These days, everything can be weaponized. Including … t-shirts?
Local New York reporter Allison Kaden was at Bloomingdale’s recently when she ran across something incredibly disturbing:
Hey @Bloomingdales, this isn’t funny or fashionable. It further delegitimizes hard working journalists who bring REAL news to their communties. pic.twitter.com/NedoHMAZfs
— Allison Kaden (@akadennews) February 10, 2019
A t-shirt that says “FAKE NEWS” on it? Oh, the humanity!
Bloomingdales perpetuating the negative. Sad.
— MsMo (@mohardy) February 11, 2019
Not okay @bloomingdales.
— kpills (@kpills) February 11, 2019
Bad. Just really bad.
— Jacqueline Williams (@jacquelinew1213) February 11, 2019
That’s just poor taste @Bloomingdales
— allthingshhh (@allthingsHHH) February 11, 2019
Not in good taste
— Alex (@Alexs313) February 11, 2019
WTF?! Bloomingdales?
— juststop (@McJuststop) February 11, 2019
WTF, why would they approve that shirt to be sold to begin with. Epic Fail.
— Breckenridge Ski & Beer Patrol (@CascadiaCougIII) February 11, 2019
Completely inappropriate and harmful. Shame on you Bloomingdales.
— Roseanna Jakubowski (@SouthlandWoods) February 11, 2019
Really? Shame on you?
— Diane (@turtleduv7) February 11, 2019
Not cool @Bloomingdales Won’t be shopping with you for a bit. Should I send my card back? Asking for lots of Americans ??????
— BrotherBeth (@BrotherBeth1) February 11, 2019
@Bloomingdales
Apparently Bloomingdales only wants the bottom-feeding @GOP to shop @ thier stores. Happy to take my support of a free press & my money elsewhere.— ACintheWC (@ACintheWC) February 11, 2019
I’m guessing/hoping this shirt was meant to be ironic, but in this political climate, maybe a “… not” or something like that would have helped. Plus, it’s just too serious an issue to make light of. Journalists have died and have been imprisoned covering the news for us.
— KW (@KrysiaW) February 11, 2019
Really disappointed in Bloomingdales .Journalists are being killed all over the world for reporting the truth. Don’t know if I can shop there anymore
— gwenne cohen (@CohenGwenne) February 11, 2019
Yes hey what’s this?? First they don’t want to get rid of outdated real fur now this: supporting the wrong things! No good! I might not shop there anymore either as a New Yorker!!
Bloomingdales stop selling / promoting real fur and stop the above! Not cool or with our times!— a common sense voice (@Earthtenant) February 11, 2019
Thanks for your feedback, “common sense voice.”
Oh come on. https://t.co/fbjagiNrJ2
— Sonny Bunch (@SonnyBunch) February 11, 2019
Fact check: false https://t.co/uKox8GmtMw
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) February 11, 2019
People looking for the next thing to get mad at. pic.twitter.com/rU48hGRkfe
— Erra (@ErraXV) February 11, 2019
Objective journalism legitimizes your work and not a T-shirt. It’s a joke.
— Tony (@SolidStateMonk) February 11, 2019
For American journalists who are supposedly so "brave," they sure get offended by the silliest things! We nurses are threatened with physical violence all the time, but for American journalists they fear…. clothing. ?
— Andrea B ???? (@CodePurpleAB) February 11, 2019
OMG @Bloomingdales, this TOTALLY legitimises Donald Trump or the alt-right or something.
Kudos to these brave reporters who have called out these t-shirts for whatever problem it is they’re causing. pic.twitter.com/5zczHthTR6
— Titania McGrath (@TitaniaMcGrath) February 11, 2019
Well, their concern is noted. Because Bloomingdale’s is vowing to rectify this heinous offense:
Thank you for bringing this to our attention and we apologize for any offense we may have caused. We take this feedback very seriously and are working quickly to remove this t-shirt. Again, thank you for taking the time to alert us.
— Bloomingdale's (@Bloomingdales) February 11, 2019
Whew! That was close. Can you imagine if people in “FAKE NEWS” t-shirts were out there roaming the streets? It’d be chaos!
Courage pic.twitter.com/gqMPt23PyS
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) February 11, 2019
Almost as brave as the journalists themselves.
Hi, @bloomingdales. Apologizing "for any offense we may have caused" is not a sincere apology. This is not about journalists' hurt feelings. This is about damage done to our democracy when your brand joins in perpetuating and celebrating the idea of "fake news." Please try again.
— Pamela Wood (@pwoodreporter) February 11, 2019
Perhaps Bloomingdale’s could just set all their stores and inventory on fire. Would that appease the Guardians of Truth?
This t-shirt has zero ability to further delegitimize hard working journalists. Journalists are working hard to that every day.
— Thatsgoingtobeahardno (@wrongbucko) February 11, 2019
Journalists who throw a fit about “fake news” t-shirts are why many people mock journalists.
— Sonny Bunch (@SonnyBunch) February 11, 2019
They just make it so damn easy.
Meanwhile, in all honesty, Bloomingdale’s, you might want to reconsider ditching the shirts:
Remove it?? Shoot…you'd better ramp up your production of that shirt because you're about to get a massive number of requests for it. This outrage never works out the way they want it to. https://t.co/mctAiguVUE
— Joseph Gonzales (@joseph11ag) February 11, 2019
Bloomingdale’s could really cash in on self-righteous journalists’ tantrums:
I’d buy one
— Momento_Mori (@a_j_mcl) February 11, 2019
Thank you @Bloomingdales I’m going on line and buying one right now
— Mike (@mlosten) February 11, 2019
Also, can I order this online? https://t.co/CyE7TIjfvs
— Tony Katz (@tonykatz) February 11, 2019
Leave it up. I’ll buy one
— Cranjis Mcbasketball (@brad_2325) February 11, 2019
I'm running to go BUY one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
— laura e. flannery (@fishergirlusmc) February 11, 2019
Hi @Bloomingdales
I'll take 40 of those tee shirts because I believe in freedom of speech and I believe our media has beclowned themselves.
Thank you https://t.co/ZE8m3m2txx— WhigsnTwigs (@WhigsnTwigs) February 11, 2019
Only one thing could possibly make that t-shirt even more appealing:
Does it say "Learn To Code" on the back?
— Mitch Lyman, Mediocre Excellence Chairman (@listolyman) February 11, 2019
***
Update:
Guys, look:
What the eff is this, Bloomingdales? https://t.co/C7iZM9XPT2
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) February 11, 2019
Well, now they’ve definitely gotta keep that shirt around!
The sight of this t shirt upset Miss Precious Perfect greatly. pic.twitter.com/11V9qu4cIZ
— BT (@back_ttys) February 12, 2019
How dare you Bloomingdales. HOW DARE YOU SIR. Have you no decency. HAVE YOU NO SHAME pic.twitter.com/lP1DaJlSbv
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) February 12, 2019
Dead.