Speigel Online: Tee'd Off: Right-Wing Extremists Tricked by Trojan Shirts

[Larry]

Link.

Thanks, slashdot, for the tip.

Fans at a recent right-wing extremist rock festival in Germany thought they were getting free T-shirts that reflected their nationalistic worldview. But after the garment's first wash they discovered otherwise. The original image rinsed away to reveal a hidden message from an activist group.

With a skull-and-crossbones logo and the message "Hardcore Rebels - National and Free," some 250 black T-shirts given away at a recent right-wing extremist rock festival were quickly snapped up. But there was more to the tough-looking image than met the eye.

Once the rightist rockers washed their new shirts, they were dismayed to find an entirely different message: "If your T-shirt can do it, so can you. We'll help to free you from right-wing extremism." The offer, complete with contact information, came from a group called Exit Deutschland, which helps people get out of the neo-Nazi scene.

[Duckus]

Awesome. What I freaking awesome idea.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

Awesome. What I freaking awesome idea.

100%. Amazing idea.

[Koolblue13]

That's brilliant.

[Park City Skins]

Heh. I like that "alot." Takes subliminal messages in a different direction. (In a good direction I might add).

[mistertim]

That is a very great and creative idea. I really hope it gets through to at least some of those people who bought them.

[twa]

very creative,but probably ineffective....other than the publicity generated

[China]

When I first read the thread title I thought perhaps they had made the shirts out of condoms.

[Larry]

When I first read the thread title I thought perhaps they had made the shirts out of condoms.

Recycled condoms.

Liberals, you know.

[mardi gras skin]

the initiative to outwit the neo-Nazis...

People always love being outwitted. Great idea.

[greenspandan]

probably not gonna generate a ton of converts, but who cares. anything that pisses off a nazi is cool in my book.

[Dan T.]

probably not gonna generate a ton of converts, but who cares. anything that pisses off a nazi is cool in my book.

The intended purpose stated further down the article made sense.

"...the initiative to outwit the neo-Nazis is unlikely to prompt immediate re-evaluation of their values," Wagner said. "But our name will be stored in their minds. And when they consider leaving the scene at some point, they will remember us," he told the paper. The group's main goal was to reach young right-wing extremists "in a situation where they would hopefully be alone at home."


The only weakness in the plan I see: how often do those people do laundry? For many the message may never be revealed...

[mardi gras skin]

probably not gonna generate a ton of converts, but who cares. anything that pisses off a nazi is cool in my book.

I agree with this. If they were trying to piss the Nazis off, this was a great idea. But its not what the group says they want to do though:

Still, the initiative to outwit the neo-Nazis is unlikely to prompt immediate re-evaluation of their values, Wagner said. "But our name will be stored in their minds. And when they consider leaving the scene at some point, they will remember us," he told the paper. The group's main goal was to reach young right-wing extremists "in a situation where they would hopefully be alone at home."

Not going to happen. At best, its delusional. All it will do is anger them, re-entrench the Nazis in an "us against them" mentality. Christian groups do this all the time. They claim that they care about non-christians so they try to get cute when they're "evangelizing" (misnomer if every there was one) by tricking people with a bait and switch and all it does is piss people off.

If you want to have a positive effect on another person, don't start off by trying to "outwit" them.

[Destino]

People always love being outwitted. Great idea.

I'm not an extremist but I have to say if that happened to me I'd be thinking "well played!" and laugh about it.

[mardi gras skin]

I'm not an extremist but I have to say if that happened to me I'd be thinking "well played!" and laugh about it.

Sure.

Now picture the Dead Tree Crew throwing their Cooley jerseys in the wash and pulling out Romo jerseys. The next Skins/Cowboy's game, someone is getting hurt.