What I Really, Really Don’t Want for Christmas

I've never been a big one for message t-shirts. I don't know why, but the idea of random members of the reading public perusing my chest for a slogan of the day--no matter how noble my chosen sentiment may be--makes me nervous.

I'm tempted sometimes by the bookish slogans like "So many books, so little time." I've nearly succumbed to the comic allure of "If a man speaks in the forest, and there's no one there to hear him, is he still wrong?"

I admit I did bow to the homespun wisdom of "What if the hokey-pokey really is what it's all about?" Even so, I've never worn it out of the house.

My basic aversion to message shirts began back in the '70s, when I worked with a girl who had a shirt I've never forgotten. It said, "I am a virgin. This is an old t-shirt." Let's just say it brought her a lot of attention, and she had enough problems already.

Here's another attention grabber, for anyone wanting to make a strong statement of personal values. Remember: All the money raised is for a good cause. Or at least, that's what they say.

As usual, I think I'll pass.

Posted by Katy on 07/24/04 at 08:42 AM

Fallible Comments...

I can't even find the words....
-----
Posted by Bridget on 07/24/04 at 03:12 PM
I keep tryng to come up with a clever comment about this, something witty and sardonic. It seems right for it. But it just won't come to me. There's nothing to say.
Imagine meeting someone on the street wearing this message. You've seen people with outrageous messages, like a list of the ten commandments with a check mark by each one. You would know it's a joke. 'I've had an abortion' is not a joke.
There are still some things that we cannot be proud of, that we don't want the world to know. And that should tell us something.
Posted by Angus Lewis on 07/24/04 at 05:36 PM
That's it exactly. Nothing clever to say.

If Nathaniel Hawthorne were writing today, what could he say? Would a story about a woman forced to go through life marked with an A for adultery fly? I'm afraid readers just wouldn't get it.

Because times have changed. Today, if you end your own child's life, you are entitled to wear not just an A for abortion, but a whole catchy phrase.

Their slogan is pretty boring, though. They need some better PR people. How about: "Abortion...it does a girl proud."

By the way, I'm not EVEN smiling...
Posted by Katy on 07/24/04 at 05:50 PM
Wow. That's all I can say.

On a lighter note, my favorite slogan so far is from a bumper sticker that an old friend bought for me. "Fight prime time. Read a book."
Posted by Amber on 07/24/04 at 08:35 PM
I can't even believe that our society can take pride in even thinking about advertising such a thing on a t-shirt, let alone wearing such a thing. There is something tragically wrong in this and I can't even begin to wonder how we fight such a monster.
Posted by April on 07/24/04 at 08:55 PM
If I may submit the inappropriately funny comment:

(1) Envision a man wearing this shirt.

(2) How about a shirt that reads: "I was supposed to be aborted"?
Posted by Maria on 07/24/04 at 11:02 PM
That is incredibly troubling. Just...wrong on so many levels.
Posted by Mary on 07/25/04 at 01:10 AM
oh my....
My favorite t-shirt slogan should walk past every person who purchases the PP shirt.
Front -"Two things in life are sure"
Back - "1-There is a God.

2-You are not Him."
Posted by Anne on 07/25/04 at 09:15 PM
You know, I agree with Bridget, there really isn't anything you can say to that. I can't imagine running into someone with that shirt out on the street.
Posted by Kevin on 07/26/04 at 05:15 AM
if i ran into a person on the street wearing that shirt, i would most likely experience the stages of shock/anger/sadness/prayer that i go through every time i pass by a gang of Phelps' in our fair city of Topeka, with their flourescent signs depicting homosexuals in the act, and slogans like "GOD HATES AMERICA" and "THANK GOD FOR 9/11". He is a warped man who is leading many astray. Some who stand on street corners wih the heavy wooden protests are mere children. The Bible tells me that people who have rejected Jesus are blind in their minds, they justify things unimaginable, they prey on the weak, the helpless, the poor, the unborn. I always end up sad for them, they are ultimately lost to light and truth.

www.justadjust@blogspot.com
Posted by lisa on 07/27/04 at 05:36 PM
This T-shirt was on the Kansas City noon news today, Katy! (I tried to call you, but to no avail.) Anyway, the President of Planned Parenthood said, "I think there's a great value and affirmation in allowing women who choose to simply wear a shirt that says I made this decision and I did it for good and moral reasons." Again, I think I may be speechless.
Posted by Bridget on 07/28/04 at 11:04 PM
Bill O'Reilly's doing his show from the floor of the Dem convention this week. He just this minute (8 pm, Wednesday) interviewed Susan Estrich about the t-shirt, and she defended it as a slogan which would help people come to grips with the fact that 1 out of every 3 women under the age of 45 has had an abortion. She says the shirt will help people express the pain they've gone through, and help others identify with that pain.

