The “T-shirt Orgy” in the basement of Futura/Bear Basics has always raised our eyebrows.

The name itself can be construed as being offensive. But now a coalition has been built aiming to stop Futura/Bear Basics from selling t-shirts that can be seen as offensive.

This all started when someone spotted a shirt that stated: “Rutgers Nappy Headed Hoes Basketball Team” (pictured above). The student demanded that the store remove the shirt. The shirt was finally removed after the person created a Facebook group and mobilized people to go yell at Futura.

Now the group has begun to try to stop the company that made the shirt in the first place.

What that shirt was referring to was a remark that Don Imus, some supposedly popular radio talk show host, said a couple of weeks ago. He said on the air that the Rutgers women’s basketball team were “nappy-headed hoes.” There was an ensuing outcry and Imus was fired a week later.

But this t-shirt isn’t the only one going down in Futura. There are several more than the group wants off the shelves.


Hearty-har-har. We get it, people of Jewish descent are supposed to be hairy, right?


Yeah, given today’s political debates and the fact that an immigrant’s rights rally turned ugly in Los Angeles today, it’s probably not the best shirt to buy or sell.


That’s just horrible.

Boycott Futura/T-shirt Orgy [Facebook]



Comments:
Andy said:
May 2, 2007 at 12:23 pm

I love that political correctness has finally surpassed free speech.



jake the snake said:
May 2, 2007 at 2:28 pm

all these tshirts can be found at http://www.deezteez.com. i dont find these shirts offensive at all. i think you are being too sensitive.



Black Woman said:
May 2, 2007 at 2:48 pm

I kinda want one :)

Really guys, free speech is far more important than our delicate sensibilities.

Those who express outrage at Imus’ comments will never prevail as long as they only express outrage on a case by case race by race basis.

Right or wrong, people do not often show respect for those who do not show respect for themselves.



-Angry Black Woman said:
May 2, 2007 at 5:14 pm

Are you serious??? People actually think that these shirts are not doing too much. I am disappointed by people who dont find anything wrong with this. Until your heritage and culture is mocked, I deem your comments completely ignorant!!! Get educated…and if I ever see anyone with any of those shirts on, I will take it off of them personally. And I definitely feel that way!



Person who knows the real definition of free speech said:
May 2, 2007 at 5:21 pm

Everyone, please go learn the definition of free speech before you use it as a cop out. Free speech means futura can sell the shirt and you can wear it. It also means I can boycott the store, complain about it, march about it, and encourage other people to boycott too. The decision to take it off the shelves is completely that of the company— which they would be wise to do to keep their business running. No constitutional violations there.
Lastly, somebody explain to me what is funny about a mass lynching. I’ve been trying to figure it out all day but maybe one of you who said you would wear the shirts can fill me in.



Burning said:
May 2, 2007 at 5:54 pm

They don’t have the Go Diego Go shirt at Futura



Outraged at Outrage said:
May 2, 2007 at 6:34 pm

I think that these shirts are tasteless, but censorship is just as important an issue. I also wish that before people get all up in arms, that they would get thier facts straight. First of all, the individual responsible for the “boycott” is not a student, she is a 2004 Cal graduate. Second of all, some of the shirts in question are not even sold by the store. Thirdly the so called boycott is currently less so of the store than it is of the distributer of the shirts. Thanks for your in-depth research before misinforming the public.



WhiteBoy said:
May 4, 2007 at 11:40 am

Im so sick of ppl playing the race card. Get over it, its freedom of speech as well as freedom to do as you please. If you dont like the shirts, dont buy one. Simple as that. This race shit has gotten way to over the top as every little thing and Al Sharpton as well as the rest of his “crew” want to cry foul. Imus said nothing that BLACK rappers dont say every day. Why do Al and Jesse not go after them? Cuz there is nothing to gain for them playing the race card. Pathetic and i hope they make even more shirts now about this situation in itself.



Angry Black Cal student said:
May 4, 2007 at 12:34 pm

The Race card fuck that! I do not see how you can talk seeing as you do not have to walk down the streets and fear that you will see your history thrown in your face “WhiteBoy” I am sick and tired of people from the dominant race minimizing my struggle this struggle is mundane meaning I don’t just have to worry about finals and being a success everyday but I have to worry about people like you who are ignorant. I don’t think you fully understand Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton’s campaign so before you comment on them do your research and never justify Imus’ comments with a statment that comments on rappers because if you look at the social arenas in which each person is from you will find that it lacks in comparison. That was a bullshit response and you do not have the right to repeat it. So go, do your research, and educate yourself because you sound ignorant and your claims are preposterous!



Don Imus said:
May 4, 2007 at 2:48 pm

Jesse Jacson and al are my bitches



Shut the hell up said:
May 4, 2007 at 5:37 pm

Feel free to hate the shirts and tell others about it too. The more of you that dislike the store means less whiny P.C. jerks Telegraph has to deal with. Not to mention, you are just giving Deez Teez LOTS of free publicity. The two shirts from Tank Theory were not even racist if you looked at them for more than a minute. You are all just reading way too much into it. I could find a lot of things offensive if I tried hard enough. The less you let things like this get to you and the more we learn to laugh at ourselves, the less power the jokes really have to hurt anyone. What about all the sexist shirts carried by multiple stores? If I see a guy wearing one of those, it warns me not to talk to him. Who cares where he got it from. Real Berkeley folk have a sense of humor and would like you all to remember that just because you pretentious pricks are in college, it doesn’t make you any less ignorant.



Another angry BLACK Cal student said:
May 4, 2007 at 7:22 pm

I’m really trying to see the humor in these racist ass t-shirts but clearly they are the epitome of ignorance displayed on a tshirt. I will no longer comment about these idiots giving them FREE PUBLICITY!!! I am a black proud woman, by no means am I, or will I ever be a “nappy headed hoe.” That shit is not fuuny, therefore there is absolutely no humor found in this shirt…….



Raquel Santiago said:
May 5, 2007 at 1:38 am

Free speech is fine, its in the first amendment but that free speech must not infringe upon the rights of others. I was horrified when i saw some of these t-shirt(not all) but some of them are racist, homophobic, and just downright degrading.



RYAN said:
May 11, 2007 at 12:00 pm

THEY ARE JUST SHIRTS GET OVER IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



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