Say What? French Tag Slams President, Company Says It Had No Idea

NBC 5 Chicago ^ | April 7, 2004 | NBC 5 Chicago

[myself6]

Hey guys!

Looks like they have a FORUM on their web site. ;^>

http://www.tombihn.com/forums/

[ellery]

Riiiight. I was just looking at one of these backpacks online yesterday. Now I'll be buying something else.

[T.Smith]

Figures that the response to a proposed conservative boycott is something to the effect of "Hey, it's my freedom of speech!". Losers.

[Dilbert56]

Chirac is not an idiot, just a lying, sniveling, backstabbing wiffenpoof and poltroon. An idiot does goofy things because they do not have the sense to know better. Chirac does what he does as the result of planned, methodical maliciousness and outrageous ego.

Yes, I stand corrected but have you ever tried to fit THAT on a label?

[Army Air Corps]

Yes, I stand corrected but have you ever tried to fit THAT on a label?


Okay, I'll try the short version: Chirac is a duplicitous jackass.

[Dilbert56]

Remember that very hot chic in Europe with a sign referring the Jacques Chirac as "Le Ver" (worm)? That would fit on any label.

[quidnunc]

This has nothing to do with Chicrac or the Frogs!

The anti-Bush message in French on the label was directed at Canadians.

Port Angeles is just across the sound from Vancouver BC and Tom Bihn sells there.

[Army Air Corps]

Hey, no need for bold type. I know that this is directed at our El Presidente, but I never pass an opportunity to skewer the rat bastard Chirac. As for the company that manufactures these goods, I had not heard of them before now and i certainly will not soil my hands with any of their wretched goods. A pox upon them and their business.

[Land_of_Lincoln_John]

This Tom Bihn forum post from this afternoon is from Tommy-boy Bihn himself, as he uses a Leftist (Bush is not equipping our troops properly):

Tom Bihn

CEO

Yes it is true I was elected by the board of directors of TOM BIHN INC to be president. Not by the seamstresses or production coordinator or graphic artists or translators. Therefore, "they" did not vote for me, just like the label says.

(Our senior seamstress is a Vietnam veteran and she thinks it's really funny that everyone assumes it's about George Bush. Maybe she did it?)

I personally don't have any fear of a Republican backlash. I have lots of friends that are Republicans and am a great admirer of many Republican ideals, such as small government, fiscal responsibility, personal liberty and a cautious foreign policy.

Regarding our troops (and customers) in Iraq, I'll have to wait to see what they post. We are very proud of that they've chosen some of our bags to equip themselves with in this most extreme and dangerous situation. It is sad that they are forced to buy our bags with their own money - I would have gladly missed out on the $300 "tax cut" I got to know that our men and women in uniform were properly equipped. I hope and pray they all come home soon and in one piece.

I could write more, but I have a factory to run!

[Army Air Corps]

"The Tom Bihn Web site claims the message was "an inside joke among seamstresses and staff" at the company's factory, and that it was "intended to poke fun at company's founder and president."
They lie like dogs.


Agreed. If you believe their story, then I have a very nice statue near NYC to sell to you. I'll toss in beach houses in Arizona to you at no extra cost.

[Army Air Corps]

This Tom Bihn forum post from this afternoon is from Tommy-boy Bihn himself, as he uses a Leftist (Bush is not equipping our troops properly):
Tom Bihn

CEO

Yes it is true I was elected by the board of directors of TOM BIHN INC to be president. Not by the seamstresses or production coordinator or graphic artists or translators. Therefore, "they" did not vote for me, just like the label says.

(Our senior seamstress is a Vietnam veteran and she thinks it's really funny that everyone assumes it's about George Bush. Maybe she did it?)

I personally don't have any fear of a Republican backlash. I have lots of friends that are Republicans and am a great admirer of many Republican ideals, such as small government, fiscal responsibility, personal liberty and a cautious foreign policy.

Regarding our troops (and customers) in Iraq, I'll have to wait to see what they post. We are very proud of that they've chosen some of our bags to equip themselves with in this most extreme and dangerous situation. It is sad that they are forced to buy our bags with their own money - I would have gladly missed out on the $300 "tax cut" I got to know that our men and women in uniform were properly equipped. I hope and pray they all come home soon and in one piece.

I could write more, but I have a factory to run!



I do not know wether to scream or vomit.

[kitkat]

***So the staff of Tom Bihn, Inc. elected Tom Bihn to be company president? Tell me another...***

Yup! You are so right. This was a slam against President Bush and the company president is trying to weasel out of it.

[mhking]

On my website from last night:

---

Tom Bihn backpack care tags include French language Bush insult

The care instructios on the tags contained in Tom Bihn brand backpacks include both English and French language text, which is to be expected on products sold in many countries.

What is not expected is the text "NOUS SOMMES DESOLES QUE NOTRE PRESIDENT SOIT UN IDIOT. NOUS N'AVONS PAS VOTE POUR LUI." Or in English, "We are sorry that our president is an idiot. We didn't vote for him."

Tom Bihn, president of the Port Angeles, WA company which bears his name issued a statement.

"I am terribly sorry that this inside joke has been misconstrued to be a slur on any other president. The joke is on me, and I think it's funny."

Bihn's limp-writed explanation rings hollow with me and many others. The message board on Bihn's own website is loaded with scathing commentary from disgusted Americans who don't find the tag to be funny at all.

On their "About Us" page, key employees are asked (among other things) to give their favorite website addresses.

Bihn's favorite? The website of noted British columnist and anti-American (and source of the blogosphere term "to fisk") Robert Fisk.

The company claims they plan to redesign the tags in order to remove the French language insult. However, the aims and intentions of the company are painfully clear to anyone with half a brain.

(submitted to Beltway Traffic Jam)

[Chad Fairbanks]

"I am terribly sorry that this inside joke has been misconstrued to be a slur on any other president. The joke is on me, and I think it's funny."

Yeah, right. Can anyone say "Damage Control"?

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

This guy told a local (Seattle) reporter that he was a proud Democrat (after she asked him whether he would cop to being a Democrat, he took offense and said he was a PROUD one), and I don't believe there was ANY question who it was aimed at - President Bush.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Basically, the guy is a great big doody-head.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

I see he's got his lying thing down, like a good Democrat.

[Rocky]

"Poor business practice to continue to use the tags instead of pulling them no matter who the intended slamee."

Well, but if the slam is against Bush (which it is, of course), and if the company did it with full intent (which I think they did), then it makes perfect sense to keep selling them that way with the excuse that they are just trying to use up the labels that they have in stock.