O'Reilly didn't get how this slogan will accomplish that expressed purpose, and neither do I. Perhaps hearing a woman's individual story (like Susan Estrich's) would cause me to sympathize with her particular plight, but that shirt alone couldn't possibly endear me to its wearer.

I really appreciate everyone's responses! If I'm crazy, it's good to know I'm not alone...
Posted by Katy on 07/29/04 at 02:01 AM
Check this article out.
http://www.lifenews.com/nat691.html
Posted by lisa samson on 07/30/04 at 09:45 PM
Thanks, Lisa! The article (though on a pro-life site) tried to show the rationale Planned Parenthood is claiming for marketing the shirt. It was fair enough that if I was going to understand, I would have by now....

There are probably ways the pro-choice community could successfully cause others to empathize with their case, but if this is one, I'll be surprised.
Posted by Katy on 07/31/04 at 02:20 PM
I saw a picture of Britney Spears wearing an "I'm a virgin (this is an old tshirt)" shirt in a British tabloid the other day. Charming.
Posted by bethany on 08/15/04 at 03:51 PM

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Personal blog of christian writer & fallible mom Katy McKenna Raymond in Kansas City, Missouri Katy is represented by Greg Johnson at WordServe Literary Read more Katy at LateBoomer.net Follow Katy on Twitter Follow Katy on Facebook 123 Recent Posts Try Becoming Brenda Starr Off Beat Scattered That’s It So I’ve Finally Signed With An Agent. Now What? The Spoon Sciatica Sweetheart A Woman’s Train of Thought Has No Caboose However much we own, we are all still living on borrowed time After all, when restaurants shrink portions, they don’t shrink prices. As with everything in life, balance is key. Slow down, you move too fast… Yeah, I know. I have issues. Search Advanced Search Syndicate Login E me at katy @ ngenius.com	What I Really, Really Don’t Want for Christmas I've never been a big one for message t-shirts. I don't know why, but the idea of random members of the reading public perusing my chest for a slogan of the day--no matter how noble my chosen sentiment may be--makes me nervous. I'm tempted sometimes by the bookish slogans like "So many books, so little time." I've nearly succumbed to the comic allure of "If a man speaks in the forest, and there's no one there to hear him, is he still wrong?" I admit I did bow to the homespun wisdom of "What if the hokey-pokey really is what it's all about?" Even so, I've never worn it out of the house. My basic aversion to message shirts began back in the '70s, when I worked with a girl who had a shirt I've never forgotten. It said, "I am a virgin. This is an old t-shirt." Let's just say it brought her a lot of attention, and she had enough problems already. Here's another attention grabber, for anyone wanting to make a strong statement of personal values. Remember: All the money raised is for a good cause. Or at least, that's what they say. As usual, I think I'll pass. Posted by Katy on 07/24/04 at 08:42 AM Fallible Comments... I can't even find the words.... ----- Posted by Bridget on 07/24/04 at 03:12 PM I keep tryng to come up with a clever comment about this, something witty and sardonic. It seems right for it. But it just won't come to me. There's nothing to say. Imagine meeting someone on the street wearing this message. You've seen people with outrageous messages, like a list of the ten commandments with a check mark by each one. You would know it's a joke. 'I've had an abortion' is not a joke. There are still some things that we cannot be proud of, that we don't want the world to know. And that should tell us something. Posted by Angus Lewis on 07/24/04 at 05:36 PM That's it exactly. Nothing clever to say. If Nathaniel Hawthorne were writing today, what could he say? Would a story about a woman forced to go through life marked with an A for adultery fly? I'm afraid readers just wouldn't get it. Because times have changed. Today, if you end your own child's life, you are entitled to wear not just an A for abortion, but a whole catchy phrase. Their slogan is pretty boring, though. They need some better PR people. How about: "Abortion...it does a girl proud." By the way, I'm not EVEN smiling... Posted by Katy on 07/24/04 at 05:50 PM Wow. That's all I can say. On a lighter note, my favorite