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March
2004
Swine of the Month!
Mass-Market
Counter-Culture. Retro-thrift store chic. Urban Oufitters sells
hipster clothing at inflated department store prices. It's
all made in sweatshops, it all looks the same, and perhaps
worst of all, its political messages are selling the wrong
idea to America's youth.
The
latest in shameful tactics is Urban Outfitters plan to profit
from the apathy and politcal cynicism of America's youngest
voter bracket. This $28 t-shirt, reading "Voting is for
Old People" is a blatant attempt to squash the efforts
of voting activst organizations such as Rock the Vote and Punkvoter.com
while promoting the Right-wing agenda.
Why
is Urban Outfitters supporting such a politcal agenda? Some
point fingers at President Richard Hayne's donations to the
Republican Party as one explanation. In 2000, the US Statistical
Abstract and Census Bureau's research reported 36 percent of
64 million voters aged 18-34 voted in the last election. These
young voters represent three times the voters aged 65-75.
Ministry
lead Singer Al Jougenson has called the t-shirt an "anti-
American abomination".
If
any of you out there need to know why voting is not just for
old people, I can can give you a few reasons. Unemployment
rates in this country are on the rise, and unemployment among
18-30 year olds has been measured as high as 12.8%. Incresaed
school tuition, slashing of grants, tax-cuts for the rich,
ignoring environmental problems, and an administration with
a brutally irresponsible foreign policy are just a few reasons
to get your asses to the polls.
Vote
with your dollar and tell Urban Outfitters you won't support
their agenda. At least not until they start selling shirts
that say "Voting Matters" and stop using sweatshop
labor.
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