Christian Message Boards: Sears Pulls T-Shirts After Mental Health Outcry

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Posted by Kindgo (Member # 2) on :

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...od_nm/mental_dc

Thu Sep 5, 9:54 AM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sears, Roebuck & Co., the fourth largest U.S. retailer, has stopped selling a line of T-shirts after an outcry from mental health advocates who said the slogans on them make fun of the mentally ill.
[uhoh]

The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) praised Sears for withdrawing the T-shirts that bore the inscription:

"You should hear the NAMES the VOICES in my head are calling you." [Big Eyes]

The organization also called on Wal-Mart Stores, Kmart Inc., Kohl's Corp., and Target Corp. to stop selling the T-shirts and similar merchandise "mocking mental illness" or risk facing potential legal liability under federal or state anti-discrimination laws. [Embarrassed]

"The T-shirt perpetuates prejudice and discrimination against people with mental illnesses through the intimation of threats flowing from auditory hallucinations," said Ron Honberg, NAMI national legal director. "They reinforce an unfair perception of violence."

There was no immediate comment from Sears or any of the other retailers.

Last week, Target asked its stores to remove a line of clothing and baseball caps sporting the "88" symbol after the Southern Poverty Law Center, a national organization that tracks racist groups, said the two eights were a clandestine Neo-Nazi symbol.

Also, earlier this year, Abercrombie & Fitch Co. pulled shirts off their shelves after protesters complained they had caricatures the group complained were racist to Asians.

[Laugh]

Posted by listener (Member # 338) on :

does this mean that i can't tell anyone what the voices in my head say about them?
yeah, i know .. you wouldn't be surprised if i did hear voices!
i like this post Kindgo. i would wear the t shirt too.
God Bless

Posted by njclary (Member # 4) on :

It is truly amazing,what political correctness has infused in our culture, I believe 88 was also the name of a lumber company, and there are so many things in this culture, that MIGHT connotate an offence to some group.

How sad that so much emphasis is put on trivial things and so little on Christian Grace

Posted by ray (Member # 264) on :

IT IS FUNNY THAT ALL THE PEOPLE ASKING FOR EQUALITY FOR THIER ISSUE ARE ACTUALLY ASKING FOR SPECIAL TREATMENT FROM THE MAJORITY.

Posted by Ntercesser (Member # 332) on :

my favorite shirt, which i traded for a Gray's anatomy shirt( it has all the upper body muscle in the right atomical place) said "don't annoy the crazy person.

i don't think those who hear vioces, look in padded rooms care that much, but there are some in mainstream america that might. i agree with the post about trivial thing though

Posted by Amalthea (Member # 318) on :

As a NASCAR fan, to me 88 means Dale Jarrett and the UPS #88 car!

Having lived for 2 years with some mentally, physically, and/or emotionally disabled people (and talking and joking with them), most of them couldn't care less about those shirts.

If it's not overtly hateful (like "kill a crazy person"), I see nothing wrong.