Action Diary: A Follow Up To An Offensive Ad

On Saturday, as I was doing my morning blog rounds, I discovered a very offensive google ad on Crooks and Liars. This ad was from Cafe Press and was for a company who made products with the logo:

       

"Mess with Texas? That's like hitting a retard."

It was a punch in the gut, as someone who has a genetic disease that generally, although not in my case, includes mental delays and disabilities. This was compounded by the same ad being placed by google in a diary here at Daily Kos yesterday. I apologize for not providing a screen cap; I don't know how to do them.

        Here's the link to the company's web site:
        http://www.cafepress.com/...

 

I finally got through to someone at Cafe Press in the Content Use Office this morning, however their phone system and my hearing aids made communication extremely difficult, so I will be following up with an email. They need to hear just how unacceptable this ad is. The original company may have the right to create their products, but Cafe Press has to take responsibility for supporting this horrific bigotry by spreading their message. If you agree, please join me and tell Cafe Press how you feel about this ad.

              Toll Free 1-877-809-1659

              Local/International
              1-402-517-4480

              Write Us

              CafePress.com
              Customer Service Dept.
              950 Tower Lane
              Ste. 600
              Foster City, CA 94404
 

             

              Will YOU stand with me?

   Heartbroken and outraged, and standing up to say so,
              Heather
             

•  in this world?

  in this world at this time, this is what breaks your heart and outrages you?

  I can only pray for the day a silly stupid Tshirt is of concern to me.

  by pissedpatriot on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 09:54:35 AM PDT

  •  It's part and parcel

    of the mindset we, as Democrats, have always opposed.

    Furthermore your post was unnecessarily rude and dismissive. You really ought to apologize for being such a jerk to the diarist, and maybe, if it isn't beyond you, show a little compassion.

    by scoff0165 on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:04:55 AM PDT

  •  Try Walking in Our Shoes

    for a while and you'll understand how offensive this shite really is.

    by Alegre on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:08:11 AM PDT

    •  did you mean to uprate pissedpatriots

      comment?

      by TeresaInPa on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:24:29 AM PDT

      •  No!!!!!! Thanks For Pointing That Out!

        If anything, it deserves a TR grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

        by Alegre on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:25:59 AM PDT

  •  it is all part of the general

    ugly trend to the base side that we are on,  Who are you to decide what should offend someone?

    by TeresaInPa on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:26:41 AM PDT

  •  Well,

    someone put on his cranky pants this morning.

    by CJB on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:30:36 AM PDT

•  As the Mom of A 4 y/o Special Needs Child

  I agree - this ad is extremely offensive and they need to hear from us.

  Imagine if they'd substituted retard with the N word, or some religious group?  Or woman?

  Un-freaking-real.

  Diary RECOMMENDED.

  by Alegre on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 09:59:01 AM PDT

•  Maybe an ad that says

  "Mess with Texas. That's like hitting an advertising executive."

  is in order.

  Recommended. The community ought to be behind you on this. It's what we're supposed to stand for.

  by scoff0165 on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:08:47 AM PDT

•  I'm just curious, Chacounne:

  Which is the party being insulted here: Texans, the special-needs group, or both?

  by corvo on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:10:27 AM PDT

  •  I think the problem is that it demeans

    people.  We ought to oppose that.

    It manages to insult BOTH Texans and people who are retarded (not 'retards').

    Molly Ivins.  Jim Hightower.  Lady Bird Johnson

    What a bunch of RETARDS

    by plf515 on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:13:46 AM PDT

    •  I'll definitely agree with you

      on the special needs folks' side.  

      As far as Texans are concerned, however, I might point out that progressives were always a fairly small minority.

      by corvo on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:17:21 AM PDT

      •  Indeed

        but you know what you call it when you lump a whole group of people together and then insult them?

        Bigotry.

        Sure, there are a lot of rightwingers in Texas.  But that doesn't mean anyone should lump the whole state into one group.

        And, sure, a lot of mentally retarded people are easy to pick on.  We shouldn't lump them together, either.

        by plf515 on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:28:07 AM PDT

        •  I see your point,

          but I believe that charity is much better applied toward those who are incapable of making complex decisions as responsible citizens than to those simply unwilling to make them responsibly.

          by corvo on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:36:56 AM PDT

          •  It's not a question of charity

            it's a question of recognizing that people don't fit into boxes.

