War Profiteering?

[Ted]

On another note: Mack 10 could dance underwater, and not get wet.

[DamonH]

Doesn't seem to be that big of deal to me either - especially not worthy of death threats. His biggest problem is that his designs look like shit IMO. He didn't attempt to hide the fact that he wasn't military. In retrospect he's probably thinking he should have brought on a partner who was to avoid this shit. He's just trying to sell shirts to a target audience. I'm also betting he's not exactly balling, so used himself to model the purple heart shirt. I don't think he's walking around town wearing it pretending to be some "war hero".

[Forever_frost]

Doesn't seem to be that big of deal to me either - especially not worthy of death threats. His biggest problem is that his designs look like shit IMO. He didn't attempt to hide the fact that he wasn't military. In retrospect he's probably thinking he should have brought on a partner who was to avoid this shit. He's just trying to sell shirts to a target audience. I'm also betting he's not exactly balling, so used himself to model the purple heart shirt. I don't think he's walking around town wearing it pretending to be some "war hero".

You dont' see the problem because you didn't bleed for the medal he's making money off of. You didn't earn the title he's selling and didn't see your friends die for something he cheapens by putting it on shirts and claiming it's civilian.

[juiceweezl]

I can see people sending them VERY angry messages. They're cheapening and making money off the service of others. They're exercising their rights to make money off the service of others and those who earned the title are expressing their ... distaste

I still don't see anything illegal with what he's doing. It's a free market society. Are you going to sue ESPN every time they say, "Michael Young is one of the veteran Rangers..." Is it ethical? Absolutely not. Marketing genius? Probably for a short while until consumer get the word out. Don't waste time with legal crap and make our already overspending government spend more money investigating this crap. Just go trash his Facebook, picket in front of a store, and attack his website to let people know what he's doing. If people don't buy his crap, then the problem fixes itself.

[Forever_frost]

I put up both laws he's violating. If you can't see the illegality of printing a medal on a shirt that was not approved by the federal government, who owns the medal, then I really can't help you. Hell, there is an entire department, the Department of Heraldry, to prevent this shit from happening.

[RCITNet]

It's not stolen valor. Stolen Valor was an expansion of this law. This one, is still in effect. Try again.

This is why some people have law degrees so that laws can be interpreted correctly.

Part A regulates the usage of official military uniforms. Does not regulate who can use, wear, copy or print images of medals.

Also, the official military uniform does not call for actual medals to be placed on the uniform. The purple heart ribbon would be used in its place.

This is from 2005 but clearly shows the uniform standard. Not much has changed since 2005 in regards to appropriate use of uniforms.

http://www.338tharmyband.com/docs/uniform.pdf

The company in question is making t-shirts and other garments.

I'm not disagreeing with you on their inappropriate use of the images and slogans. What I am debating you on is your tirade over the matter and using misinterpreted laws or views as the basis of your argument.

You have yet to provide factual information that clearly identifies that what the company has done is illegal.

Sent from my DROID RAZR

[DamonH]

You dont' see the problem because you didn't bleed for the medal he's making money off of. You didn't earn the title he's selling and didn't see your friends die for something he cheapens by putting it on shirts and claiming it's civilian.

So would it be ok if he WAS a veteran? What if he didn't earn a purple heart (or did)? Is your problem that he was never military, or that he's supposedly violating the law?

Again - the biggest problem I have is the actual shirts themselves. Anyone who actually wore that shit would cheapen their sacrifice.

[juiceweezl]

I put up both laws he's violating. If you can't see the illegality of printing a medal on a shirt that was not approved by the federal government, who owns the medal, then I really can't help you. Hell, there is an entire department, the Department of Heraldry, to prevent this shit from happening.

He's not making a medal -- it's a t-shirt. You can't legally reproduce Purple Heart medals and sell/distribute them. T-shirts are different. Go google Purple Heart t-shirts and see what comes up. You can't possibly tell me every result is paying royalty or giving money to veterans or is run by a veteran of armed service.

