The “Younger Than McCain” t-shirt by Geoff Ponnath will be for sale on the home page starting at Midnight (12:00am US CST) August 1st to August 14th.
“Hey, what’s your shirt mean?”
“It’s a collage of things that are younger than Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain. I’m stepping into history with this campaign t-shirt as America readies its oldest presidential candidate, ever. ”
“Wow, that’s cool, I’m really jealous.”
“Yeah, you look really jealous.”
The collage:
- Frozen Waffles
- McDonald’s
- Alaska
- Oral Contraceptives
- The Discovery of DNA
- Israel
- Scrabble
- The Hindenburg
- Margaritas
- The Slinky
- Superman
- The 6-Pack
- SPAM
- The US Postal Service’s Zip Code System
- The Discovery of Plutonium
- TV Dinners
- Automatic Transmissions
- The AARP
- The CIA
- The Shopping Cart
- The Golden Gate Bridge
- Duct Tape
[Tip of the hat to thingsyoungerthanmccain.com.]
If you like this design, let us know in the comments. If you hate it, tell us why. The more feedback we get, the better.
AGEISM == stereotyping and prejudice against individuals or groups because of their age. The term was coined in 1969 by US gerontologist Robert N. Butler to describe discrimination against seniors and patterned on sexism and racism.
Butler defined ageism as a combination of three connected elements. These were:
* prejudicial attitudes towards older people, old age and the ageing process
* discriminatory practices against older people
* institutional practices and policies that perpetuate stereotypes about older people.
I do not find the meaning behind the shirt offensive, but I’m not easy to offend. HOWEVER, John McCain deserves to be challenged for his beliefs, not the age of his beliefs.
Ah, I knew this would be the first comment on this shirt. (Which I commissioned. Nice job, Geoff.)
I kinda figured it would be anonymous, too.
Sooooo, here we go:
The act of stating facts is not ageist. My illustrating that McCain is hella old is no different than my stating that Barack Obama is half black. It’s a fact. Obama is what he is, which is half-black.
And McCain is what he is, as well. He was born and raised in a radically different world than he wants to rule. That’s indisputable. Does that make him wise, or does that make him senile? (Hint: It doesn’t make him anything, ageist.)
Now, SOMETHING LIKE THIS makes him completely out of touch and unfit to rule a modern nation, if you ask me. (No one did.)
But that, up there, is a fact filled t-shirt. It’s a farce. It’s sharp graphic design: inspiring commentary by conveying a complex point succinctly.
Ageist, it is not.
See also the parallel discussion on TYTM
The only problem with this shirt is that after the election, it will no longer be relevant or worth wearing. Put it in the category of the bumper sticker (I still see Bush/Gore stickers).
@Kevin
I’m not too sure about that. Old campaign memorabilia is quite collectible, especially if the election is considered a watershed. Which this one certainly is. It’s old vs. new in more ways than one.
This is Dennis in Westwood. First time blogger, long time reader.
Whether it is or isn’t relevant come November 5th, there are points on the timeline of life where you simply have to enjoy the moment, which I plan on doing August 1st. Well presented, Wade, my enterprising, non-ageist friend.
Cool shirt… doesn’t really appeal to us non-Americans, though.
I mean, we know who McCain is, etc, as we get bombarded with your political stuff up here in Canada, too… it just not near as funny up here as it would be in the US. 
So happy to be number 11 … 11’s a nice number. And I can add this to my collection of Obama shirts … so much more subtle, too. Thanks for a great design, so glad I’m an early finder of your site….
Man, people were QUICK! The first 25 shirts were gone in minutes!
What’s up guys – love the site! I was a little disappointed that you didn’t specify what time zone you’re in. I showed up here at 11:45PM Pacifc time expecting to get the jump on the 200 Nipples faithful, only to find that the first 34 shirts have already been snatched up. I dig the design and I’m stoked on your business model, but its hard to justify a $35 shirt purchase at present. Oh well – there’s always next month…
And then again, I could have just read the first sentence of this blog post a little closer – doh!
Actually, if stating facts is not racism or ageism, then
it would be more equivalent to stating:
Mr. Obama is 50% Caucasian from his mother’s side. He is 43.75% Arabic, and 6.25% African Negro from his father’s side.
