T-Shirt Controversy

ClassicRockr

ClassicRockr

Well-known Member
This past Saturday was in Wal Mart w/my wife. Wife was looking at toothpaste and a black lady next to her was wearing a t-shirt that said "Justice For Jordan". I looked at her and said "not everyone is going to agree with your t-shirt". She didn't take it very well of what I said and told us, "I'm part of the family". I told her, "you just have to be ready if someone doesn't agree with you and the t-shirt." She didn't like me saying that either. I then told her, "sorry about how you feel about what I said, but with respect ma'am, you are the one wearing the t-shirt, not me." She looked like she was going to take our photo, so I grabbed my wife and we walked away.

Later I told my wife, "it would have been much better if the lady would have simply said "yes, you are right", and left it at that.......after I made the first comment about the t-shirt. But, she didn't.

This isn't the first time I've talked to someone in Wal Mart, even though many people do get shocked that a stranger would talk to them. I just happen to like to talk and if a person is wearing a "debatable" t-shirt, I might say something to them.

Your thoughts.
 

Im not like you I prefer to just mind my own business.
You need to be careful what you're saying to strangers nowaday,most of those freaks are armed.
 
Problem is, in "mind my own business", too many people simply get away with whatever. True, that many strangers are armed, but when a person has an "outgoing" type personality, the word "talking" is going to happen. Actually, the person confronting the person wearing the t-shirt could be armed and not like what the t-shirt says........what might happen then?

Davey Jones said:
Im not like you I prefer to just mind my own business.
You need to be careful what you're saying to strangers nowaday,most of those freaks are armed.
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Why would she smack me??? In doing that, she'd go to jail! That is an assault charge. Would you hit someone in public who said something about what was written on a t-shirt or ball cap you were wearing?

Falcon said:
Right on the mark Davey. He's lucky he didn't get smacked.
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I don't believe wearing a T-shirt is an invitation to a stranger to make a comment.. either positive or negative. I think it falls under the nunya classification... as in Nunya business.
 
Sorry, just NOT a "Nunya business" type of guy! Shoot, most people wouldn't be on this forum, giving opinions, if they felt that way (Nunya business)!!
 
Ok, let's look at it this way..........would any of you wear a "very controversial" type t-shirt into a public place KNOWING that ANYONE could confront you about it???? Wearing it in Stanford during a Rally, where others are wearing the same t-shirt, is one thing, wearing it, by yourself, out in public, is another. IMO

And, YES, sometimes I am a "Nunya business" type of guy. After all these years, I know who to speak to about what.

What I'm still wondering about is.........all the people on here that give their opinions about things. Seems to me that a number of Threads done on here would get the "Nunya business" replies, but they don't.
 
Didn't make a negative comment about the t-shirt........actually stayed neutral about it and told her that. If she took my comment as "negative", that's her fault, not mine. I didn't defend either Jordan or Dunn. All I said was that her t-shirt could be very controversial. All she would have had to say is, "your right" and walked away. That was it!
Gotta remember, when expressing an opinion about something, whether it's in speech or clothing, the person has to be ready for others opinions. It was absolutely NOT "rude" of me to say something to her. What is "rude" to some is "just talk/questions" to others. Some people love humor, even "sarcastic" type humor, while others hate it. My wife loves it that I'm not a quiet type person like her BIL is and girlfriend's husband is.

There are a few ladies, in the complex we live in, that wife and I are sure that they think "why on earth would she (my wife) be with that guy?" My wife has told me, "I would just tell them that I love his humor and that he likes to do the same things I like to do. You don't want a guy like that and that is up to you. But, for me, he's perfect."

Gosh, I love my wife!!
 
