# Woman buys store's stock of offensive t-shirts

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-buys-stores-stock-of-offensive-t-shirts/681725>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [February 19, 2014, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-buys-stores-stock-of-offensive-t-shirts/681725 "2014-02-19T19:02:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 16\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Grestarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grestarian/32/3227_2.png) [@Grestarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grestarian)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2014, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-buys-stores-stock-of-offensive-t-shirts/681725/21 "2014-02-19T22:09:05Z")

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> [@CalMeacham](#):
>
> She might, but, as I indicate above, if she were to be tried by a jury of her local peers, she’d likely be exonerated. A lot of people in the area feel much the same way. There was a movement to ban “R” rated movies _on cable TV_ when I lived out there. These were not movies you were inadvertently exposed to – these were clearly images you were paying to see, but that didn’t dissuade the crusaders from their task.

Isn’t that just supremely ironic?  
I started paying close attention to censorship issues in the late 1990s while working on a project about telecommunications, journalism, and various forms of media. The cable service providers have repeatedly buried in their yearly statistics the fact that Utah (particularly southern Utah) area codes provide the most income for adult channel subscriptions and Pay-per-View porn. So which Utah activists are screaming to censor this stuff while maxing out their credit cards on the same stuff?

–G?!?

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**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2014, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-buys-stores-stock-of-offensive-t-shirts/681725/22 "2014-02-19T23:32:06Z")

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And the 7th grader in me chuckled at her last name of Cox.

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**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-buys-stores-stock-of-offensive-t-shirts/681725/23 "2014-02-20T13:10:20Z")

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If I were the store owner, I’d find an excuse to close the shop on days 58-60.

“Sorry – you didn’t return them in time! Come again!”

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**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-buys-stores-stock-of-offensive-t-shirts/681725/24 "2014-02-20T15:04:48Z")

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You would think the multiple pot-themed shirts (including one with a gigantic bud as the centerpiece) and the one with Jesus portrayed as an “Original Gangster” would incite more ire than some relatively tasteful lingerie model shots on t-shirts.

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**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-buys-stores-stock-of-offensive-t-shirts/681725/25 "2014-02-20T15:11:20Z")

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> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#):
>
> So: feminist crusader, closet lesbian, clueless idiot or shill for Pac Sun?

All of the above? 😃

I’m going with “clueless idiot,” but with one revision: “clueless _rich_ idiot.”

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**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-buys-stores-stock-of-offensive-t-shirts/681725/26 "2014-02-20T15:11:22Z")

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> [@bump](#):
>
> You would think the multiple pot-themed shirts (including one with a gigantic bud as the centerpiece) and the one with Jesus portrayed as an “Original Gangster” would incite more ire than some relatively tasteful lingerie model shots on t-shirts.

You might think it, but that doesn’t mean it’s so. _The Cosmic Aeroplane_ book store operated a virtual head shop (with lots of smoking paraphernalia) in Salt Lake City for years without problems, but the quasi-strip bars like the _Jocord_ (where they could basically strip down to a bathing suit, and serve nothing stronger than 3.2 beer) got constantly harassed with nuisance issues and was finally shut down (asbestos in the ceiling tiles, they said). Pot didn’t arouse the same ire as blatant sex.

Odd place, Utah.

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**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-buys-stores-stock-of-offensive-t-shirts/681725/27 "2014-02-20T15:16:45Z")

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> [@JohnT](#):
>
> I’m sure the fine print of their return policies state their right to refuse a return for any reason whatsoever.
> 
> Or it will after today! 😉

Not yet…

> [@](#):
>
> We offer a “Satisfaction Guarantee” policy on all purchases. Just ship your purchase back in the condition you received it, in the original bag/box and with the tags on it anytime within 60 days from the purchase.
> 
> You have 60 days to return any items that were purchased with the original receipt, excluding Pierced Body Jewelry and Final Sale Items.
> 
> PacSun will not accept pierced body jewelry, this includes all earrings. This policy assures our body jewelry hasn’t been tried on or worn by anyone else but you.
> 
> PacSun will only accept swim or underwear returns/exchanges that has not been worn. This policy assures our swim hasn’t been tried on.
> 
> All items returned within 60 days with the original receipt will be refunded based on the original form of payment.
> 
> Any items returned after 60 days or more after purchase date will be credited for the price paid either in the form of a merchandise credit or merchandise exchange.
> 
> Returns without a receipt will either be exchanged for merchandise or credited in the form of a merchandise credit for the current selling price or the returned item.
> 
> If you purchased your return at a PacSun store, simply return it to your local PacSun store, for your refund/exchange. If you purchased online, you can mail it back to our return center using our self-addressed label.
> 
> Merchandise purchased at a PacSun store can only be returned to one of our PacSun stores.
> 
> Buy One Get One Promotions Return & Exchange Policy: You may exchange any BOGO item that was charged $0.00 for items of equal or lesser value of the original value. BOGO item(s) that were charged at $0.00 will not be refunded. Qualifying item Refund/Exchange requests will be processed referencing the dollar value originally charged.

