Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Michigan College Students Protest Sexy Ads of American Apparel

Click to read full article from WZZM 13



GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WZZM)- Some students at Calvin College in Grand Rapids are boycotting a company because of its provocative clothing ads.  The company, called American Apparel, often shows its models in see-through shirts and underwear.
The clothing is sold globally and is targeted at college students and young adults.  Here in Michigan, there are stores in Ann Arbor and East Lansing.  The clothes can also be found
online.  It's those ads that some of the students say are too sexy.
Calvin College students Abbie Belford and Hannah Whyte call it pornography.  Images show topless women, with bare bottoms.  "It's extreme.  It's disgusting," says Hannah.
The ads can be seen on the American Apparel website.  The company has over 200 retails stores and makes all of its clothing in the United States.  The company also promotes fair labor practices.
The socially conscious business practices impressed leaders at Calvin College.  Abbie says students were given American Apparel t-shirts at orientation.  She was told the college purchased them again this year.  "I was like, oh great, another chance to support a good company and then he said, but don't visit their website.  It's almost pornographic," says Abbie.
That's the first time Abbie and Hannah, who are involved in a student-led group called "Democracy Matters," looked at the website.  They are now boycotting the company.  "I want to see the rest of Calvin, all organizations, sign a petition, saying we will not buy from American Apparel until it changes its advertising techniques."
The women have printed up petitions.  They've also created a Facebook page called "American Apparel: The Bare Facts" to protest the company and its ads.  "We want to let them know that no, we are youth, but we do have morals, we have standards.  This just crosses the line," says Hannah.
Calvin College says it already received the new t-shirts, but says it will support the student-led effort and will likely choose another company next year.  The student group plans to hold a petition drive Wednesday on campus.

Creators Of South Park Gone Too Far



JMC Ministries Response

When Christians have been persecuted on this show a long with Jews. Had our Lord and Savior made fun of and blasphemed we did not want to kill these men who make this cartoon.  We pray for them we forgive the creators of South Park for the horrible things they have done and said to make fun of Jesus Christ, God and our beliefs. Jesus said To love you enemies not kill them and murder them as this Islamist group is saying they want to do.

Obviously the creators of South Park are really just going too far and blatantly attack anyone and they are protected by freedom of speech but when we rise up and say this is wrong and try to make our voices heard many times people try to silence us.

These men and all who are involved in making this South Park show truly need to know the love of Christ because with out love there cannot be compassion and understanding towards you fellow man. Only then will they see that what they do in this cartoon week after week year after year is only hurting people.  That is fragile line between verbally attacking someone or a group of people and having free speech.

We also must pray for those who seek to kill the creators of South Park because killing and violence only causes more hurt and chaos.  Pray that the love of Christ fills their hearts and when they see these men who are using this cartoon series to make fun of people and cause hurt that they feel sorry for them and take pity on them and forgive them.

We live in a world full of hate and it is only growing more day by day we need to kill this hate with love, compassion and forgiveness.