PacSun Pulls Upside-Down Flag T-Shirt From Stores, Online After Complaints

[Panich52]

Consumerist

PacSun Pulls Upside-Down Flag T-Shirt From Stores, Online After Complaints

Retailer PacSun found itself at the center of a Memorial Day controversy on Monday, after a customer snapped a photo of a mannequin wearing a T-shirt featuring an upside-down American flag on the front. The ensuing backlash on social media has led to the chain apologizing, and removing the shirt from its shelves both in physical stores and online.

After a shopper in Alabama reportedly posted the first photo of the shirt, many others followed, writing on PacSun’s Facebook page on unrelated posts and leaving one-star reviews of the shirt on the site, as well as protesting on Twitter with the hashtag #boycottpacsun. That includes the actor James Woods, who urged all his followers to boycott the brand:

The design was apparently created in collaboration with musical artist A$SAP Rocky, notes ABC 7 news, with a right-side up design also for sale.

An upside-down flag is a sign of distress, according to the U.S. Flag Code which says flags are only mean to be flown that way “in instances of extreme danger to life or property.”

PacSun decided to pull the T-shirt Monday afternoon, issuing a statement on Twitter and Facebook:

“As a retailer grounded in youth culture, PacSun values artistic and creative expression through the brands that we sell in our stores. Out of respect for those who have put their lives on the line for our country, we have decided to stop selling the licensed flag T-shirt and are removing it from our stores and website immediately. We thank the men and women in uniform for their extraordinary service.”

More (screen shots from Twitter)
http://wp.me/p2L7Ik-GOZp


Ignorance runs rampant among RWers. All their vitriole was for 'disrespecting the flag' instead of knowing the meaning of an inverted one: distress, as in maybe the country needs help. But political statements that go against RW misunderstanding of 'patriotism' frequently are above their heads.

[HassleCat]

1. Oddly enough...

Some of the Tea Party patriots in my area fly the flag upside down to send the message that Obama has pushed the country to the brink of disaster. Of course, they started that even before he took office. Some of the TPers who are more honest about their motives will have the accompanying message, "It's called the WHITE House for a reason!"

[Panich52]

3. The complainers all missed that wearing the flag is illegal in the 1st place

Of course, that law has never really been enforced. And TPers would probably howl if it was, seeing as how they love to drape themselves in it.

[CBGLuthier]

4. There is nothing illegal about wearing the flag.

Where did you get such a silly idea? Flag code is not law and the first amendment trumps any attempts to create holy relic out of a piece of cloth.

[Warren DeMontague]

6. Thank you.

[uppityperson]

2. What an odd thing to complain about, pull and apologize for.

[olddots]

5. most repukians walk on their hands and speak thru their butts

so the tee shirts would be right side up .

[Warren DeMontague]

7. Jesus

what a silly thing to make a stink about.

[romanic]

8. Selling something like that during

Memorial day is pretty tacky. Glad they pulled it, veterans don't get enough respect as it is.