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CafePress.com
If, for whatever reason, you feel the need to diss the Canadians (or any other nationality or ethnicity), CafePress has the shirt for you,
CafePress, the online store where independent artists and merchants can sell T-shirts, mugs and other collectibles, has removed pages promoting anti-Mexican products after Latino bloggers and news sites brought them to public light this week.
It's not the first time CafePress — one of the biggest online retailers in the world — has wandered into critics' cross-hairs for selling merchandise that would generally be considered racist or otherwise offensive, and given the way the site works, it won't be the last.
First, some background:
CafePress this week pulled down 10 pages offering merchandise with explicitly anti-Mexican themes after Latino media outlets picked up posts by the blogs Tex(t)Mex and Latino Rebels, which noted that CafePress had an "Anti-Mexican Gifts" section.
"Looking for the right funny gift to express your hate and racism towards Mexicans? Well, CafePress has got the goods for you," Latino Rebels observed.
CafePress removed the pages, as well as pages in a second section called "Anti-Mexico." It said it regretted "any problems or concerns caused by the images in question."
 M. Alex Johnson is a reporter for msnbc.com. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. |
Case closed, right?
Wrong.
Quick searches of CafePress on Thursday evening showed hundreds of pages offering merchandise explicitly labeled "Anti-French," "Anti-Arab," "Anti-African" and so on. And there's still plenty of anti-Mexican merchandise on CafePress, like this bumper sticker:
CafePress.com
So what's going on?
What CafePress did was to disable the specific search terms "Anti-Mexican" and "Anti-Mexico" in response to this week's publicity. Much of the merchandise is still there.
The same sort of controversy came up before, for example in October, when CafePress removed merchandise that appeared to promote violence against illegal immigrants.
And it will keep popping up, because CafePress is largely an automated site. There never was a dedicated "Anti-Mexican" section. What there was was a search results page for the term "Anti-Mexican," generated dynamically by its computers when someone asked for it.
You can test it yourself. On the CafePress homepage, plug in any keyword you want plus "anti" into the search field and you will get back a page generated on the fly from CafePress' database of products.
For example, try "Anti Canada." Among the many T-shirts, bumper stickers, mugs and so on is the T-shirt at the top of this post.
CafePress confirmed in a statement that it doesn't pre-review what merchandise sellers sell there:
The range of user-designed products varies widely in topic, taste and political opinion. CafePress' independent design community spans the globe, with users representing multicultural and multinational ideals and sentiments. As such, users may upload designs that some find distasteful or offensive, but are nevertheless consistent with our policies for expressions and content on our website.
The company said customers could notify it of objectionable content at cup@cafepress.com. "We review all requests for content review, measure user-uploaded images against our policies and determine a plan of action if any is appropriate."
Adrian Carrasquillo of NBC Latino contributed to this report.
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News
Leave a Comment:
MSN loves to hype and over-inflate everything-it's how they sell their drivel. MSNBC is the Springer Show of news. Everytime I read their crap I hear Don Henley's "Dirty Laundry" playing in my head.
Whatever happened to free speech? My humor may not be funny to you, yours not funny to me. So be it. People submit shirt designs to Cafepress. They do not endorse shirts. I don't like some of the shirts for sale. Some I even find offensive. Those are the ones I will not buy. Stop being the 'book burners' of t shirts...And Cafepress, please do not cow tow to these idiots. A t shirt company is the LAST place for political correctness...
The use of racist words or racial overtones has to be condemned especially if it's in the media / online world etc which reaches out to millions of people.
Last time I checked, those are nationalities, not races.
This will probably boost Cafe Press' sales through the roof.
It does not matter what definition you apply.
The use of racist words / racial overtones or racial / religious stereotypes has to be condemned especially if it's in the media / online world etc which reaches out to millions of people.
To V. Singh:
I share your dislike of most of the junk t-shirts and other distasteful items being sold by CafePress. I agree with the spirit of your indignation, but remember that this is America and free speech (even speech that many consider offensive) is protected by our constitution. I disagree, though, that definitions do not matter, because they do.
I have read all of your posts on this issue, and I am also curious, given your extremely vocal opinions about this company selling t-shirts (mostly in the U.S., I would think), where you stand on some other issues (which many might consider FAR more important and problematic). It's okay, you're entitled to your opinion regarding CafePress, but as a citizen of India, it might help give your numerous posts some added validity in the minds of other American posters in the forum, if you were to enlighten us a bit on where you stand on the following:
I wonder... within your own country of India, isn't the (some might say class-ist, or oppressive, or even barbaric) Caste system still practiced? Is that something you support/practice/believe in, or do you oppose it? How do you demonstrate your opposition?
