Teh One Who Knocks
02-05-2012, 12:29 PM
Written by Dustin Barnes - The Clarion Ledger
http://i.imgur.com/FnCXs.jpg
A T-shirt bearing a cancer awareness slogan that a teen wore at a Pearl skating rink last month launched a dispute over whether some campaigns take their advocacy message too far.
Staff members at Funtime Skateland maintain the shirt in question - which displays "I (heart) boobies!" - is derogatory and vulgar.
The teen's mother, Angela Miller of Pearl, says her son has never had any other problems with the shirt he got last summer.
The slogan is part of a national initiative from keep-a-breast.org, which states the campaign's purpose is "to speak to young people in their own voice about a subject that is often scary and taboo."
The dispute began Jan. 14 when Miller and her family were attending a relative's birthday party at the skating rink.
When the rink's manager asked Miller's son to turn his shirt inside out, Miller said she wanted to explain the purpose behind the shirt's slogan, "that it was not intended to be offensive."
"He expressed that he did not believe for a minute that my son was wearing the shirt to promote breast cancer awareness," she said of rink manager Donald Wilson.
After discussing the shirt with Wilson and rink owner Jeff Lott, Miller said the men called her and her son's integrity into question.
"He said to me, 'The Lord, Jesus Christ, would not allow his child to wear that shirt,' " Miller said. "I have never been so offended in all my life. Did he assume I was not a Christian woman? Did he think he had a right to administer his version of the Lord's dress code?
"I am offended as a mother; as the daughter of a cancer patient; as a Christian woman; as a fundraiser and donor of time and money to three organizations promoting cancer awareness, research and patient advocacy; and as a long-time patron of the skating rink."
The incident led Miller to write a letter to the Better Business Bureau, complaining about the owner's reaction.
"This isn't about breast cancer awareness," Lott said. "It's about Jesus."
Lott says the confrontation was meant to address the shirt's slogan and its appropriateness in a family business with children on the premises, not to be disrespectful to Miller or her son.
"My guideline in life is always 'What would Jesus do?' " Lott said.
While Lott said he has no problem with raising awareness, he doesn't agree with the language on the shirt.
"Boobies is not the way breast cancer awareness should be represented," Lott says. "It gives breast cancer a sexual innuendo instead of compassion."
Lott says the campaign isn't one parents should be teaching their children. "It has no redeeming value. It is not cute, sassy or admirable. It's just plain offensive."
Wilson also pointed out that the business' dress code doesn't permit language deemed offensive.
"We model our dress code after the ones at Pearl Public School District," he said. "If they can't wear it there, then they can't wear it here."
Miller said her son has worn the same shirt to school, but added she didn't know if he wore his jacket over the shirt while in school.
The slogan was the subject of a case filed in a federal court in Philadelphia, Pa., in which two girls were suspended for wearing bracelets with the same phrase.
A federal judge ruled in April that the slogan was permissible in school and not considered lewd or vulgar.
The students in that case had worn the bracelets during their school's breast cancer awareness day.
However, the issue differs from the one in Pearl, says Rob McDuff, a Jackson civil rights lawyer.
"The First Amendment only applies to the government," said McDuff, "so a private business is not restrained by the First Amendment."
The issue boils down to personal taste, both parties say.
"Lots of controversy is being created by the slogan 'I love boobies!' " said Lott. "People on both sides of the issue are speaking out."
While Lott acknowledged some may not find the slogan offensive, he said many others are hurt by it.
"If even one breast cancer survivor is offended by (the slogan) campaign, then it should be stopped," Lott said.
In addition to the shirt, Lott said the teenager was wearing a hat sporting the Playboy bunny logo, a fact Miller confirmed.
Miller said when she learned he was wearing the Playboy hat, she told Lott she would have her son remove it because it was inappropriate.
"This is a ministry," said Lott as he recounted the incident. "It's more than just a skating rink."
The skating floor has biblical verses etched on several areas and often features Christian music.
Both Lott and Wilson said any secular music they play must be free of vulgarity. Any music that had to be edited for radio won't make the cut, they said.
