Newtown Jr. Action Alliance Pans Urban Outfitters Sale of Blood-Stained Kent State Sweatshirt

By Wendy Ann Mitchell (Patch Staff).

The Jr. Newtown Action Alliance, a student-led activist group, is speaking out about Urban Outfitters’ decision to sell a blood-stained Kent State sweatshirt as “fashion.”

Urban Outfitters, which has a store on East Elm Street in downtown Greenwich, was offering a Kent State University sweatshirt, splattered with red marks that appeared be blood stains, for $129. The sweatshirt is a reference to the 1970 shootings of four unarmed students at the Ohio university who were protesting the Vietnam War.

On their Facebook page Monday, Newtown Jr. Action Alliance wrote:

“This tasteless sweatshirt is marketed to you and your friends. What can you do about it? Find your voice and use it.

This is an opportunity to not only communicate with Urban Outfitters via social and traditional media, but also an opportunity to write about gun violence prevention and/or your own experience with gun violence for publication to a bigger audience. You can write a letter to the editor to your local or national papers, you can write an article for a magazine, newspaper, or blog. You can speak out!

A number of people who are commenting in favor of this sweatshirt believe your generation needs to see this in order to be taught history. If you are not familiar with the history of the Kent State shooting, please take a minute to understand the context: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_State_shootings.”

According to the Washington Post, Urban Outfitters issued an apology for the product Monday morning, claiming the sweatshirt “was purchased as part of our sun-faded vintage collection.” Their statement added: “There is no blood on this shirt nor has this item been altered in any way. The red stains are discoloration from the original shade of the shirt and the holes are from natural wear and fray. We deeply regret that this item was perceived negatively.”

Twitter was buzzing with criticism for the mishap on Monday:

Alexis Trimble ‏@alexistrimble wrote: #UrbanOutfitters seriously disgusts me. 1st they promote eating disorders & now “accidentally” use a campus tragedy?

Teresa Hernandez ‏@PureLifeGirl tweeted: What is wrong w/our country when a $129 sweatshirt that mocks murder sells out? Shame on#UrbanOutfitters

Johnny Volk ‏@Johnny_Volk said: We can go ahead and add#UrbanOutfitters to the list of retail stores to boycott.

Jay Skarlow ‏@RockabillyJay wrote: Nothing says young and hip like a 43 year old massacre. #urban outfitters

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence wrote on their Facebook page Monday: “Absolutely appalling and disgusting! Fashion statements should not come from mass shootings!”

Urban Outfitters has faced criticism lately for their decision to sell “funny” tee shirts with the words “Irish Drunks,” a shirt that said “Eat Less,” referencing those with eating disorders, and one that said, “Depression.” The clothing retailer marked the Kent State shirt as “sold out” on their website Monday morning.

What do you think? Tell us in the comments.

Photo: Jr. Newtown Action Alliance via Facebook