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Target issues nationwide alert to recall white power clothing ("eight eight" and "88")
Associated Press / SFGate

Posted on 08/28/2002 10:57:49 AM PDT by RCW2001

Target issues nationwide alert to recall white power clothing

Wednesday, August 28, 2002
©2002 Associated Press

URL: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2002/08/28/state1330EDT0096.DTL

(08-28) 10:30 PDT DAVIS, Calif. (AP) --

Clothing with white supremacist symbols at nationwide Target stores was recalled after a Davis resident realized the symbols are a code among neo-Nazis for "Heil Hitler" and brought it to store officials' attention.

Target Stores of Minneapolis issued a call Tuesday to all 1,100 stores nationwide to stop selling the clothing printed with "eight eight" and "88," which stands for "Heil Hitler" because H is the eighth letter of the alphabet.

Joseph Rodriguez, a video producer for the University of California, Davis, was shocked when he found the printed symbols on a pair of red shorts at the Elk Grove Target store in June. He had learned the meaning of the white power code from a documentary on racist rock music. The symbols are commonly used among supremacists in graffiti and is a popular tattoo.

Rodriguez bought the shorts and took them to the store manager. But after being told the store just sells what is shipped, he took his complaint to Target's corporate office, where he said he was "blown off."

Then Rodriguez went to the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Ala., which campaigns against racism, tracks racist organizations and runs an educational Web site, www.tolerance.org.

Target officials said they first learned what the symbols meant on Monday when Rodriguez's complaints were put on the center's Web site.

"Nobody knew what it meant," said Carolyn Brookter, director of corporate communications for Target. "We certainly apologize that this was out there. We would not have any white supremacist symbols out selling as merchandise."

Brookter said along with removing the clothing from the stores, Target will conduct a campaign to teach store buyers and advertisers about such symbols. They will also look into how the offending type came to be used on the merchandise.

©2002 Associated Press  


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Extended News
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To: Conservative til I die
"Let me ask you: What if it was a swastika? Would you say it doesn't necessarily mean Naziism? Everyone here is either saying a) 88 is not a neo-nazi symbol or b) all symbols are OK because there's a chance it is not meant in its more malicious context."

Apples and oranges. This is a number we are talking about. What does the manufacturer say? If he say "yes that is what we mean. would you like to come to our meeting?" ok, point made. This is a NUMBER. FUBU is far more offensive and racist than a number.


81 posted on 08/28/2002 12:04:33 PM PDT by Greeklawyer
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To: Conservative til I die
"Let me ask you: What if it was a swastika? Would you say it doesn't necessarily mean Naziism? Everyone here is either saying a) 88 is not a neo-nazi symbol or b) all symbols are OK because there's a chance it is not meant in its more malicious context."

Your right, while we are having some fun with this, it is not clear what context the number on the clothing was. However, even if it was meant to mean, "white power" so what? "Black power" is acceptable why not white? Now what is not acceptable is taking either one of those statements and using them as a basis for discrimination. Unless of course it is a muslim advocating the extinction of the infidels then it is considered a religion. Banning words is difficult unless you are on the left.

82 posted on 08/28/2002 12:04:49 PM PDT by Wurlitzer
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To: KarlInOhio
I'll have to go burn my Nails records.
No, no, no. You must give them away. Preferably to me.
83 posted on 08/28/2002 12:07:09 PM PDT by drjimmy
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To: drjimmy
Well, that is rather revolting.

One wonders whether these are the Target products being recalled. If so, I guess I'd have to agree with them on this one.

84 posted on 08/28/2002 12:08:34 PM PDT by r9etb
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To: rdb3; Khepera; elwoodp; MAKnight; condolinda; mafree; Trueblackman; FRlurker; Teacher317; ...
Black conservative ping

If you want on (or off) of my black conservative ping list, please let me know via FREEPmail. (And no, you don't have to be black to be on the list!)

Extra warning: this is a high-volume ping list.

85 posted on 08/28/2002 12:09:04 PM PDT by mhking
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To: Semaphore Heathcliffe
...Southern Poverty Law Center...

I listen to this guy, Hal Turner. He buys one hour of broadcast time a week. The SPLC is after him.

A leftist would describe him as a neo Nazi. I find him entertaining and somewhat informative, giving news
items that the lamestream media ignores.

Why can't they do what I do when Turner goes off letting his personal prejudices get in the way of reality?
I turn off the radio, or go check out other broadcasts.

Jealousy? People change stations/turn off the radio faster during an SPLC broadcast?

