Profiting off dead soldiers?

Phoenix lawmakers voted 28-0 to make it illegal to sell a t-shirt bearing the names of dead soldiers killed in Iraq. Arizona is the 4th state to take action against the sales of these disgusting shirts. I don’t know if it’s unconstitutional to tell someone they can’t sell this shirt, but I do know I’d kick the tar out of anyone I saw wearing it.

On a 28-0 margin, the Senate agreed to make it punishable by up to a year in jail to use the names of deceased soldiers to help sell goods. The measure, SB 1014, also would let families go to court to stop the sales and collect damages.

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 12th, 2007 at 5:48 pm and is filed under Marines, Photos. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

1 response to “Profiting off dead soldiers?”

  1. #1. Roman on July 17th, 2007 at 3:57 pm

    I’m not sure why it’s been made illegal to sell this shirt. At first glance it doesn’t look like it’s degrading in any way to the dead–it seems to me that the message is “save the remaining troops by sending them home.”

    As far as making a profit from selling t-shirts with dead soldier’s names, doesn’t the media do the same? I recall seeing names and photos of killed soldiers on many prime time tv news shows. CNN, FOX, and others are surely making money on those broadcasts.

    I’m surprised to read that some states have made it illegal to sell this shirt. Sadly, this is another instance of the constitution being trampled by politicians whose primary goal is to be re-elected, or promoted.

    I don’t see the shirt’s message as taking a swing at the troops. I interpret the message as “many have died already, so let’s bring the rest back ASAP.” Regardless of one’s views of staying the course vs. cut and run, that conversation is certainly protected by free speech, and it should be supported, not crushed. I feel for the family’s who have lost loved ones. One day we will have a wall somewhere on the Washington Mall commemorating them. Until then, can’t this shirt act as a stand-in? Besides, it’s the not like we’re looking at a giant billboard with everyone’s name clearly visible–the names are so tiny one can only read them with a magnifying glass.

    If the message is taking a swing at anyone, it’s the politicians. And that’s a good thing–we’re far too easy on our politicians, left center and right. What has happened in Arizona and other states is a reversal of that–the politicians are protecting themselves by sacrificing free speech and enterprise.

    To put it in perspective, what would we do if we saw a Jew wearing a shirt that listed the names of all the Polish Jews who were killed during the Holocaust?