Again, it's a clever marketing scheme that has the chance of major backfire. Play by the free market rules and convince people not to buy his crap. Problem solved and example set without wasting any governmental time or money. For all the crying people do about too much government, this is ironic that people want them to step in for stuff like this. Frost, I'm not citing you specifically, this is just a good example. There is ZERO need for government involvement in this matter.

[Forever_frost]

So would it be ok if he WAS a veteran? What if he didn't earn a purple heart (or did)? Is your problem that he was never military, or that he's supposedly violating the law?

Again - the biggest problem I have is the actual shirts themselves. Anyone who actually wore that shit would cheapen their sacrifice.

If he was wearing that shirt, with a purple heart on it and did not earn it, he is violating US code. It's really that simple.

[Forever_frost]

He's not making a medal -- it's a t-shirt. You can't legally reproduce Purple Heart medals and sell/distribute them. T-shirts are different. Go google Purple Heart t-shirts and see what comes up. You can't possibly tell me every result is paying royalty or giving money to veterans or is run by a veteran of armed service.

Again, it's a clever marketing scheme that has the chance of major backfire. Play by the free market rules and convince people not to buy his crap. Problem solved and example set without wasting any governmental time or money. For all the crying people do about too much government, this is ironic that people want them to step in for stuff like this. Frost, I'm not citing you specifically, this is just a good example. There is ZERO need for government involvement in this matter.

Actually, since they created the medal, this would fall directly under their power. And you don't see this douche bag making any T shirt showing anything but military. "Salute me" and Purple heart shirts are civilian? Really? You don't see music notes on these. You don't see cop badges or fire badges.

[Slowhand]

This is why some people have law degrees so that laws can be interpreted correctly.

DFWM determines how laws are to be interpreted, and their authority is final and unlimited.

[exlude]

Actually I did. Their 'Salute Me" clothing can be explained by nothing but military. The purple heart shirt the douche bag is wearing is only military, the Veteran name and logoed clothing can be explained by nothing but military as it carries no qualifiers (if you look at the dictionary definition, when it's not added to military service, it carries a qualifier such as 'veteran actor' or 'veteran player.') The word "Veteran" carries with it the recognition of military service.

Wrong.

Those damn military Indian dream catchers.

[exlude]

You dont' see the problem because you didn't bleed for the medal he's making money off of. You didn't earn the title he's selling and didn't see your friends die for something he cheapens by putting it on shirts and claiming it's civilian.

Such self righteousness.

I'm starting to notice this more and more out of you. You are very proud of what you did, as you should be, but it shouldn't be your go to in just about every argument. You also shouldn't parade around the fact you have PTSD like you do. I'm not saying hide it, just maybe not put it in every other post. Cheapens it after a while...

[Forever_frost]

Such self righteousness.

I'm starting to notice this more and more out of you. You are very proud of what you did, as you should be, but it shouldn't be your go to in just about every argument. You also shouldn't parade around the fact you have PTSD like you do. I'm not saying hide it, just maybe not put it in every other post. Cheapens it after a while...

I didn't mention PTSD in that post but it's one of those things that get almost no awareness and is blown off a lot. Historically, you don't talk about it, it just gets worse and worse. As far as me serving, it provides a HUGE motivation to bust fuckers like this. AS it is a primary motivator, I see it as pertinent to the conversation as well as someone else mentioned it.

[exlude]

Yeah, the PTSD comment came from a thread I was just reading in the Smack.

I agree that PTSD needs more awareness. But I don't think comments about you not getting in fights because you would kill someone are the best avenue to garner that awareness. Nor is DFWMustangs the best venue....

In the post I quoted, I've done all you mentioned save for get the medal. And I still don't believe all of this is justified. Especially after he's tried to make it right. It's all based off a lack of education and understanding of a simple word, "veteran". You didn't use your service in a means that was pertinent to the conversation, you used it as an ad hominem attempt to discredit DamonH's disagreement.