For those who may not know: According to Answers.com, the caste system dictates that a person's position in society is inherited from parents at birth and it is a position FROM WHICH THERE IS NO ESCAPE OR TRANSFER THROUGHOUT LIFE. People (These are human beings!) born into the lower classes are oppressed throughout their lives and considered less important, and prevented from EVER rising above that social class, and their descendants are FOREVER trapped in that same oppressive class as well--with NO HOPE of ever rising above it. To many, this is tantamount to modern-day SLAVERY. Answers.com says that the system is at its strongest in India where people of high caste are respected but those of the lowest caste—the untouchables—usually work in the most menial occupations. The classes within the caste system are as follows: At the top are the Brahmans, followed by the Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras. Those with the most defiling jobs (such as those who dispose of body emissions and dead animals) are ranked beneath the Shudras. Considered untouchable, they were simply dubbed as "the fifth" (panchama) category. Surely you oppose this ridiculous system and speak out against it, with at least as much fervor as you do the sale of t-shirts in the U.S.?
And what of the continual violent conflicts between the Hindu and Muslim populations in India and violence between the castes within your country and with neighboring countries? Is that also racist? Where do you stand on those issues? Surely those of the Hindu faith who engage in violent conflicts with the Muslims or neighboring nations would be considered racist by your own definition? Surely these are matters of FAR greater significance than some t-shirts? Please tell us where you stand on those matters, Sir, and what you are doing about them.
As I said, you seem to be very interested and quite vocal about some t-shirts and bumper stickers being sold in the United States, but I wonder... Where do you stand on the continuing human tragedy going on in India--the horrible oppression/violence/religious and social intolerance, caste-member stereotyping, and widespread poverty within your own country? What are you doing to fight against and change those oppressive/violent/racist/classist policies/practices/forces within India?
Please tell us. I'm sure many would like to know.
Anthony : your harping on caste is typical of many Americans. When you can't answer issues relevant start talking about India's caste system like a stuck tape recorder.
Anyways I will try to educate you.
Given India's massive 1.3 billion population now , the US has a lot to learn from us.
India continues to be an example for the rest of the world to follow as the world's largest democracy.
Hope you will visit us and see it for yourself.
i think its racest for calling me racest
Intelligence has nothing to do with race D. You're safe.
Especially if he is standing next to you Fred!
I think it's racist that you don't know how to spell racist...
you just fluffed a spelling dfluf.
As much as I dislike the sentiments, I'm afraid even bigots have First Ammendment rights.
V Sing: Keep your comments to yourself, you Indian C*ck sucker. (So, sue me.)
LOL. go jerk off you fat ass american .
Now, boys, play nice!
Relax Tina, that's just how they get warmed up for their "Hide The Sausage" game!
I firmly beleive in free speech, especially when it comes to wearing t-shirts. If I saw someone wearing some of those mentioned, I wouldn't waste my time talking with them as the true content of their character would be immedialtely apparent.
Seriously. They wouldnt even have to say a word, that tshirt says "douche bag person here" all over it.
Your real name is Jaun?
Used to be, when some idiot made an ethnic slur, he would get his lights punched out and that would be the end of it.
Nowadays he would be required to make a public apology and attend sensitivity training.
What a crock.
racism is a great way to express ones self. how wonderful that there is a profit to be made off ones ethnic background. isn't the U.S. the best especially if your of an unwanted ethnic heritage.
It's always a joy to see the racist jerkwads commenting in force to these kinds of articles.
"Hey, I'm a white dude, I don't see what the problem is with wearing a "Mexicans Suck" t-shirt! Free speech!"
Of course you don't see a problem, Billybob. That's because you're a dumbass douchebag.
We need to get back to being able to laugh at ourselves again. Everone seems so uptight.....live and let live...chill....take a pill. Quit being so uptight about what other people say or do. "get a life" SMILE
That sounds sensible...
Its been said that only Irishmen can make Irish jokes, Blacks, make Black jokes, Poles, etc etc..
That's why the "N" word is OK if used among Blacks....as we see in music, comedy, and among friends.
Seems to me that's how it should be...One can make those jokes...as long as the "brunt" is not present
...only fair and decent...
