The phrase "Bush Lied" was superimposed over the names. As the casualty count grew, the bumper sticker became a T-shirt, and Frazier added the words "They Died."
It is a pain to be able to see both sides of this argument. The LAT has a writeup about it, and I was perusing their email edition newspaper this morning when I came across the story. Dan Frazier is making money off the names of dead soldiers. First off, that bothers me the most…its not like Mr. Frazier is running a non-profit agency, he is making and selling his T-shirts to MAKE money. He rationalizes it by saying he is doing this to end the war..wrong dude..your doing it to line your pockets. If you were doing it to end the war..ALL the proceeds would go to an Anti-war group or groups.
A mother of one of the dead soldiers, Margy Bons is also against the war. She tried to keep her son from enlisting but to no avail. He actually sought out a battalion that was shipping out to Iraq when he enlisted. He really wanted to go and sadly he did..and he was killed. Margy Bons is still very anti-war..but she is angry that Mr. Frazier uses her dead sons name to make money and knowing as she does, her sons feelings were still going strong supporting the war when he died, she thinks its a travesty that Mr. Frazier continues to use the names of dead soldiers even after the parents or relatives have asked him to cease and desist.
I consider Mr. Frazier a vulture and opportunist. I can not support an endeavor that makes money off dead people in this fashion. Mr. Frazier likes to call it 'defending his right to free speech'. Thats all well and good, but buddy..
Your not giving away those T-shirts are you? They aren't free by any stretch of the imagination. The money isn't even going towards any anti-war efforts in any appreciable amount. He could offer them at cost and then I might be able to support him..but I am not even sure that would do it for me. The money is going to support Mr. Fraziers lifestyle.
And that's where I get mad.
There is an old saying..the Dead can't sue. Perhaps Mr. Frazier is banking on that assumption. But there are states that have taken notice of Mr. Frazier's activities and passed laws against it. Five states — Arizona, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma and Florida — have since passed laws requiring permission from members of the military or their next of kin before their names can be used commercially. A version of the law has been introduced in each chamber of Congress.
I also see Mr. Fraziers pov vaguely..that he wishes to end the war is a noble idea millions of us have. He says he gives $1 for every shirt sold to a group that supports the families of dead soldiers. But the shirts sell for $22 a piece. That is a tiny percentage that is going back into the community. He advertises on leftwing sites which of course costs money. He is paying his rent with the money he makes from the sale of his T-shirts. I think its called blood money.
In the end..he is simply making money off the dead..and I just don't think that's right..regardless of the cause or the reason. No matter what rationale Mr. Frazier uses, its wrong to me if the relatives of these dead soldiers want their names removed, Mr. Frazier should comply. Here is what he says about the matter:
"I'm not losing any sleep over the fact that I'm trying to make a living while doing good,"
Tags: Dan Frazier
