Store takes heat for selling 'Problem Solved' T-shirt
By BETTY ADAMS
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel Saturday, December 16, 2006

AUGUSTA -- A children's T-shirt has aroused the ire of a local shopper.

The T-shirt depicts two panels of stick figures, with a male figure pushing a female figure out of a box. Captioned "Problem Solved," the shirt has appalled people engaged in deterring domestic violence.

"I thought that shirt was very offensive, and I'm sure people who made that shirt thought it was cute," District Attorney Evert Fowle said Friday. "But when you prosecute 728 domestic violence cases a year, it's not cute."

The shirt was removed briefly after a customer protested -- but later returned to the shelves of the Augusta Kmart.

Earlier this week, Kristin Aiello of Hallowell told Kmart store manager Joyce Beane the message on the shirt was offensive.

"I see so much domestic abuse in our community," said Aiello, a lawyer who frequently represents children involved in the court system. "I see children in jeopardy."

Aiello said the shirt sends the wrong message to the young wearers.

"It affirms that this sort of a solution is OK," she said. "A child can't filter it the way adults can."

Beane pulled the shirts Tuesday. On Friday, she referred all questions to corporate headquarters.

By late Friday, Kimberly Freely, manager of corporate relations for Sears Holdings Corp., Kmart's parent company, said the Augusta Kmart will continue to sell the shirts, manufactured by Route 66 clothing company.

"We respect the opinions of our customers," Freely said in a statement issued from corporate headquarters. "However, we believe these attitude Ts are meant to be light-hearted in nature.

"Kmart serves a diverse customer base and is committed to providing quality services, products and solutions that earn our customers' trust and build lifetime relationships," Freely's statement said.

Donna Shepherd, executive director of the Family Violence Project, a group that works to halt domestic abuse in Kennebec and Somerset counties, said the shirt sends the wrong signal.

"Obviously, the shirt sends children a message that violence is OK and reinforces messages they're already getting from the media and elsewhere," she said.

She said the Family Violence Project offers younger children a "Hands are Not for Hitting" program that teaches children alternatives to violence.

"Part of the premise is that it's OK to get angry, but it's not OK to hurt other people," Shepherd said.

"There are things they can do with their hands other than pushing or shoving. They can play with clay or play with puppets. And things they can do with their anger: go for a run and climb a tree."

The same logo appears on a T-shirt sold on the Internet by Goody's Family Clothing, but it appears to be aimed at older wearers.

"I'm concerned with how they got designed, printed and put in Kmarts across the country," Aiello said.

"How did this happen? It's the height of corporate irresponsibility marketing shirts for children with messages affirming domestic violence."

Betty Adams -- 621-5631

badams@centralmaine.com


Reader comments

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Donna of W. Stockbridge, Ma
Dec 16, 2006 7:50 AM
Wow, They respect the opinions of their customers, HOWEVER = which means, we
really don't respect our customer opinions,
UNLESS, our customers stop buying our
products, then we will be "Forced" into
respecting our customers. Which means the
"BOTTOM LINE" is what they use for common
sense. report abuse
Lois of richmond, me
Dec 16, 2006 8:10 AM
I quote
"We respect the opinions of our customers," Freely said in a statement issued from corporate headquarters. "However, we believe these attitude Ts are meant to be light-hearted in nature."
Light-hearted? Tell me how light -hearted does a kid feel when Dad (or Mom) hits them in the head with a frying pan?
Or hey how about this to make one feel light-hearted ... the bully down the street saw the graphic on my T-shirt and started emulating it and pushed and pushed till by the time he/she was done my knees and hands were bloody from falling down and trying to protect myself?

"Kmart serves a diverse customer base and is committed to providing quality services, products and solutions that earn our customers' trust and build lifetime relationships," Freely's statement said.
Granted people that commit the crime of physical abuse do have to wear clothing but now corperate America decides to give them thier own walking advertisement?

The same logo appears on a T-shirt sold on the Internet by Goody's Family Clothing, but it appears to be aimed at older wearers.

Ahhh ok it's ok if your "mature"?
I think not. Physical abuse is hidden behind closed doors, it can happen in any age group , light hearted just doesnt justify .

There are many shirts on the market that are offensive in one way or another we cannot dictate what one finds light-hearted nor what one chooses to wear but we can spread the word Violence is not funny ,Violence is not light-hearted, Violence kills.report abuse
Sully of Farmingdale, Me
Dec 16, 2006 9:11 AM
Oh, be real. A stick figure pushing another? Oh, boy, how offensive! Not. Lighten up people, its a joke. I wonder how offensive it would seem if it were the female figure pushing the male out of the box?

By the way...what ever happened to freedom of speech? It seems we lose more and more of our rights to it every day.report abuse
Kathy of South China, Me
Dec 16, 2006 9:33 AM
I am sorry, yes some people may think this t-shirt is offensive but in my opinion it is light hearted and is not meant to be taken seriously. This "complaint is going to make people want it more.If the person who complained about this shirt wants to be really offended go to Old Orchard Beach and check out some of the shirts sold in the tourists traps down there. These shirts are really aimed at the teenagers who do know what it means. The children who see the shirts down there each day are the ones we need to worry about. Get a life. People who attack the "giant" retailers are just out to make a buck thinking if they sue the coorporate world will just settle and they will get money! report abuse

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