A couple of weeks ago here in Kentucky they busted 6 Mexican guys with 2 million dollars in cash and 30 pounds of pot. So, Mexicans are not all that poor and dumb. I think one of the richest men in the world is Mexican (have to research). There is a problem with growing animosity toward this particular group of people because they refuse to adapt and want all the American benefits (handouts). I am sick and tired of seeing Spanish written everywhere below English. Go to any Wal Mart in a poor neighborhood and look at the people shopping in the store. Drive by there at 3:00 AM and see all the filth and trash they leave behind. So many foreigners come to America not to work but to become leaches. This is fact. I don't promote racism but, if it is the truth then its not racism. The legal defense to defamation is "truth and fact." Therefore if some says the truth how is that racism? If they come here illegally and continue to break our laws and become a burden to society how are we supposed to feel? As far as this T-shirt company goes: I don't care what they sell, I don't shop there and I buy "dumb" T-shirts. If someone wants to buy a shirt there I don't care care what it says. I judge a person by what they do and not what they wear.
While this type of thing is certainly provocative or insensitive, even stupid or objectionable to some/many (myself included), it isn't racist. That word is very overused, and frequently wrongly applied. Canada isn't a race--it's a nation, as is Mexico. Mexican isn't a race--it's a nationality. Hispanic isn't a race--it's an ethnicity. Muslim isn't a race--it's a person of a certain religious belief. Are the things printed on these products insensitive and objectionable (to some/many)? Obviously so, but it isn't racism.
I would certainly never advocate anyone wearing/displaying these kinds of items, since they appear to be insensitive/provocative (and tend to reflect poorly on the owner/wearer as well), but... this is America. The citizens of this nation have the constitutional right to free speech of all kinds. Sometimes we laugh at their speech (words, t-shirt, bumper sticker, etc.), sometimes it makes us think, sometimes we agree, other times it may make us upset; but the right to express oneself freely is still important and fundamental to who we are as a nation/people.
My point is, that the free exercise of our American right to free speech MUST be respected and it MUST belong equally to ALL citizens, and include ALL their legally allowable speech--even if we don't personally agree with it. It's one of the most important things that sets America apart from other nations.
A Final Thought: As I reviewed the posts on this topic, I noted that many of those who posted comments decrying the sale and the public display of these products because the products are considered "racist," objectionable, insensitive, or rude to other people or groups, frequently expressed their objections using very coarse language, reproachful terms, name-calling, and group stereotyping that could easily be considered equally objectionable, insensitive, and rude--if not more so.
Whether in the public square or in this discussion forum, if the tone of the public dialog/debate over any particular issue is to ever improve to a point where people are no longer offended by our words/speech and mutual understanding may be achieved, then we (as individual Americans) are ALL going to have to become more sensitive to others, tolerant of others, patient with others, understanding of others, and be willing to be the first one to clean up our own speech and behaviors so that they no longer offend those who hold differing opinions/viewpoints. We have to be willing to give our fellow citizens the right and freedom to express themselves, and if we disagree with what they say or the manner in which they say it, then we may freely exercise our own right to express our disagreement; however, we should do so in a way that is civil, thoughtful, logical, mature, and respectful. Doing otherwise isn't going to convince anyone of the validity of your viewpoint or change someone's mind on an issue--it will usually just make YOU look bad. And it certainly won't elevate the dialog to a point where it is generally more meaningful and productive--where common understanding and solutions/improvement may be found.
In other words, you can't complain about others exercising their own free speech rights in a way that is offensive in your opinion, if you are also doing it to others (whether on a bumper sticker, or in the posts you submit on this discussion forum) and offending them and others.
So, I encourage all to make every effort to stay engaged in the debate over the issues of your choice, but to set a quality example when expressing your thoughts and opinions. You will get your opinions across more effectively and elevate the quality of the debate, and never know how many others may follow that example.
Yea, thats NOT COOL at all. Geez, we want peace and to get along, enough with the negativity. I happen to love Canada and Canadians.
CAFEPRESS SUCKS!
gov't brainwashing in full effect...they tell u what to eat, what to speak, what to print, hope you @!$%#ing idiots are loving the obamantion this commie country has turned into...vote obama again please cause we need a civil war asap. freedom os speech my ass...g.w. is climbing out of his 1776 grave
Hey! When did Canadian become a race?
Did I miss the memo about that?
Nothing has changed at Cafepress, still racist, still no content control. This site should be taken down until they do it right.