Zazzle removing Psalm 109 products from site

[sjdnb]

"Today, there has surfaced a great deal of discussion and debate over certain products in the Zazzle Marketplace which reference text from Psalm 109 in combination with reference to President Barack Obama. We at Zazzle are aware of the issue, and would like to take this opportunity to respond in a unified and public fashion to all parties and viewpoints."

"With that in mind, it is only after great thought that we have determined that these products, in the context of the full text of Psalm 109, may be interpreted in such a way as to suggest physical harm to the President of the United States. In deference to the Office of the President of the United States, and in accordance with federal law prohibiting the making of threats against the physical wellbeing of the President of the United States, Zazzle has therefore determined that these products are in violation of the Zazzle User Agreement and not appropriate for inclusion in the Zazzle Marketplace. We have begun efforts to remove them from our website, and we will be vigilant to the publication of similar products moving forward."

http://blog.zazzle.com/2009/11/18/statement-on-psalm-109-products/">Statement

EDIT: Once again wrote CafePress as they still have the merchandise at their site
Email Us on http://help.cafepress.com">Help Page

[Cha]

1. Thank you Zazzle and sjdnb for

bringing this news.

I buy tee shirts from them but had no idea this was on their board!

They seem like the type of company that wouldn't want it.

[grantcart]

12. +1

[Greyskye]

33. Cafe Press is still selling them. Zazzle is not.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x7781#7960

(apologies Cha, wanted this back up at the top for visibility.)

Edited to clear up downthread confusion.

[Warpy]

2. I'm delighted one company out there is doing the right thing

and ending the biblical justification for assassinating a president.

These horrible people would not like a President Biden, either.

[damntexdem]

17. What's Psalm 109 say?

(No, I don't want to look it up in a Bible.)

[Warpy]

31. The whole thing is a curse to someone who has wronged the writer

but the fundies like quoting Psalms 109:8-9 out of context:

Psa 109:8-9 Let his days be few; let another take his office.
Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.

This is a great site to bookmark: http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/

It's got a dandy search function and it's not limited to the bible.

[phantom power]

3. I wonder if they just didn't read Psalm 109 until after the complaints...

:shrug:

[Raster]

4. Thank you Zazzle for doing the right thing!

Demanding that illegal products like this be removed is US doing the right thing!

[NYC_SKP]

5. Thank you, Zazzle. Fuck you, CafePress. eom

[Sebastian Doyle]

6. Oddly enough, Zazzle also sells pro-Obama shirts

And in a twist of religious irony, one of them is actually designed by one Rev. Jay Bakker (as in, son of Jim and Tammy)

http://www.zazzle.com/jaybakkerart

[vaberella]

8. So does cafepress. But they sell this too. n/t

[rebel with a cause]

20. the last I heard,,,,

Jay Bakker is very liberal. Preaching in the places where 'sinners'(those considered to be so by religious people) are and not in mega-churches. He supposedly advocated following the example sit by Jesus and said that is why he was practicing the type of ministry that he had. :shrug: Hoping I am right on this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay_Bakker

[vaberella]

7. Thank you Rachel Maddow for bringing this to the publics attention & Zazzle's.

Now they are acting accordingly.

[mimitabby]

9. cafepress

In the past, i have crossed this company when they featured teeshirts that featured killing domestic cats for sport. They really don't care.

[Vidar]

10. Good for Zazzle.

[CurtEastPoint]

11. Here's a good link for CafePress

http://help.cafepress.com/hc/s-74058960/cmd/kbresource/kb-1492872793323472820/escalate!PAGETYPE?VisitorProfile=cafepress

[jberryhill]

13. Good Luck - CafePress Runs Merchandising For North Korea!

No kidding. You can buy CafePress stuff from korea-dpr.com

[jenmito]

19. I bought pro-Obama shirts from CafePress. n/t

[jberryhill]

34. The point is - they don't care what someone wants to print on a thong /nt

[LiberalFighter]

14. Zazzle should still be boycotted as they violate copyrights.

[SoxFan]

Copyrights vs. Death Threats

Yeah, there's a comparison for ya.

[Cha]

15. I'm going to answer one of the

email promos I get from Zazzle and thank them for this.

[BlooInBloo]

16. They changed their minds, and put the assassination-supporting merchandise back up...

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/11/19/806109/-Psalm-109:8-Merchandise:-Cafe-Press-Reverses-Its-Decision

"We initially pulled the Psalm 109:8 content from our products today because broader media dialog indicated that these designs potentially suggested violence towards the president. Based on current public discourse and further review of the actual content, we have determined that it is fair political commentary and we are in the process of reinstating this merchandise. As with all of our content, these designs will continue to be reviewed and if at any time their meaning is construed as advocating violence we will revisit our decision."


EDIT: And thus eliminationist assassination rhetoric is officially normalized. If the target is black, at least. It calls to mind the obvious variation on the old bitter joke: "What do you call a black President? ...".

[Parker CA]

18. Wow, that's just unbelievable to have such a change from a well-worded announcement earlier.

[jenmito]

21. You should start another thread on this so everyone is aware that they changed their position. n/t

[BlooInBloo]

22. Go for it.

[Cha]

24. Yeah, do it, Jenmito..Bloo

wants you to.

I'm fuming..I have to go to work now but I'll be letting them know real soon what I think of this stupid crap they just pulled.

[jenmito]

25. Done. n/t

[Cha]

23. Jeeezuz! Now I will write and let them know they've LOST

me as a customer!

Can you believe this shit?!

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

26. Cafe Press not Zazzle right? nt

[Hissyspit]

27. Yes. Two Cafe Press Threads up now:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x8002

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7049635

[BlooInBloo]

29. Sorry I wasn't clear on that.

[hileeopnyn8d]

28. That's Cafe Press

not Zazzle, just so everyone is clear.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

30. That's what I was thinking as well. nt

[Stephanie]

36. That's about Cafe Press, not Zazzle nt

[verges]

39. What do you call a black President? ....

Mr. President.

[DU GrovelBot]

32. ## PLEASE DONATE TO DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND! ##

This week is our fourth quarter 2009 fund drive. Democratic Underground is
a completely independent website. We depend on donations from our members
to cover our costs. Please take a moment to donate! Thank you!

[Cha]

35. I'm writing to Zazzle now and thanking them with

your link included. There are a lot of positive responses below their statement.

Madonna Gauding Says:

November 18, 2009 at 6:35 pm | Reply
Thank you for doing the right thing. Dissent is one thing, but inciting people to physically harm the president of the United States is not only immoral but illegal. That these people consider themselves Christian is ludicrous.

Diane Says:

November 18, 2009 at 8:06 pm | Reply
I suspect the people who are doing this don’t really consider themselves to be Christian; they are manipulating Christians to help them achieve their sinister aims.

Lord Koos Says:

November 19, 2009 at 3:28 am
I’m certain the people who are doing this do consider themselves Christians. It wouldn’t be the first time.

[democracy1st]

37. K & R

[BlancheSplanchnik]

38. Very impressed with the people running Zazzle!!

I like their statement too. Excellent work. Next t ime I shop, I'll go there.