Looks like the best we can hope for is that she loses her receipt or one of her kids removes all the tags.

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**Author:** ![Vita\_Beata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@Vita\_Beata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vita_Beata)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-buys-stores-stock-of-offensive-t-shirts/681725/28 "2014-02-20T15:31:19Z")

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> [@JohnT](#):
>
> Looks like the best we can hope for is that she loses her receipt or one of her kids removes all the tags.

Possibilities?

The kids removed the tags so that these images could be sewn into their senior t-shirt quilts. (favorite t-shirts from the student’s life are collected, sewn into a quilt which goes off with them to college.)

Or, the nationwide publicity has made these particular t-shirts so collectible that the kids can sell them for a huge profit on Ebay.

😃

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**Author:** ![iMouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e9c0ed/32.png) [@iMouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iMouse)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-buys-stores-stock-of-offensive-t-shirts/681725/29 "2014-02-20T15:39:15Z")

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> [@Roderick\_Femm](#):
>
> I believe that qualifies as a subset of “clueless idiot.”

“Clueless idiot - Utah division”. That should please most.

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**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-buys-stores-stock-of-offensive-t-shirts/681725/30 "2014-02-20T15:41:27Z")

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Or, the kids make similar shirts featuring those pics of mom they found in that shoebox in the attic.

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**Author:** ![LurkerInNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@LurkerInNJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkerInNJ)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-buys-stores-stock-of-offensive-t-shirts/681725/31 "2014-02-20T16:57:05Z")

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> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#):
>
> Did you see that somewhere in the news, or is it your assumption? (Good assumption, if it is.)  
> Not in the least - she WANTS to limit their sales; Pac Sun won’t go along. Buying all of the offending items is almost diametrically opposed to what she wanted to achieve.

The OP’s link to me to Target, but having read the story on another site the other day, yes, she is planning on returning the items in 60 days.

Also, the PacSun store she bought the shirts at wasn’t keen on selling the shirts to begin with and had refused to put up the posters for the display, but was required to have the shirts in the window. Apparently the entire small town is ultra conservative and the law there is on their side.

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**Author:** ![LurkerInNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@LurkerInNJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkerInNJ)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-buys-stores-stock-of-offensive-t-shirts/681725/32 "2014-02-20T16:59:14Z")

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> [@Finagle](#):
>
> If I were the store owner, I’d find an excuse to close the shop on days 58-60.
> 
> “Sorry – you didn’t return them in time! Come again!”

The store wasn’t too keen on having the shirts there to begin with and had refused to put up the posters that went with the display, but corporate would not allow them to not display the shirts.

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**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-buys-stores-stock-of-offensive-t-shirts/681725/33 "2014-02-20T17:12:40Z")

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> [@cochrane](#):
>
> Yup, clueless idiot. That store’s only gonna order more.

Expect online sales to skyrocket. Good planning there, ma’am.

Once on a garden forum there was a poster who triumphantly announced that she’d bought up all of a store’s stock of seeds of a purportedly invasive plant.\* Yet another piss-in-the-ocean feel-good gesture.

\*which has been growing in the U.S. for hundreds of years more than the poster herself has been around.

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**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-buys-stores-stock-of-offensive-t-shirts/681725/34 "2014-02-20T17:18:40Z")

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Anyone else think it’s funny that she probably walked past a Victoria’s Secret – which would have mannequins in the same lingerie depicted on the t-shirts right out front in the display window – to walk into Pac-Sun and be offended about the t-shirts?

Dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb.

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**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-buys-stores-stock-of-offensive-t-shirts/681725/35 "2014-02-20T17:31:51Z")

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This story appeared about the same time that the cover of Sports Illustrated was racier than any of those shirts. I wonder how many SIs she had to buy.

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**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-buys-stores-stock-of-offensive-t-shirts/681725/36 "2014-02-20T17:57:53Z")

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When vanna White appeared on the cover of Playboy with a bit of rear cleavage showing, the downtown news store in Salt Lake made up a display with lots of copies of the issue in their window

This issue:

> **[Playboy Adult Magazine:May 1987 ( Vanna White Cover): Playboy Publishing:...](https://www.amazon.com/Playboy-Magazine-1987-Hugh-Hefner/dp/B000JD2FP6)**
>
> Playboy Adult Magazine:May 1987 ( Vanna White Cover) \[Playboy Publishing\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. Playboy Adult Magazine:May 1987 ( Vanna White Cover)

As I’ve said, odd place, Utah.

> [@](#):
>
> Anyone else think it’s funny that she probably walked past a Victoria’s Secret – which would have mannequins in the same lingerie depicted on the t-shirts right out front in the display window – to walk into Pac-Sun and be offended about the t-shirts?

Yeah, but the point wasn’t so much that it had ben on display in a store as that she kept it off her son (and other kids’ ) torso, where it could walk around and infect a lot of places.

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