What? Can't say in Happy Valley, "Meet me at the Cross?"
You go to any college bookstore - be it a local JuCo or even Penn State University - and there are bound to be ample t-shirts adorning hangers asking for your school pride, and your cash.
So, when I saw the story in FOX News that a gaggle of uptight, ne'er-do-well Nittany Lions had this shirt pulled from bookstore shelves, I began to wonder.
And then I got it. Evidently, the college name represents the outstretched arms of Christ. Shoot, Joe Pa is a staunch Catholic... what's the big deal?!
Penn State says it has received six complaints about the shirt, including one from the Anti-Defamation League's Philadelphia branch, from people who say it connotes a Christian cross.
No, not a deluge of calls. There's not a picket party out front. Boosters aren't threatening to pull their money. There's not a mass riot in Happy Valley. That's SIX complaints.
And for that, this is a national story, politically correctiveness becomes my kryponite even more and the Anti-Defamation League is involved. Oy Vey!
It's a good thing Jesus didn't die of natural causes and was found on his favorite recliner. The furniture industry couldn't rebound from something at catastrophic as that.
Anywhoo, this diabollical kerfuffle has gotten the campus of Penn State and the local Nittany Lions' fur all up in a dander, as seen in this article from the Christian Post.
In three letters that appeared in the Daily Collegian [college newspaper] on Monday, students further expressed how laughable the current controversy is and how it’s been blown out of proportion.
“While driving through Centre County, I saw power poles shaped like crosses. Advice to Allegheny Power: You'd better change your design before someone is offended,” wrote Penn State alumnus David Dimmick.
Recent graduate Steve Edling also mocked the current controversy, suggesting sarcastically that it was time to protest that all lowercase t’s be immediately stricken from campus as well.
“From this day forth, the words ‘Penn State’ shall be in all caps or never written at all, because crosses belong at Notre Dame and nowhere else,” he wrote.
Genius.
The... er, I'm sorry... the mind-numbing debate over this shirt has me concerned about the power of "I-don't-want-to-offend-itis" that has spread across this nation faster than a case of swine flu. Someone call the CDC because this thing is flaring.
Let's do the math: 40,000 students at PSU. 150,000 alums. Fans all over the country. And six people that could fill a toolbox has created this ballyhoo?!
Obviously, the creator of this "White Out" shirt had an ulterior motive behind this madness. Let's ask this marketing mastermind.
Stephanie Bennis, a senior at the school, said she created the shirt's design in March with fellow public relations major Emily Sabolsky, and in no way did they intend to create religious overtones. Like Mahon, she said the single blue stripe is a nod to the university's football program.
"That was the entire idea," she said. "And all we thought was normally wording goes right across the chest. That's truly the reason why we did it."
A-ha!
Oh, sorry? No, "Jesus died for my sins, so I'll die for this shirt" comment? You mean she was just trying to create a shirt for school pride and not some red-letter pennant screaming against the years of Christian persecution in mid-state Pennsylvania? Do tell.
Saints, this is a paltry microcosm of what's wrong with this country.
People walk around parading under the "Free Speech" banner saying whatever the heck they want, but when it comes to anything that smacks of Christianity, the world stops rotating on its axis and people become suffocated with offense.
Instead of just making a decision to not buy the friggin' shirt (I know, unique), people have to torch the shirt as some sort of example of how the "religious right is forcing its views again."
Why is this acceptable? Why couldn't the ADL tell the Penn State six-pack of dolts to shut up? Why was this a story in the first place? Is Jesus so terribly offensive that people can't even stand the symbolism of Christ?
Let's wait until those six bastions of purity are laid up in the hospital or even cramming for a final after an all-night bender. Who do they call on then? Mom? Dad? Probably not.
Better yet, what about during that all-night bender and they are clutching that ruddy porcelain white god in their bathroom? Who do they call on then?
"Oh God, Oh God, get me through this and I swear I'll never drink again."
Any of that sound familiar? Of course not because it's just a saying then, right?
