I Am Going to Say Something Controversial

@SW-User Jews too.

http://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=786

@SW-User Not all minds equate them, some minds see a black boy and others just a boy. The former ones are racists.

@FrogManSometimesLooksBothWays I haven't heard that one! Nazis often equate us with vermin, though.

@Cierzo For noticing? Not sure how. I studied these symbols in college as history and can't "unlearn" them. Also, I see such references on-line.

@SW-User I worked with this chick. She always called the Jews in the office "monkeys." Only the Jews.

@FrogManSometimesLooksBothWays How odd.

@SW-User H&M does not need any negative controversy, they are already well-known. I am quite sure publicists just saw a boy wearing a hoodie. Of course，those who want to feel offended will always find a reason.

@Cierzo I'm not really offended, more surprised that they weren't aware.

@SW-User They can be accused of not being smart, but accusing them of racism is overreacting

@Cierzo I would be curious to talk to them to make that assessment. I agree it's hard to believe they would have done it intentionally.

@Cierzo You know. I sort of get your point. I'm personally not "offended" by it. But I'm not black and I'm generally not offended by things. And many of the black people I know would probably [i]want to wear it[/i] just to spoof off it, to own the racism under it, to get over on it. Just like I know women who are feminists (whatever that means (3rd wave, 4th wave, 50th wave-- I dunno)) who wear a T-shirt with "bitch" or "cunt" on it.

That said, you really can't put the racism on the side of the beholder. There is a social context here. We all own that. I don't get to step out of that by not making the association. I don't get to step out of that by rejecting the association. It's our cultural currency. Like this:

@CopperCicada Dozens of other images on-line like that.

@CopperCicada But you cannot put racism on the side of the publicist either without knowing their intentions, since common sense tells that neither them or H&M would get anything good from accusations or racism. It was unfortunate, but just that.

@SW-User Ya. Sure. Let's see, the white supremacist website called "ChimpOut" is a good example.

@Cierzo I largely agree with you.

Symbols are like any other currency. Pass a counterfeit bill-- are you a counterfeiter? No. Are you gonna get into some hot water?-- most certainly.

I personally think we repent for too many thought crimes. Calling out racism in a country founded on indigenous genocide, slavery and immigration is pretty boring. Calling out H&M is one of those things that makes us feel good without doing anything about real racism. Like people being shot unarmed in the streets. Or the fact that there are places in America where the life expectancy is that of Haiti.

That said, it boggles my mind that nobody at H&M would get that his would be a trigger. Srsly? Or not figure out how to save it without throwing themselves on a grenade.

@CopperCicada I don't know how big H&M is in America. Here in Europe equating black people with monkeys is not common, I have only seen brainless racist soccer fans doing it.
I agree it was a big mistake on the publicist side.

@Cierzo For the sake of argument, why can't we just call out stuff and people respond without it being a thing? I mean, I have had people call me out. I've learned to not call people gypsies or berbers. And so on.