slogan so far is from a bumper sticker that an old friend bought for me. "Fight prime time. Read a book." Posted by Amber on 07/24/04 at 08:35 PM I can't even believe that our society can take pride in even thinking about advertising such a thing on a t-shirt, let alone wearing such a thing. There is something tragically wrong in this and I can't even begin to wonder how we fight such a monster. Posted by April on 07/24/04 at 08:55 PM If I may submit the inappropriately funny comment: (1) Envision a man wearing this shirt. (2) How about a shirt that reads: "I was supposed to be aborted"? Posted by Maria on 07/24/04 at 11:02 PM That is incredibly troubling. Just...wrong on so many levels. Posted by Mary on 07/25/04 at 01:10 AM oh my.... My favorite t-shirt slogan should walk past every person who purchases the PP shirt. Front -"Two things in life are sure" Back - "1-There is a God. 2-You are not Him." Posted by Anne on 07/25/04 at 09:15 PM You know, I agree with Bridget, there really isn't anything you can say to that. I can't imagine running into someone with that shirt out on the street. Posted by Kevin on 07/26/04 at 05:15 AM if i ran into a person on the street wearing that shirt, i would most likely experience the stages of shock/anger/sadness/prayer that i go through every time i pass by a gang of Phelps' in our fair city of Topeka, with their flourescent signs depicting homosexuals in the act, and slogans like "GOD HATES AMERICA" and "THANK GOD FOR 9/11". He is a warped man who is leading many astray. Some who stand on street corners wih the heavy wooden protests are mere children. The Bible tells me that people who have rejected Jesus are blind in their minds, they justify things unimaginable, they prey on the weak, the helpless, the poor, the unborn. I always end up sad for them, they are ultimately lost to light and truth. www.justadjust@blogspot.com Posted by lisa on 07/27/04 at 05:36 PM This T-shirt was on the Kansas City noon news today, Katy! (I tried to call you, but to no avail.) Anyway, the President of Planned Parenthood said, "I think there's a great value and affirmation in allowing women who choose to simply wear a shirt that says I made this decision and I did it for good and moral reasons." Again, I think I may be speechless. Posted by Bridget on 07/28/04 at 11:04 PM Bill O'Reilly's doing his show from the floor of the Dem convention this week. He just this minute (8 pm, Wednesday) interviewed Susan Estrich about the t-shirt, and she defended it as a slogan which would help people come to grips with the fact that 1 out of every 3 women under the age of 45 has had an abortion. She says the shirt will help people express the pain they've gone through, and help others identify with that pain. O'Reilly didn't get how this slogan will accomplish that expressed purpose, and neither do I. Perhaps hearing a woman's individual story (like Susan Estrich's) would cause me to sympathize with her particular plight, but that shirt alone couldn't possibly endear me to its wearer. I really appreciate everyone's responses! If I'm crazy, it's good to know I'm not alone... Posted by Katy on 07/29/04 at 02:01 AM Check this article out. http://www.lifenews.com/nat691.html Posted by lisa samson on 07/30/04 at 09:45 PM Thanks, Lisa! The article (though on a pro-life site) tried to show the rationale Planned Parenthood is claiming for marketing the shirt. It was fair enough that if I was going to understand, I would have by now.... There are probably ways the pro-choice community could successfully cause others to empathize with their case, but if this is one, I'll be surprised. Posted by Katy on 07/31/04 at 02:20 PM I saw a picture of Britney Spears wearing an "I'm a virgin (this is an old tshirt)" shirt in a British tabloid the other day. Charming. Posted by bethany on 08/15/04 at 03:51 PM Page 1 of 1 pages Commenting is not available in this weblog entry. Next entry: Against the Rain Previous entry: Joyful, Joyful << Back to main


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Personal blog of christianwriter & fallible momKaty McKenna Raymondin Kansas City, Missouri

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What I Really, Really Don’t Want for Christmas

Personal blog of christian
writer & fallible mom
Katy McKenna Raymond
in Kansas City, Missouri