It's a pity because the college was fighting a losing battle here.
They throw Penn State across the shirt and it's the arms of Jesus. On the other hand, the mascot is a lion... but I suppose that whole "Tribe of Judah" or "KING of the jungle; King of Kings" allegory would have been too big of stretch, huh? Even for a college.
As always, keep in touch with Religion in the News examinations by subscribing and have it delivered to your inbox or follow me on Twitter. Peace.
Source for picture: The Daily Collegian, via FOX News
Comments
Seriously? That looks no more than a cross than I do as a black man. And I got red hair and freckles. P.C. has gone way too far, but posts like this give me something to laugh about.
I have to go with the comment of not buying the shirt if you are "offended!" How simple is that? No one forces you to wear, buy, defend anything put on a shirt. If people would just get over this PC stuff, then SIX PEOPLE wouldn't have a say in anyone's lives. What I actually find offensive is the fact that so few can make such a stink over nothing and people listen!
Funny that the ADL would weigh in on this in the manner in which they did. According to their website, part of their mission is to "seek fair treatment for all citizens alike." Apparently "all citizens" doesn't include Christians.
Funny how Penn State did not yank the tee shirts that said that God must be a Penn State fan because the sky is blue and white.
Then again, this tee shirt is a conspiracy. A conspiracy I tell you! Someone wants to get a cross on a Penn State tee shirt - and sneak it in, no less! How dastardly of them!!! There is a conspiracy under ever rock I tell you!
A conspiracy is afoot!!!
People who somehow see some Christian reference on this tee shirt: idiots.
Similarly, Tebow’s eye black proselytizing is unnecessary to the game. Some Christians might be offended by secular humanist messages like “There Is” and “No God” on eye black patches of an athlete prominent on television. First Amendment discussion requires more space then available for comments herein. Readers would benefit reading a Findlaw.com (website for legal professionals) discussion on ‘freedom of belief’ and ‘freedom of practice’. Christian Dominionism believes that God has given Christians a right to exercise “dominion” over the Earth, including America. Christian extremists seek to enforce Christian law, insisting Christianity is superior and should be privileged in law as well as culture. Demands for privilege and supremacy can be motivated by self-righteousness and a belief in the illegitimacy of other religions. Christian Dominionism is a form of fanaticism and extremism. Intolerance, fanaticism and extremism can be dangerous so it is fairer to everyone if we keep foo
vballboy makes a good point and this country knows all too well what religious fanaticism can do, but I think the assumption being made is that the t-shirt is delibrately making a Christian statement, which its designers say it isn't. Even I didn't see the cross at first. Sadly, people will see what they want, especially those whose heightened awareness causes them to look for that which they oppose in everything.
Those conspiracy-mongers that say that there is somehow a Christian reference on this t-shirt need to have their heads examined.
They did not have a problem with the t-shirt that was sold there that said "If God isn't a Penn State fan, then why is the sky blue and white"
Then again, it's those Christian dominionists that are behind this!!!! They want to take over the world I tell you!!!!
Christian Dominionism (a doctrinal belief that I DO NOT adhere to) is not going stop freedom of religion, freedom of speech & so on in America. Quit being so paranoid, people.
Freedom of speech & freedom of religion means the following: people have the right to put eye black under their eyes in a football game that says John 3:16 as well as "there is no God."
It should work both ways. The anti's don't believe that way, though. The anti's that say Tim Tebow's scriptural references under his eyes are unnecessary are anti-freedom of speech & anti-freedom of religion. Just let it be people
from the fox website:
"Mahon said the design was based on the single blue stripe on the football team's helmets and will not be pulled from store shelves as some have asked. "The shirts have sold out and no changes are planned," he said.
I'm not sure they are yanking the shirts. I was under the impression the Penn State response was something along the lines of. "It was 6 people. The shirt has already sold out. We aren't doing anything."
