In certain youth subcultures, there’s a certain profane saying about the police — let’s call it “Fudge the Police” — that actually has nothing to do with fudge at all. The saying originated in the 1990s hip-hop culture, and filtered its way through pop culture in the following decades.
And while some suburban white kids might carelessly use the phrase during their rebellious years, the saying has taken on a dark new meaning in the past year. As #BlackLivesMatter activists protest officer-related shootings, and as police officers around the country face tragic assassinations, many Americans say the expression makes them sick to their stomachs.
And now, a custom T shirt screen printing company from Kentucky has said they will stop selling shirts with the saying. Of course, many people are rightfully furious that the company was selling such T-shirts in the first place. When social media users discovered the T-shirt for sale, they put the company on blast, to use another phrase from youth culture.
The company initially defended their free speech rights. They only agreed to pull the T-shirt from their online store after continued controversy. Originally, the website issued a strong defense of their right to sell anti-police shirts, calling it “a platform for self-expression.”
?The anti-law enforcement designs currently available on our site do not violate this policy. Removing merchandise that does not violate our content policy censors users who have the right to share their opinions.”
Of course, Americans have the right to wear personalized apparel that expresses their political beliefs. But that doesn’t mean companies have to sell clothing with messages they don’t agree with. The incident demonstrates how highly politicized T-shirts have become in 2015.
All over the country, teenagers have been suspended from school for custom T shirt screen printing. In Virginia, students were suspended for wearing the confederate flag. In Texas, a student was suspended for a shirt expressing support for #BlackLivesMatter. No matter the cause, Americans increasingly use custom screen printed T shirts to express themselves.
From the high school students wearing custom printed apparel showing their support for police officers, to Donald Trump’s already famous “Make America Great Again” personalized hats, personalized apparel can be used for almost anything.