ClassicRockr said:
This past Saturday was in Wal Mart w/my wife. Wife was looking at toothpaste and a black lady next to her was wearing a t-shirt that said "Justice For Jordan". I looked at her and said "not everyone is going to agree with your t-shirt". She didn't take it very well of what I said and told us, "I'm part of the family". I told her, "you just have to be ready if someone doesn't agree with you and the t-shirt." She didn't like me saying that either. I then told her, "sorry about how you feel about what I said, but with respect ma'am, you are the one wearing the t-shirt, not me." She looked like she was going to take our photo, so I grabbed my wife and we walked away.

Later I told my wife, "it would have been much better if the lady would have simply said "yes, you are right", and left it at that.......after I made the first comment about the t-shirt. But, she didn't.

This isn't the first time I've talked to someone in Wal Mart, even though many people do get shocked that a stranger would talk to them. I just happen to like to talk and if a person is wearing a "debatable" t-shirt, I might say something to them.

Your thoughts.
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Sounds like you are braver than lots of us. You didn't say exactly what the lady said, but maybe she wore the shirt to make a statement on her opinion, but didn't actually expect anyone to actually discuss it with her and so wasn't prepared? I'm one of those quiet people (in person) that wouldn't say anything. As long as you're respectful, I think you have the right to engage.
 
Didn't seem like a "brave" move to me, at the time. Actually, it did seem like she wasn't ready for anyone to "call her out" on the t-shirt. I was totally respectful towards her, but she just didn't want to hear that the t-shirt could be looked at as "controversial", as I told her. Guess, she thought that everyone would simply........smile, pat her on the back and say......."good job" for wearing it. I didn't do that and she got upset that I didn't. Guess she thought I was all for what Dunn did to Jordon.......completely wrong! Actually, I wasn't taking a "stance" on anything, anyone. Just telling the lady that there are people that wouldn't agree with the t-shirt as well as there would be those that would agree.
 
I think that black lady showed remarkable restraint in the face of what was obviously a racist remark. Kudos to her.
 
ClassicRockr said:
Didn't seem like a "brave" move to me, at the time. Actually, it did seem like she wasn't ready for anyone to "call her out" on the t-shirt. I was totally respectful towards her, but she just didn't want to hear that the t-shirt could be looked at as "controversial", as I told her. Guess, she thought that everyone would simply........smile, pat her on the back and say......."good job" for wearing it. I didn't do that and she got upset that I didn't. Guess she thought I was all for what Dunn did to Jordon.......completely wrong! Actually, I wasn't taking a "stance" on anything, anyone. Just telling the lady that there are people that wouldn't agree with the t-shirt as well as there would be those that would agree.
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Well to you what's normal, to someone else is brave right? We're all different.

So maybe that lady was so upset by what she's firmly convinced is some kind of miscarriage of justice, that she can't conceive of anyone not being of the same mind. Maybe she did expect everyone would approve. There's nothing wrong with that really is there? I don't know anything about the incident that her shirt referred to so that's kind of a general observation/suggestion.

Or maybe she just completely misunderstood the point you were making. Could that be it?
 
Haven't got a clue on how I was racist, but.........whatever!

But, while at Wal Mart, I did tell a 30 something white couple about the t-shirt and what I said and they agreed with me when I told them that I told her, "don't wear it if you don't want anyone to say something about it".

A black guy that we know at Home Depot, who serves hotdogs/sausages outside, agreed with me when I told him what happened.

So, you folks disagree with me about what I did, but there are some, like the ones above, that did agree with me. That's all I care about!

Or, should I say........"Nunya business" just doesn't apply to me! LOL

Thanks for reading the Thread. Think I'm done now. Thank God!
 
I don't wear shirts with words on them... However, If I were to wear one, I would imagine I would have to care a lot about the sentiment expressed. If a total stranger came up to me to discuss it... particularly if he/she seemed to be of the opposite view... I wouldn't appreciate the intrusion. AND I would let them know it, in no uncertain terms. I do NOT believe that making a "clothing statement" is an invitation to be approached and annoyed. I just don't understand the view that a tee shirt invites conversation with a stranger.. It's rude and intrusive..
 
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