted by banana@May 27th, 2004 - 6:40 am
But what if someone was wearing a pro-life, pro-capital punishment, or anti-gay marriage t-shirt? Would you be as supportive of political messages in fashion?

sure why not?
people should be free to express their opinion B)

 

[helena]

But people shouldn't be allowed to express opinions that might, for example, incite racial hatred or violence towards certain groups of society. As with any other form of expression, such extremes ought, quite properly, to be legislated against. Having a particular opinion is fine so long as it doesn't directly and intentionally cause harm or hurt to others.

 

[Lena]

i agree Helena, moderation is the rule, but...
if we dont mind a 'stop the war' slogan, we should be tollerate for a 'yes for war' slogan as well, see, democracy is not such an easy concept

 

[PrinceOfCats]

You don't need that keen of an eye to tell the man is a complete utter moron.

You don't need that keen an eye to tell that the leader of one of the most powerful political parties in the world is certainly not a moron. He may not be an intellectual giant but he assuredly is not a moron. Why would an ex-Field Marshal; a Princeton scholarship boy; a doctor of economics and ex-CEO of a major transport company; a doctor of law; and a top lawyer who graduated with honours from Yale be lead by a complete idiot?

 

[helena]

Lena - I agree absolutely that people ought to be able to express non-populist opinions - definately. Tell that to the american film industry that won't screen Michael Moore's lastest film!! True democracy in these dark days seems an elusive creature. don't get me started on all that though.

My husband has an undercover t-shirt with a slogan written in arabic on it & I was really nervous of him getting it just because of the heightened tensions there are at the moment. I am so aware of trying not to offend anyone - its a very difficult topic isn't it?

 

[PrinceOfCats]

^^^
*led

lead is a heavy metal...

 

[Amélie]

Originally posted by PrinceOfCats@May 27th, 2004 - 6:19 am
You don't need that keen an eye to tell that the leader of one of the most powerful political parties in the world is certainly not a moron. He may not be an intellectual giant but he assuredly is not a moron. Why would an ex-Field Marshal; a Princeton scholarship boy; a doctor of economics and ex-CEO of a major transport company; a doctor of law; and a top lawyer who graduated with honours from Yale be lead by a complete idiot?

It's called he has the right collection, money and power...these people are not nesscesarily smart (nor dumb) but it's obvious he wouldn't be where he is today without them...

and DITTO!!! helena...i can't believe your country is not releasing it!!! Michael Moore is amazing, and being a fan of his films i totally am on ur wavelength...America is starting to make other democracies look very bad...

 

[faust]

Originally posted by PrinceOfCats@May 26th, 2004 - 4:06 pm
He has an MBA from Harvard Business school which, while he may not be an intellectual giant, qualifies him as smarter than the average bear (no offence to Bear)...and politics is a serious issue which requires more thought than cheap puns and silly frippery.

When you are constantly and blatantly lied to, when you are taken for an idiot, just like the most of the American public was/is, when all rational arguments and facts get lost in the maze of spinning and bullsh*t, all you are left with is "cheap puns and silly frippery".

 

[faust]

Originally posted by softgrey@May 26th, 2004 - 4:32 pm
my best friend from hs also went to harvard...now you may ask whether i did as well...and the answer would be that i chose not to...i did not like the quality of the people who attended that school...they all had a superiority complex and harvard re-enforces that idea in its student body...the students have very little concept of reality...of course there are exceptions...i am speaking of the overall majority of the student body...the ones who got in because mumsy and daddy and grandpa all went there and donated large sums of money to insure junior's admission...oh my...does that sound like anyone we know?...

Weird, that is EXACTLY what the chairman of my department at New School (who taught at Harvard) said. He said that the undergard students were much more interesting and knowledge hungry instead of the graduate ones who were all about making connections.

 

[faust]

Originally posted by nycgirl84+May 26th, 2004 - 7:40 pm--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (nycgirl84 @ May 26th, 2004 - 7:40 pm)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-softgrey@May 26th, 2004 - 4:32 pm
[i am speaking of the overall majority of the student body...the ones who got in because mumsy and daddy and grandpa all went there and donated large sums of money to insure junior's admission...oh my...does that sound like anyone we know?...

True, his connections helped him get in, but that doesn't help you pass the classes. Most college professors are liberal anyway, so it's doubtful they would have been leniant on his grades. I just get annoyed when people make a statement like, "Bush is dumb" and give no explanations. Yes, he is the not the best speech-giver or the most articulate, but that does not automatically shout idiocy. I would feel the same if someone said, "Kerry is a liar" and then didn't back it up with examples. Kerry, by the way, was likely helped by his family's connections and prestige. His father was a big military guy and his mom was Rosemary Forbes of the Forbes family. I don't know who I'm going to vote for this year, but I just thought I should present this bit about Kerry to be fair. [/b][/quote]
Are you serious? I think you don't know too much about the politics at schools. EVERY professor is tied down by the administration much more than you think, especially in schools that depend on hefty give outs from the former graduates. And BTW, anyone with a JD out of Yale better be a damn good speaker.

 

[PrinceOfCats]

Please note the absence of the legend, 'Hitler, he's only got one ball!':