Tammy Bruce: Newsflash: Stalking T-Shirt Not Funny

Newsflash: Stalking T-Shirt Not Funny

It's just a little T-shirt. Gray with white and fuchsia writing. But its message was a slap in the face to the woman who called me Thursday after seeing it in her local Wal-Mart.

"Some say it's stalking, I call it love."

For the past two years, this woman has been stalked until she feels like a prisoner in her own life. She has been spied upon, bullied and threatened with her life..."It's reprehensible," said the woman, whose story is well documented but who asked not to be identified for fear that her stalker might retaliate.

"People don't realize how serious stalking is," she said. "You constantly live in fear, look over your shoulder and suffer from psychological and physical symptoms due to the stress of the stalker."

She wondered aloud: What's next? "Some say it's rape, I call it hot sex"? Or: "Some call it domestic violence, I say I'm just teaching her a lesson"?

And this in 2007. In Wal-Mart. Sheesh.

Posted by Tammy · September 26, 2007 09:55 AM · Permalink
Authentic Feminism | Crime | Cultural Commentary

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California Penal Code:
646.9. (a) Any person who willfully, maliciously, and repeatedly follows or willfully and maliciously harasses another person and who makes a credible threat with the intent to place that person in reasonable fear for his or her safety, or the safety of his or her immediate family is guilty of the crime of stalking, punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year, or by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment, or by imprisonment in the state prison.

Posted by: xroadcop at September 26, 2007 12:32 PM

Now that's just disturbing. Another reason to add to my long list of reasons why I avoid shopping at Walmart.

Posted by: ltlme at September 26, 2007 01:37 PM

Some call it genocide. I call it cleaning the gene pool.

Posted by: brutepcm at September 26, 2007 02:11 PM

Oh please, get a sense of humor already.

If everybody were forced to walk on eggshells for the sake of each person's emotional baggage, there would be no such thing as humor.

[Being stalked=emotional baggage? Is that like Being raped=not being in the right mood? What's wrong with you?--ed.]

Posted by: JamesQuentinClark at September 26, 2007 05:26 PM

James Q. Clark, ever actually known anyone who was stalked? Obsessives do not stop, they do not get better, but they are also generally highly-functioning, intelligent and manipulative: they are some of the most dangerous criminals you can imagine. I was involved in prosecuting someone who had previous charges involving the same three victims for attempted murder, arson, kidnapping, and soliciting rape. These victims were justifiably scared for their lives for years, and that defendant will almost certainly be spending the rest of their life in the Florida State Mental Hospital, and thank God, and good riddance. Stalking is just not a joke.

Posted by: Dave J at September 26, 2007 05:46 PM

Better send me to re-education camp because I thought the t-shirt was funny. It seems as though I just can't rely on my own intelligence and morals to know the difference. Fortunately for me there are those out there that are more than willing to show me the way and educate me.

Posted by: jdb at September 26, 2007 06:26 PM

I was very apprehensive about posting on this topic - then, I saw James Q. Clark's comment. As long this sort of 'thinking' exists, there's reason to speak up - maybe even scream w/ rage.

James - your attitude is frightening. Someone who could find humor in harassing, following, threatening and being physically violent towards women (and children - and some men) is no different than the beast committing the act. You are on equal footing with a stalker when you dismiss those who have suffered and wish to have a laugh at their expense.

What was it about that shirt you found so funny to begin with?

Glad you're not in my social circle.

Posted by: artgal at September 26, 2007 06:56 PM

Amen, ARTGAL!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: ltlme at September 26, 2007 10:35 PM

Some call this humor.

I call it stupidity.

Posted by: RagingBullmoose at September 26, 2007 11:59 PM

This is horribly wrong and offensive. Being a woman that has been the victim of a domestic assault and managed to get a lifetime restraining order (the judge let him go when he threatened to kill me and various family members in court because he knew him) I find this extremely offensive. Who ever the buyer was on this shirt should be fired.

Posted by: Call Screener at September 27, 2007 10:11 AM

Thought I would comment even further.

There was another post above wherein someone else found this t-shirt funny. And yes, I do heavily question the intelligence and morals of ANYONE who finds this shirt acceptable and humorous.

Think of all the abductions that occur and the many deaths that result. The animals who engage in this criminal act usually stalk their prey before devouring them. How in the world does that bring on the laughter?

I find myself just seething knowing that in this day, there can still be such a non-chalant attitude toward this violence. The only reason I had initially been apprehensive about posting was due to my blood pressure skyrocketing after seeing the t-shirt.

There's nothing like a strong reminder that someone is making money over the ignorance (or sheer stupidity or rotting of the soul) of those who buy into it and ultimately, at the expense of those of us who have been stalked.

Posted by: artgal at September 27, 2007 11:54 AM

"The animals who engage in this criminal act..."

As a prosecutor, I think using the word "animal" to refer to criminals lets them off, and is unfair to actual animals.

Posted by: Dave J at September 27, 2007 06:23 PM

I can't help but come to the conclusion that anyone who would think this shirt is even midly amusing must have a bit of the stalker within. It would be interesting to know how many Wal-Mart actually sells. On the other hand, it might be better not to know.

Posted by: Kimj7157 at September 27, 2007 08:35 PM

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