Of for goodness sake, they are advertising a pair of boots that are used for rock climbing.
Posted on 11/17/2017 11:26:10 AM PST by Altura Ct.
Activists are asking why Dr. Martens chose an image that resembles a classic white supremacist skinhead symbol for a holiday billboard in inner Southeast Portland.
The billboard, which is visible at Southeast Madison and Seventh Avenue, displays black boots with red plaid laces and the phrase, "Rock the holidays." On Twitter, anti-hate group activist Sam Sachs pointed out that black Dr. Martens -- colloquially called "Doc Martens" -- with red laces are a white supremacist symbol that implies the wearer has committed an act of violence.
The Southern Poverty Law Center lists Dr. Martens with red or white laces in the "Racist Skinhead Glossary."
According to Randy Blazak, chair of Oregon's Coalition Against Hate Crime and a criminologist who specializes in hate groups, Dr. Martens have been connected to racist skinheads since the 1970s.
Black Dr. Martens with white shoelaces are a symbol of "general white power," Blazak said over the phone Thursday.
"The idea," he continued, "is that you graduate from white laces to red laces once you've spilled somebody's blood."
Blazak said he knows Dr. Martens has been working to distance itself from the racist skinhead image and he is surprised it would allow an ad like this to be displayed, especially in Portland.
"In Portland, where we're tagged as 'Skinhead City,'" he said, "it's triggering."
It's been 29 years since Mulugeta Seraw was murdered in Portland by three racist skinheads, he pointed out.
"If I was an Ethiopian person or a person of color," Blazak said, "I would say, 'that's racist Portland right there.'"
The symbol has known to activists in Portland. It drew an angry response outside of Jeremy Christian's first hearing when a man who said he was Christian's friend stopped to lace up his red laces with black boots.
The crowd called him a "Nazi" and "Facist Neo-Nazi" but the man said, "I'm not going to get into a debate with people. I know I'm a good person."
Christian is accused of stabbing three men, leaving two of them dead and one wounded, on the MAX train in May during what witnesses said was a racist rant against two teenage black girls, one who was wearing a hijab.
Who knew boots were 'racist'?
Portland should go up against Minneapolis. It would be Skinhead City versus Skinny City.
It sounds like it is the laces, moreso than the boots.
So work boots are "racist" too? Hey, that must be why the looters never touch them on the shelves.
Of for goodness sake, they are advertising a pair of boots that are used for rock climbing.
Red and white laced Doc are a real thing, meaning “skinhead”. FYI (at least they were in the 80/90s)
These people are insane, delusional and dangerous.
EVERYTHING is racist!................
I see a white Smartcar!
That is racist!
It implies that only white is smart!..................
Maybe because nobody in their marketing department keeps up with "white supremacist" symbols?
“People say...”
I see a RED BRICK BUILDING!
That is racist!
It implies that Red skin is dumb as a load of bricks!.................
Don’t these friggn activists know that is Doc Martins main product? Big Boots! And they are worn by the Punk Rockers, Rockers and Goths mainly. Black (and white) activist idiots!
Rock climbing in Doc Martens? don't think so. maybe Rock The Holidays as in have a good time, party hardy.
Or just maybe it's a reference to Rock The Casbah?
The song gives a fabulist account of a ban on Western rock music by an Arab king. ... The pilots ignore the orders, and instead play rock music on their cockpit radios. The population then proceed to "rock the casbah" by dancing to the music.
I applaud you.
Either way, stupid claims by stupid people, and yes I am stupid when it comes to rock climbing. 8>) Not something I ever desired to engage it, Unless it was rock climbing in a 4x4. 8>)
Maybe pink shoelaces are the order of the day.
.
You’re right, it’s a RACIST picture filled mostly with white cars and no black cars.
It would be waaaaaay too easy to do.
They are like Borg.....................
Obviously the people of Portlandia are racists!...................see how easy that is?.................
“PAY TO PARK” be racis’.
All caps.
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