Posted on 01/13/2011 5:26:33 AM PST by Red Badger
TUCSON, AZ -- Some conservatives are upset over t-shirts bearing the logo "Together We Thrive: Tucson & America" that were handed out to attendees at tonight's memorial service in the McKale Center on the campus of the University Of Arizona here.
The shirts, which bear the same logo that adorns other items from the event -- including press passes, signage and volunteer t-shirts -- were placed on many of the seats in the lower sections of the arena when tonight's capacity crowd walked in.
The University Of Arizona did not immediately respond to requests for more information on the shirts, which are drawing fire in the conservative twitter- and blogosphere tonight. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. A person familiar with the event confirmed the university put the event together, and was responsible for t-shirts, tickets, fliers, etc.
"I'm having a physical reaction to the T-shirts," Amanda Carpenter, a speech writer for Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) tweeted tonight. "I'm tearing up. This feels wrong."
(The tweet has since been deleted.)
Other conservatives on Twitter shared in the sentiment. Some have already speculated the shirts were paid for with taxpayer dollars.
Michelle Malkin had earlier raised a rukus about the event's logo on her blog.
"Isn't the churning of the instant messaging machine a bit, well, unseemly?" she wrote. "Can't the Democrat political stage managers give it a break just once?"
Right-wing media star Tammy Bruce had some of the harshest attacks on the event and the crowd here in Tucson. She likened the event to the 2002 funeral for Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-MN), which conservatives at the time claimed was unfairly turned into a political rally by Wellstone's supporters.
"Massacre Rally Theatre is a complete abomination. Absolutely obscene," Bruce tweeted Wednesday. "Clinton should be happy, no longer will 'Wellstone' be the benchmark."
Additional reporting by Ryan J. Reilly.
This post has been updated since it was first published.
“And what about paid government officials reading from the bible...”
Even more....at the end of their Scripture readings, Napolitano and Holder said “The Word of the Lord.”
This is precisely what is said at the end of Scripture readings in the Catholic Mass. This was a bid to regain lost CINO (Catholics in name only) support. It was overwhelmingly obvious to me.
The next two years will mainly be a campaign for Obama (along with executive and department mandates to attempt to go around Congress).
I wonder what company had the beer concession?
Where is that image from? Was the event held inside and OUTSIDE the campus arena? That appears to be a football stadium.
Yep. Right there in front of the lady’s husband and family.
I have decided that when I die I want my family to give out free t-shirts (maybe even ensure that the service is held on a college campus—lots of would-be screamers). Judging from the reaction yesterday, those who orate at the services should receive some decent ovations—my last gift to them, and my family will think I was liked.
If they bring an armband, we bring a T shirt!
It’s not “Conservatives” who criticize the free T-Shirts; it’s decent people.
Think of the [union] jobs moving those shirts created. As I said on another thread, “Putting America back to work, one tee at a time.” /s
"Massacre Rally Theatre is a complete abomination. Absolutely obscene!" is she right?She being Tammy Bruce. She speaking about the perverted campaign rally and rat poison speech given by Obama and and insane University supposedly to memorialize the victims of the Tucson shooting.
Why did I say "rat poison" in regards to Obama so celebrated "great" speech last night? Because rats LOVE rat poison, they eat it all up rapidly, it's SWEET and TASTES GREAT! Then they die, horribly and stink up the place with their rotting carcasses.
Obama's speech was RAT POISON. That's a fact.
But was Tammy Bruce right?
Is such an event as was had at the University of Arizona last night really "Massacre Rally Theatre"?
I think so, and I'm wise, smart and good looking. And humble too. Everybody likes me.
Rats like Obama. But he's deadly.
What do YOU think?
Could anyone imagine the firestorm if “commemorative” (read: campaign) t-shirts had been distributed in the National Cathedral when Bush memorialized the victims of 9-11.
Everything is a damned political stunt by libs. They never miss a beat.
Further proof that Idiocracy was a work of non-fiction.
I can see a whole new industry producing T-Shirts for funerals:
“Grandma is going to heaven and all I got was this lousy T- Shirt”.
Maybe it will catch on.
Funny, I don’t remember this big a deal being made for the victims of the Ft Hood Jihad.....
It was the football stadium........
You ought to send that tidbit to FOX, not that they will care. The narrative was set for this before it ever happened.
Ha ha ha.
I wonder if that "Together we Thrive" is Obama's 2012 campaign slogan?
“Together We Thrive” sounds like the slogan of a anthrax bacteria colony. Or maybe termites.
Watch for the "Tucson and America" line to be replaced with " Obama and America 2012".
Reported on TV, the overflow would be in a stadium. (Probably watching a BIG screen TV or something.)
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