What Are Americans Outraged About This Week: Trophy T-Shirts

These days Americans love nothing more than feeling outraged. In fact it's replaced baseball as the national pastime. Practically every day the news is filled with various so-called atrocities that are vexing the general public and causing them to overreact.

So what are Americans outraged about this week?

Why, Target's new Women's "Trophy" t-shirt, of course.

The short sleeved, dark gray shirt features the word "Trophy" across the chest, and the phrase "Trophy Wife" is part of the actual product description. The shirt retails for $12.99.

Naturally this plain, simple garment has caused a storm of controversy on social media sites, as many shoppers are shocked and outraged that Target would carry such an item. A few were actually able to rise from their fainting couches long enough to compose themselves and label the shirt "demeaning," and demand it be pulled from stores.

One woman was so apoplectic over the shirt that she created a petition on Change.org, calling for Target to immediately cease selling it. As of this posting, the petition has nearly 15,000 supporters.

Target spokesmen responded to the controversy by stating, "These shirts are intended as a fun wink and we have received an overwhelmingly positive response from our guests."

Despite this, Target went on to say that it's "never their intention to offend anyone," and have decided to immediately pull the shirts from all stores nationwide. They then announced a new replacement for the offending garment, seen here.

What Are Americans Outraged About This Week: Swastika Wrapping Paper

Welcome to a brand new feature here on Bob Canada's BlogWorld called What Are People Outraged About This Week? Each week we'll take a look at various so-called atrocities that are vexing the general public and causing them to overreact.

So what are people outraged about this week?

On December 4th, Northridge, California resident Cheryl Shapiro was shopping for Hanukkah wrapping paper at her local Walgreens. She spied a roll of silver and blue decorative paper, when something caught her eye. Shapiro claims there's a swastika prominently featured in the design of the wrapping paper.

"It blew me away," Shapiro told ABC News. "What the hell was that doing on there? I want it out of the store, but I wanted this to go national. I want this out of the stores nationally."

Sigh. Here we go again. Yet another professionally offended American expressing mock outrage over nothing. OK, fine. Let's have a look at this so-called "outrageous" wrappi-

Holy crap! Yep, those are swastikas.

OK, for once somebody has a point. I think Mrs. Shapiro's outrage is justified in this case.

In Walgreen's slight defense, if you step back from the wrapping paper the symbols aren't quite as evident. You've really got to be looking for them to find them in the pattern, and I'm betting it was an accident. As a graphic designer I know that sometimes stuff happens, especially when you're facing a tight deadline.

On the other hand, when you're dealing with swastikas and the Holocaust, it's better to err on the side of caution.

Walgreen's has agreed to pull the offending wrapping paper, along with several other items that have generated complaints, such as their Teenage Mutant Ninja Savior Nativity Set and the Charles Manson's Now That's What I Call Christmas, Man Vol. 3 CD.