They get off FORCING their opinions on others, IMO.

86 posted on 08/28/2002 12:11:57 PM PDT by Calvin Locke
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To: Conservative til I die
Since you put it that way...both!

Although I assume that ALL numbers can be used by ALL people, regardless of their stupid opinions. Sheesh!
87 posted on 08/28/2002 12:12:37 PM PDT by headsonpikes
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To: RCW2001
You've got to be kidding - if'n this ain't the mother of all tin foil alerts...

This is what you call political correctness run amock. I will lay you dollars to donuts that 95+% of the people in the US had no clue that this was even potentially the case.

And if I start hearing some load of cow manure about having the NFL, NHL, NASCAR, NBA, and every other kind of league being pressured to remove the number 88 from the numbers that players can be assigned, I'm just gonna be too through.

88 posted on 08/28/2002 12:14:19 PM PDT by mhking
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To: mhking
sorry, that's post 88, and you must ask the moderator to remove it.
89 posted on 08/28/2002 12:16:06 PM PDT by glock rocks
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To: RCW2001
bump for the funniest thread of the day.
90 posted on 08/28/2002 12:16:14 PM PDT by Steve0113
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To: mhking
"This is what you call political correctness run amock. I will lay you dollars to donuts that 95+% of the people in the US had no clue that this was even potentially the case."

Absolutly correct mhking. By the way did you notice your post was number "88". Yikes!

91 posted on 08/28/2002 12:17:47 PM PDT by Wurlitzer
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To: Calvin Locke
They get off FORCING their opinions on others, IMO.

Very true. They force their opinions on others by doing anything possible to quash expression of any opinion other than their own. That is only thing MoMo Dees and SPLC do...they find dissenting thought and call it racist, insensitive, bigotted, etc. He exists as a political force only because Political Correctness has so completely permeated our society.

92 posted on 08/28/2002 12:18:30 PM PDT by Semaphore Heathcliffe
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To: Wurlitzer
Absolutly=Absolutely: That evil number attacked my keyboard.
93 posted on 08/28/2002 12:19:39 PM PDT by Wurlitzer
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To: DJ88
Nazi!
94 posted on 08/28/2002 12:23:40 PM PDT by Sir Gawain
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To: Wurlitzer
Do we have to get sensitivity training when the power goes off and all the digital clocks go to 88:88:88?

My VCR is okay, it goes to 12:00

The racist microwave however ...

95 posted on 08/28/2002 12:27:30 PM PDT by dread78645
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To: sultan88
Nazi!
96 posted on 08/28/2002 12:32:20 PM PDT by Sir Gawain
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To: 88keys
You got some 'splainin to do.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

97 posted on 08/28/2002 12:32:42 PM PDT by Madame Dufarge
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To: pupdog
There is a Route 88 just a few miles from where I live, and I can just see the protests a few years from now

For years a highway ran between Princeton, NJ and a town with a girl's college about 30 miles north. It was highway 69, and the Princeton guys kept swiping the road signs for their dorm rooms. It is now highway 31.

98 posted on 08/28/2002 12:36:40 PM PDT by Lucius Cornelius Sulla
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I had no idea that our society was so racist.

Now I've even seen the white supremacist Air Force...

I also propose outlawing the human ApolipoproteinA-I: LIPID TRANSPORT CRYSTAL STRUCTURE. I had no idea this conspiracy was so invidious and ubiquitous.

Reparations are in order here...
< /sarcasm>
99 posted on 08/28/2002 12:37:16 PM PDT by Bon mots
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To: Greeklawyer
Let me just reiterate that I am not making my views known either way on the subject. My questions are solely about whether a) some actually are under the assumption that 88 is not a "code" number used by neo-nazis and b) whether or not context counts. Some here are saying that even if 88 was meant with a nazi intent, that Target is stupid for pulling the shirts because a)there's a chance that the manufacturers did not intend this connotation or b) even if it is meant maliciously "it's stil just a number" or "how can a number be bad?"

Totally ignoring of course, the idea of symbolism. A number, a letter, a shape, or a sign mean a lot more when attached to a certain meaning. A cross is just a couple of lines intersecting each other at right angles, but on a Church we know that it signifies Christianity and Christ. For some reason, some posters are intentionally playing dumb, pretending that symbols and symbolism don't exist. "Gee Jim Bob, that swastika is just some lines put together."
100 posted on 08/28/2002 12:38:54 PM PDT by Conservative til I die
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