            "Texan"  - ooooh he's TEXAN, let's make fun of TEXANS, is offensive, or ought to be.  

            First, we shouldn't really make fun of anyone.  
            Second, we shouldn't lump people into groups.
            Third, we shouldn't condemn people for something they didn't control.

            I've been called retard, though I am not retarded.
            I've been called nigger, though I am not Black.
            I've been stereotyped for being from NYC (that one they got right)

            All of it is wrong.  All of it hurts.  And progressives should oppose all of it.

            by plf515 on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:47:16 AM PDT

            •  Oh, I agree,

              but I'm not giving Texas a free pass just because it oopsed and produced a Hightower.

              by corvo on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:57:30 AM PDT

  •  Corvo,

    My quarrel is that the company uses the term retard, meaning someone with mental delays and disabilities, as a perjorative. Someone should not be attacked or denegrated for something that they have no control over, especially since those with mental delays and disabilities may less ability to fight back.  

         Just my two cents,
             Heather

    by Chacounne on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:21:35 AM PDT

•  I'll rec this, too

  You see, I am a little bit special (see yesterday's diary).

  And some of the special people are in closets (wait for tonight's diary)

  by plf515 on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:11:13 AM PDT

•  Contact Advertise Liberally

  If I'm not mistaken, the Cafe Press ads probably go through Advertise Liberally

  You can email them here: http://web.blogads.com/...

  by dannyinla on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:12:26 AM PDT

  •  Thanks very much for that tip.

        with gratitude,
            Heather

    by Chacounne on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:31:54 AM PDT

•  I used "Contact Us" Page

  I sent the following message:

  My feedback is about a specific item. Your site is offering a teeshirt that says, "Mess with Texas? That's like hitting a retard." As I am a Texan and the grandparent of a child with severe cerebral palsy, you can understand how offensive I find the message. Please consider removing this product or at least stop advertising for it.

  I wonder if they will reply.

  by Ex Con on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:14:55 AM PDT

  •  You Were Nicer Than I Was

    I linked to the offensive page and said basically...

    You need to take this shit off your site.

    After explaining why I found it offensive, and asked them what it would say about their site if they offered products where the word retard was replaced by the N word, Jews, or women.

    by Alegre on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:30:03 AM PDT

•  CafePress

  Sells many ofensive and racist shirts. They don't do the designs, I think.

  CafePress.com is an online retailer that produces and dispatches a large variety of user-customized products on demand. Opening and operating a basic CafePress shop is free. A basic shop can be upgraded to a premium shop for a small monthly rate, allowing an unlimited number of products per type and additional maintenance and customization features.

  Here is an anti Mexican one:

  http://www.cafepress.com/...

  I don't think they will pay any attention to you.

  by mariachi mama on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:22:23 AM PDT

  •  Here is another

    http://www.cafepress.com/...

    If you don't want to click on the link, it says: "Legalize the Hunting of Illegal Immigrants" surrounded by photos of guns

    by mariachi mama on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:28:04 AM PDT

    •  Both links went to the same tee shirt

      but your point is made.

      by plf515 on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:32:14 AM PDT

  •  YIKES ! That's a horrible t-shirt :(

    Does Cafe Press advertise it through google ads? If so, I think there is systemic problem.

        Just my two sad cents,
            Heather

       

    by Chacounne on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:29:25 AM PDT

    •  Sadly, the systemic problem has two facets:

      Capitalism and free speech.

      I completely agree with your diary, Heather, but as long as something makes money, CP will sell it.  

      Pressuring them doesn't hurt though.

      by CJB on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:36:22 AM PDT

•  As usual, I'll disagree.

  I think CafePress has absolutely zero responsibility here. Your issue should be with whomever designed the shirt in the first place.

  by dennisl on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:37:40 AM PDT

  •  So Cafe Press has NO responsibility

    for the ads THEY place?

      Curious,
      Heather

    by Chacounne on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 10:44:24 AM PDT

  •  No, sorry, I disagree

    free speech is one thing.  That is sacred.  Even (perhaps especially) speech I deem offensive.

    Nothing obliges a company to print such a shirt.

    by plf515 on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 01:21:33 PM PDT