"I don't want the kids to hear the song and find the unedited version on YouTube," Lott said, "because then we're leading those kids astray."
http://i.imgur.com/FnCXs.jpg
A T-shirt bearing a cancer awareness slogan that a teen wore at a Pearl skating rink last month launched a dispute over whether some campaigns take their advocacy message too far.
Staff members at Funtime Skateland maintain the shirt in question - which displays "I (heart) boobies!" - is derogatory and vulgar.
The teen's mother, Angela Miller of Pearl, says her son has never had any other problems with the shirt he got last summer.
The slogan is part of a national initiative from keep-a-breast.org, which states the campaign's purpose is "to speak to young people in their own voice about a subject that is often scary and taboo."
The dispute began Jan. 14 when Miller and her family were attending a relative's birthday party at the skating rink.
When the rink's manager asked Miller's son to turn his shirt inside out, Miller said she wanted to explain the purpose behind the shirt's slogan, "that it was not intended to be offensive."
"He expressed that he did not believe for a minute that my son was wearing the shirt to promote breast cancer awareness," she said of rink manager Donald Wilson.
After discussing the shirt with Wilson and rink owner Jeff Lott, Miller said the men called her and her son's integrity into question.
"He said to me, 'The Lord, Jesus Christ, would not allow his child to wear that shirt,' " Miller said. "I have never been so offended in all my life. Did he assume I was not a Christian woman? Did he think he had a right to administer his version of the Lord's dress code?
"I am offended as a mother; as the daughter of a cancer patient; as a Christian woman; as a fundraiser and donor of time and money to three organizations promoting cancer awareness, research and patient advocacy; and as a long-time patron of the skating rink."
The incident led Miller to write a letter to the Better Business Bureau, complaining about the owner's reaction.
"This isn't about breast cancer awareness," Lott said. "It's about Jesus."
Lott says the confrontation was meant to address the shirt's slogan and its appropriateness in a family business with children on the premises, not to be disrespectful to Miller or her son.
"My guideline in life is always 'What would Jesus do?' " Lott said.
While Lott said he has no problem with raising awareness, he doesn't agree with the language on the shirt.
"Boobies is not the way breast cancer awareness should be represented," Lott says. "It gives breast cancer a sexual innuendo instead of compassion."
Lott says the campaign isn't one parents should be teaching their children. "It has no redeeming value. It is not cute, sassy or admirable. It's just plain offensive."
Wilson also pointed out that the business' dress code doesn't permit language deemed offensive.
"We model our dress code after the ones at Pearl Public School District," he said. "If they can't wear it there, then they can't wear it here."
Miller said her son has worn the same shirt to school, but added she didn't know if he wore his jacket over the shirt while in school.
The slogan was the subject of a case filed in a federal court in Philadelphia, Pa., in which two girls were suspended for wearing bracelets with the same phrase.
A federal judge ruled in April that the slogan was permissible in school and not considered lewd or vulgar.
The students in that case had worn the bracelets during their school's breast cancer awareness day.
However, the issue differs from the one in Pearl, says Rob McDuff, a Jackson civil rights lawyer.
"The First Amendment only applies to the government," said McDuff, "so a private business is not restrained by the First Amendment."
The issue boils down to personal taste, both parties say.
"Lots of controversy is being created by the slogan 'I love boobies!' " said Lott. "People on both sides of the issue are speaking out."
While Lott acknowledged some may not find the slogan offensive, he said many others are hurt by it.
"If even one breast cancer survivor is offended by (the slogan) campaign, then it should be stopped," Lott said.
In addition to the shirt, Lott said the teenager was wearing a hat sporting the Playboy bunny logo, a fact Miller confirmed.
Miller said when she learned he was wearing the Playboy hat, she told Lott she would have her son remove it because it was inappropriate.
"This is a ministry," said Lott as he recounted the incident. "It's more than just a skating rink."
The skating floor has biblical verses etched on several areas and often features Christian music.
Both Lott and Wilson said any secular music they play must be free of vulgarity. Any music that had to be edited for radio won't make the cut, they said.
"I don't want the kids to hear the song and find the unedited version on YouTube," Lott said, "because then we're leading those kids astray."