Might want to actually check your sources before writing a blatant attempt at yellow journalism. Penn State has not and will not "yank" the tshirts because they were a limited white out edition and were sold out well before the season had started to the 21,500 strong student section. For Penn State to yank anything over 6 complaints is absurd and moronic at best. Should they lower tuition because 40,000 students complain about it? Didn't think so, why should they respond to 6 whiners? Check your facts.
We need 1 or 2 more sources that can verify that these t shirts weren't yanked from the shelves. We need to make sure that Mahon is telling the truth and not saying one thing and actually doing another.
As long as they are not offensive or even derogative, it is OK!
Tissy
People take symbology too literal. It's not like if you put on the shirt for the simple reason to rally for Penn State that you are automatically forced into a theocracy of beliefs that you don't agree with. Just wear the shirt, support your team! Geezus. No pun intended....nor symbology. :D
Great article, Shawn! Unbelievable. You might like my article about Belmont Abbey College and what is happening there! I have subscribed to you and will look forward to reading more of your work! Hope you'll take a look at mine, too!
As co-creator of the White-Out shirt and on behalf of Emily (fellow creator), I want to thank you for expressing your opinions. Six complaints is certainly not a major controversy, but this situation has brought about good discussion of political correctness in our society as a whole. Whatever your stance on the t-shirt may be, what's of greatest importance is that we all actively seek to learn the intent of symbols before we allow ourselves to become offended by them. The shirt was only meant to honor Penn State tradition and I hope it will continue to do so!
As co-creator of the White-Out shirt and on behalf of Emily (fellow creator), I want to thank you for expressing your opinions. Six complaints is certainly not a major controversy, but this situation has brought about good discussion of political correctness in our society as a whole. Whatever your stance on the t-shirt may be, what's of greatest importance is that we all actively seek to learn the intent of symbols before we allow ourselves to become offended by them. The shirt was only meant to honor Penn State tradition and I hope it will continue to do so!
If PSU doesn't like christians, I don't like them. I like PSU, but I like Christ more.
@All - Thank you for your comments. It's blatantly obvious what began as an innocent shirt design on a hot press has now become the cause for the fourth religious Crusade. And all because of six dunderheads that believe their weed stuck in that collective tail should become everyone's problem. What's interesting is this has nothing to do with Christianity being superior; it's decency because believe me, if somehow this symbol was the holy crescent or some such, this story doesn't make it past page 32 of the Daily Collegian. Come back for more anytime. Peace.
@Rebecca - Nice article indeed. The favor will be reciprocated.
@Stephanie - If I wanted anyone to read this article, it was you and your partner-in-crime. As a college grad, this argument cracked me up. It's a shirt to bolster school pride, not a flag to rally Christian oppression. People are idiots when it comes to their personal prejudices. "What? You can't see that? I'm calling someone!" Ridiculous. As a Christian, I loved how the argument centered around the Cross. Although, I must confess that I didn't see it at first. Maybe I need to confess some sins a little harder? As a fellow flack in the PR faith, let me admonish you because even though this had to have you two reeling (you clearly didn't intend on this hullabaloo), you do have to admit, the press didn't hurt the demand on the shirts, eh? So, for you and 110,000 of your stalwart friends (well, minus the six twits who started this mess), I say "Onward State." Peace to both of you!
Not a very well-written story. Bad, in fact. Where has the term "politically correctiveness" ever been used. Correctiveness? Is that even a word? And with the use of terms like, "anywhoo" and "The... er, I'm sorry... the (BF)" you know the author is either 12 or never attended a journalism class -- unless J profs, too, have completely given up on the language.
Anywhoo, isn't the blue stripe simply paying homage to the PSU football helmet? Seemed pretty straight-forward to me the mili-second I saw it.
@Dago - Seriously? One, if you took that literal, take a creative writing class. Two, if the maker of the shirt understood it, I'm okay with it. Three, my point wasn't about how "obvious" it was. It was about the obtuse fools who complained about it. But then again, if it was written better, you would have seen that. Next time, I'll ask for some correctiveness on the editing side.
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