Internet T-shirt Vendor Profits from Mohammed Cartoon Conflict
On their website, MetroSpy denounces the tactics of Islamic extremists and encourages its customers to stand up against terrorism. “Failing to print these images mean the terrorists have won”, the site says. “We wanted a simple way to exercise our freedom of speech and to stand up to the terrorists. This design was perfect,” said Thomas. So far, the Mohammed t-shirt has become their best selling item of the year — more than 120 orders the first day it became available. Critics of the Mohammed t-shirts say this is a perfect example of why Americans are hated around the world. Finding humor in the desecration of another’s religious symbol, even if you disagree, is just plain wrong.
It was just a matter of time before some enterprising soul discovered a way to make money off the Cartoon Jihad, eh? Yes, I LOVE America…where anyone can make money off anything if they just put their mind to it. In this case someone has discoverd how to make money off the Danish cartoon controversy…and they’re doing it in that most American of ways- on T-shirts. Whodathunkit??
Perhaps it’s tasteless, and perhaps it’s offensive, but I think the message here is that far too many zealots are taking themselves and their religion far too seriously. I have a difficult time believing that anyone printing the cartoons or, in this case, selling T-shirts, is setting out to offend Muslims. Rather, I think they’re trying to make the point that satire is a good thing, and that people who take themselves and their beliefs so seriously need to get a grip.
This whole thing has grown to be beyond silly. With all of the problems in this world, and with all of the poverty, suffering, and political instability in the Islamic world, Muslims are rioting over cartoons? It’s probably a relief to governments in the region, though. As long as the masses are rioting over cartoons, they’re not doing so over the miserable political and economics conditions they live in, and theyre not thinking about how many ways their governments have failed to serve them. Yep, nothing like distracting the masses and redirecting their anger, eh? As long as they’re looting and burning Danish Consulates, they won’t be worrying about the corrupt, inept despots and kleptocrats who rule them…and as long as that’s the case, nothing will change.
