Go Back to the B3 Home Page
Complaints, compliments, arguments? Email me.
[<< "Haiti: US-backed coup?"] [Archive Index] [>>"Breslin."]
03/01/2004 Archived Entry: "Yeah, don't you worry about some stupid institution like voting, kids."
Yeah, don't you worry about some stupid institution like voting, kids.
Ministry's Al Jourgenson laces into Urban Outfitters. Beautiful.
Punkvoter.com wrote a letter today to Richard Hayne, Urban Outfitters chairman of the board of directors and president, and called on him to take action.Grammy-nominated platinum recording artist, Al Jourgensen of Ministry wrote, "Mr. Hayne, I am sure I don't have to give you a history lesson regarding the incredible amount of lives lost fighting for the Right to Vote in America alone. I am shocked and appalled at your recklessness..." Jourgensen continued, "I see your actions as a blatant attempt to quash the efforts of Punkvoter.com, Music for America, Rock the Vote, and other pro- youth vote organizations. It is public knowledge that you contribute to the Republican Party. Could this be the motivation behind your anti-vote strategy to suppress the youth vote you have so much influence over? Shame on you, Mr. Hayne. I know you know better."
Hayne was quoted in the Philadelphia Weekly last year stating "our job as a business is not to promote a political agenda. That's not what we do" However, he clearly has no problem pushing a message to his young hip audience that voting is for senior citizens. Bizarre that this comes from a store that markets itself using the images of Freedom, liberty and 1960's-type counter culture activism??? Hayne has even branded one of his companies by naming it "Free People." Too bad he now sells voter suppression t-shirts in a cynical way to market an anti-voting campaign as trendy! Urban Outfitters is currently selling a T- shirt in their stores and on their website that states "voting is for old people."
Replies: 4 people speak up
Call me old and in the way, call me out of step with the Mall Crowd... But Who/What is Urban Outfitters, and what did they do to get Alain J. pissed.
Nothing in the article really explains WHAT the "anti-voting" THING is, and I'm sure as hell NOT walking into a Mall to find out.
Do you have more background information on this? None of it makes any sense to me, but I'm glad folks are uppity about it, I guess...
Posted by Monkeyfister @ 03/01/2004 04:20 PM NY
Duh-- I see it now...
This is the PERFECT thing for www.punkvoter.com to cover, in fact, I think there are few better prepared TO handle it.
I don't claim to know anything about Mall or Gen-Y culture, but WHY would anyone wear that t-shirt anyway? How could they POSSIBLY think it's cool to not vote?
I think this would be a good counter message on a t-shirt:
VOTE- YOU'RE FINALLY OLD ENOUGH
or
VOTE- NO ONE CAN STOP YOU NOW
But I'm old and crankey.
Tony B.
Posted by monkeyfister @ 03/01/2004 08:07 PM NY
"Who/What is Urban Outfitters"
Dude, you're ON THE INTERNET...try doing a Google search!
"Nothing in the article really explains WHAT the "anti-voting" THING is"
Ahem...(from the quoted section of the article above)
"Urban Outfitters is currently selling a T- shirt in their stores and on their website that states "voting is for old people.""
Posted by Tina @ 03/02/2004 07:55 AM NY
I saw this on another site. Looks promising...and a good cause:
Date: March 4, 2004
To: All concerned voters
From: VotingIs
Youth Respond to Urban Outfitters
New York, NY—As thousands of young soldiers return from their brave tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq, it shocks us to see Urban Outfitters newest t-shirt design. We firmly oppose Urban Outfitters Chairman & CEO Richard Hayne, who is trying to profit from his damaging message that voting is just for old people.
Based on our experiences at Princeton, other college campuses and on political campaigns, we believe Hayne could not be farther from the truth. Voting is NOT just for old people.
Young people have a critical role to play in the future of our democracy. We believe that Urban Outfitters’ message that voting isn’t cool is counterproductive and harmful to the country’s health. It is essential that young people get involved, get interested, and VOTE.
We have created a line of products that firmly states, “Voting is for young people.” We want all concerned voters, young and old, to join us in protest. We need to make a statement that young people care, and that politicians in Washington need to listen.
We plan to donate 5% of our proceeds to Youth Vote, a non-partisan coalition working to increase the political involvement of millions of Americans. Founding coalition members include Black Youth Vote, Rock the Vote, Student PIRGs and the U.S. Student Association.
Support our work. Visit www.votingis.com and make your voice heard.
Posted by Joe Abelon @ 03/04/2004 05:58 PM NY