So actually, he could become the first Arab-American President.
Here is the truth about Mr. Obama’s name, and his father’s ancestors:
True Negro tribal members of western Kenya where his father was born have Christian names, not Arabic. His father’s decision to name him with an Arabic name is a matter of his father establishing his ethnic identity in Africa – it is done deliberately to separate him from the African tribes. He may live among them, but he is not one of them. His father’s message is that he is Arabic, not Negro.
Many will find these truths unsettling. I’m often asked, “But I thought his father was Kenyan. How could Mr. Obama not be African-American, how could his ethnic composition be so Arabic?”
The definitive clue to that answer is to look at his name, his father’s name, and the names of all his ancestors on his father’s side. They are all Arabic.
Researching his roots reveal that on his father’s side, he is descended from Arab slave traders. They operated under an extended grant from Queen Victoria, who gave them the right to continue the slave trade in exchange for helping the British defeat the Madhi Army in southern Sudan and the Upper Nile region. Funny how circular is history; now the British again face the Madhi Army, albeit this time Shiite, not Sunni, as in nineteenth century Sudan.
But telling America’s black community that while their ancestors were breaking the shackles of slavery, Mr. Obama’s ancestors were placing those shackles upon their wrists would hardly play as an Oprah Winfrey best-seller.
Being the son of a poor Kenyan goat-herder plays much better than being the son of a highly placed Arab-African who operated at the top of the Kenyan government following his education at Columbia. You see, even the way he portrays his father is a lie.
What amazes me more than anything else about Mr. Obama’s heritage is the unwillingness of anyone in the journalism profession to want to know the truth. While all this is easily documentable, it is so radioactive that no one wants to be on the receiving end of the racist charges that will bombard whoever broaches the truth.
Oops, forgot the link. Most of this comes from:
http://kennethelamb.blogspot.com/2008/02/barak-obama-questions-about-ethnic.html
@pat moore
But that wouldn’t make for a fun t-shirt, now would it?
Careful, Scottie, maybe our next design should be a beaker of Obama’s ancestry…
Enough of this crap about ethnicity and percentages of their ethnic backrounds. They’re both American. Deal With it.
I can’t possibly be expected to judge them by their policy now can I? ;-P
@pat moore
But that wouldn’t make for a fun t-shirt, now would it?
Well, it might. How about a “people with more black blood than Obama” shirt with a collage of pictures.
We could start with Warren G. Harding.
“We could start with Warren G. Harding.”
Oh, snap.
For what it is worth you could just as easily title your shirt ‘Things that are older than Obama’ for they all are. No additional shirt for Obama needed this is a two for one deal.
If these are on sale until the end of August, how are you shipping on Aug 22?
Orders placed before August 8th will ship August 22nd. The ship date listed on the site will always be accurate for current orders being placed.
Oh, neat feature! There are so many innovative things about this site that I figured it was something I just wasn’t getting. BTW, this shirt is much more awesomer than the last one (concept, not execution- I like the graphic on the last one, too.)
I bought shirt #36 and just received it on Wednesday. Wore it today and had some really interesting conversations. One was with a youngster who was like “He’s older than Slinky? No way!”. I live in Georgia and I was hoping to get it in time for our runoff election, but having it during the Pallin shitstorm is even better! Everyone I spoke to picked a different image to discuss. It is really striking and much more interesting to people in the little blue state island in the middle of the great red state sea that is my county in this state than either of my Obama shirts.
brilliant! i think dirt might be younger too.
I’m pretty sure Alaska is older than McCain. As is any land mass (save recent volcanic creations).
Now, Alaska’s STATEHOOD might be younger.
And to those who think the McCain age thing is about his outdated beliefs. It’s not, it’s about his likelihood of becoming incapacitated, senile, or DEAD while in office. and THAT is absolutely worth questioning.
“It’s sharp graphic design: inspiring commentary by conveying a complex point succinctly.”
What exactly is this oh-so-complex point? That McCain is old?
The shirt blows. Get over yourself I’m So Sharpy McSharpson IV. You make me sick.
Hey, cool tips. Perhaps I’ll buy a glass of beer to that man from that chat who told me to visit your blog
I think the blog is bravo and I have subscribed it.