I was at a rather large gathering of people up in NEWA this past weekend. The Event I attended with about 10,000 other people was called the Barter Faire. It was a wonderful experience. The highlight of the weekend was a big bon fire and a large drum circle. The tribal beats/rythems combined with shrooms, L, molly, 2cb and ganja made for a wonderful evening.

While wandering through vendor booths I found these shirts that were for sale. I found the print on the shirt interesting enough to take a picture of so I could post it here for others to see.

I support the OCCUPY protests world wide, 100%

I must admit I found this shirt design to be rather disturbing.

Everyone is entitled to his own opinion.

Sounds like an awesome party!

BTW that is a pretty disturbing shirt...and pathetic to boot. Someone figured it was a way to make a quick buck or two off the latest 'fad'

Peace

Such a disgrace...

There is no place for hate in change. That shirt is beyond disturbing, it is disgraceful. Replace the word rich with ANY other group and I think anyone would have to agree.

That shirt is in violation of the self imposed rules of the occupy movement, and, according to my understanding, anathema to its very spirit.

JBArk

The occupy movement is composed of many individual people.

You can't hold the entire movement responsible for the actions of one member.... right?

Peace

Where did i say i hold them responsible? In fact, i made it clear that this shirt was NOT in the spirit of the occupy movement. Any shirt that encourages the killing of others would have elicited the same response from me.

Let me set things straight: i am NOT against the movement. - in fact, for the most part, i SUPPORT it. I made a few observations about it, and was lambasted by many In another thread and so I desisted because tempers were rising out of a passionate issue.

I wil say this, though, how strong is a movement that cannot bear minor constructive criticism FROM BEHIND ITS OWN FENCE?

Anyway, as already stated, my opinion of the shirt has nothing to do with my opinions about the movement, and everything to do with basic standards of human decency.

JBArk

LOL

Wasn't it motorhead that screamed "Eat the rich!" or something?

If anyone here is familar with the "punk rock" type people, they all wear shirts that look like this. Black, white halloween-like text, usually with something morbid as hell, always offensive. It's almost a contest to see who can be the most outlandish or something.

I think the shirt is funny

I prefer the term 'eat the greedy', or 'Humans eat PIGS!'. It's not much of a help. Nothing wrong with rich folk, as jealous as my blackened little heart makes me feel. It's the greedy ones who are making it so hard for people like myself to accept it.

I concur with House that this is highly reminiscent of the punk rock attire and is meant to outrage and ,certainly for most punks, it was a statement not of intent.

The Occupy movements are a disparate gathering and Im sure much of the punk 'spirit' lives on amongst some of the protestors, and they probably wont be sporting Mowhawk haircuts.

I dunno if anyone is familiar with a UK punkband of the 70s/80s called CRASS- they had a more nuanced take on their T-shirt artwork.The spirit is the same as expressed on IHs T-shirt pic ,but CRASS were so more eloquent in the presentation.Definitely worth a Google, IMO.

I dont believe its wise to judge someone on the shirt they wear necessarily being 'committed' to the sentiment expressed; I saw an amusing (for me, anyway) t shirt which had as its logo 'Heroin- its what your left arm is for'.In my mind I saluted the wearer, who looked fully healthy to me.

So we are in agreement then. The T-shirt is offensive.

Where we perhaps disagree is whether the t-shirt is appropriate, helpful, convincing to those not already on board or conducive to change. I am well aware of the punk movement (was somewhat of a neophyte punk myself in the mid 80's), and also well aware that beyond musical and fashion influence, they accomplished absolutely nothing. I find it hard to believe the Occupy movement's goals include revolutionizing fashion and pop culture...

It could be seen as a funny t-shirt I suppose, if hate doesn't disturb you, but then you have to ask yourself, how serious are you about change if you are laughing at a t-shirt that denigrates your cause?

Anyway, maybe it's time for me to shutup again before anyone gets double standardly offended?

I guess I could see it from both sides.

IMHO its poor taste in light of what is happening these days.

When I first saw the it, shirt, it hurt.

I am at a time in my life where I am experiencing sooo much love for all of my fellow man.

oh well life goes on!

Exactly - what we all need atm. Both sides.

<3

My bad I though you were implying that the movement was associated with the shirt and not the other way around. I agree with you completely it's not in the spirit of the movement.



Is this directed at me? I was just pointing out essentially the same thing you were...only I misunderstood your post.

Peace

No.

Good post, Jbark-could have been construed by a political speech-writer!

I would qualify your first phrase, deftly suggesting a consensus, with the words, 'but more so for some than others'.

IMO, the punk rock movements accomplishments were a resurrection of the spirit of activism as a DIY endeavour, and whilst not the sole reason for the protests we are now seeing, I think todays events are treading a path (re-)laid by the pioneering aspect of the spirit of punk.

Also to equate having a chuckle at the sardonic sentiment expressed on the t-shirt as being equivalent to a lack of seriousness about 'the cause' is a master-stroke of 'political-speak', and while I disagree with your point, I admire your linguistic abilities!

The movement has not yet evolved into a bona fide hierarchical entity with full cohesion of ideas and aims; in its present state it needs these disparate voices which all appeal to a slightly different demographic.They can always employ PR gurus later for deciding on the hue of the smart grey suits that will look good in TV debates should they get that far. People are drawn to the protests for a range of reasons although the key issues, for most, are pretty similar.

I dont think anyone here is 'double-standardly offended' by your post, but it needs to be acknowledged that the the movement is in a fledgling state and its direction of growth or otherwise remains to be seen.

House, you are alright.

(heh heh .. you know, "punk rock" type people might run across some spice, you know, by accident sometime. And then it's on. --At this very moment I am wearing a Motorhead t-shirt and my tore up jeans with an "eat the rich" patch over a place where the seam finally fell apart.)

However, while I do get a good chuckle out of my patch every time I see it, the print in the picture posted here is, I think, not quite in the same spirit, although your observation about punk gear is definitely correct. There is actually a clothing company called "Morbid Threads." The whole thing probably stems from having way too much fun on Halloween in the formative years.

But what I don't like about this particular picture here is that the image of the rows of crosses makes me think of the rows of crosses that represent the "disappeared" in South America; and used in this context, it seems to me to be hella disrespectful to that grim reality. Besides, as said above, it's not about hating or killing anyone, it's about economic justice and parity.

Aha! I thought that picture looked familiar!

This is from the wiki page on Class War, an anarchist newspaper circa 1983!

"Class War newspaper

The numerous titles released by Class War were eventually to be replaced by a national paper just called Class War. This paper declared that the enemy was not just a system-wide abstraction, but each and every person who belonged to the ruling class. It advocated active violence against the wealthy, and the paper used colloquial language and gallows humour.

One early cover was of a cemetery, with the caption, "We have found new homes for the rich."