Why, Urban Outfitters, why?
Urban Outfitters has done it again.
After previously getting flack for t-shirts that some felt glamorized depression and anorexia, the store seemed to recently hit an insensitive low with this "vintage" Kent State University sweatshirt.
Retailing for $129, the sweatshirt clearly appears to be blood-stained -- a reference to the 1970 Kent State shootings, in which four students died when the Ohio National Guard opened fire on unarmed college students who were protesting the Vietnam War.
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Kent State University commented on the sweater with the following statement:
"May 4, 1970, was a watershed moment for the country and especially the Kent State family. We lost four students that day while nine others were wounded and countless others were changed forever."
"We take great offense to a company using our pain for their publicity and profit. This item is beyond poor taste and trivializes a loss of life that still hurts the Kent State community today."
Urban Outfitters apologized for the pricey piece Monday, but claimed that the sweatshirt was never intended to allude to the tragic Kent State shootings.
Urban Outfitters sincerely apologizes for any offense our Vintage Kent State Sweatshirt may have caused. It (cont) http://t.co/o3oKyPJFu8
— Urban Outfitters (@UrbanOutfitters) September 15, 2014"Urban Outfitters sincerely apologizes for any offense our Vintage Kent State Sweatshirt may have caused. It was never our intention to allude to the tragic events that took place at Kent State in 1970 and we are extremely saddened that this item was perceived as such," the full tweet reads. "The one-of-a-kind item was purchased as part of our sun-faded vintage collection. There is no blood on this shirt nor has this item been altered in any way. The red stains are discoloration from the original shade of the shirt and the holes are from natural wear and fray. Again, we deeply regret that this item was perceived negatively and we have removed it immediately from our website to avoid further upset."
School shootings have been heavily covered in the news lately -- in May, 22-year-old Elliot Rodger allegedly went on a homicidal rampage, murdering six innocent people and himself near the campus of UC Santa Barbara.