In the Line of Wire

Anti-War Shirts Ruled Illegal In USA
From AnitaRoddick.com
Date: 2007-07-16 01:15:28
Topic: War and Peace

It never fails to enrage me when I hear new stories of how the “democracy” of the United States, a nation founded on freedom of expression, denies that basic right to its citizens in the most absurd ways. This time, several US states have outlawed three anti-war T-shirts that list the names of 3,461 American troops who have died in Iraq. Now federal legislation is pending to ban the shirts nationwide; apparently the Bush Administration would prefer its citizens not be reminded of the human toll (not even counting troops from Britain and other countries, nor the tens of thousands of Iraqis, who have perished) of its war based on lies.

The shirts were introduced years ago, when only 500 American soldiers had died, and the first shirts just said “Bush Lied”. The shirts sold slowly, and the manufacturer didn’t plan to make anymore until legislators learned of the shirts and introduced prospective laws to make them illegal. Now the shirts have made some news, and are selling faster than ever. Now they are available in three versions with the names of the fallen on the back; you can choose from front designs reading “Bush Lied - They Died”, “Support Our Remaining Troops - Bring Them Home Alive”, and “If Any Question Why We Died, Tell Them, Because our Fathers Lied”.

I think it should be a matter of conscience to get these shirts and where them as a statement of dissidence. Click here to get your shirt, and learn about the history of the shirts and the legislation pending to outlaw them in the land of the so-called free.

We will comprise on almost anything,
but not on our values,
or our aesthetics,
or our idealism,
or our sense of curiosity.

– Anita Roddick