SwiftVets.com

[Guest]

"The dignity of the POW/MIA flag is in jeopardy.
An internet company has co-opted the design of the flag for their on sleazy purposes with one goal, lining their pockets.
Please visit
http://www.skinindustries.com/shop/product76.html

THEY HAVE A CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPT.


UPDATE:

IN NEW EMAIL FROM JOE OLIVER 4/14
Al Borda wrote:

On the Thirtieth Anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, this product has been permanently removed out of respect for those who did not come home. Understand that this tee shirt design was never intended to insult or offend any person and I apologize for any hardship that I may have caused through the use of this design. We are in the process of calculating the profits that we have received from the tee shirt in question and Skin Industries will pay all such profits to the AMERICAN GOLD STARS MOTHERS, INC. Please accept my sincere apology,
Al Borda
CEO of the SKIN EMPIRE
Skin Industries, Skin Entertainment & Skin Retail Group

[kate]

for comparison......


http://www.pow-miafamilies.org/flaghistory.html
On August 10, 1990, the 101st Congress passed U.S. Public Law 101-355, which recognized the League’s POW/MIA flag and designated it "as the symbol of our Nation’s concern and commitment to resolving as fully as possible the fates of Americans still prisoner, missing and unaccounted for in Southeast Asia, thus ending the uncertainty for their families and the Nation".


Only one flag besides the Stars and Stripes that represents the United States has ever flown over the White House in Washington, DC. Only one flag is ever displayed in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. That flag is not one that represents an individual state, branch of service, or other select group. It is the POW/MIA (Prisoners of War/Missing In Action) Flag that calls to mind the sacrifice and plight of those Americans who have sacrificed their own freedom, to preserve liberty for all of us. It's presence serves to remind us that, while we enjoy the privileges of freedom, somewhere there are soldiers who have not been accounted for and may, in fact, be held against their will by the enemies of Freedom.
http://www.homeofheroes.com/hallofheroes/1st_floor/flag/1bfb_disp9c.html
_________________
.
one of..... We The People

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

I took a look when I saw this post and poked around their site.

The page with "Shadow" has been removed in the last ten or twenty minutes, though.

Do we dare hope that someone recognized that those design elements in that color combination would be offensive to a whole lot of people?
_________________
~ Echo Juliet ~
Altering course to starboard - On Fire, Keep Clear
Navy woman, Navy wife, Navy mother

[kate]

that was fast!
maybe they had some complaints, and actually listened to them.... lets hope
_________________
.
one of..... We The People

[Guest]

JOE OLIVER IN HOUSTON HAS BEEN ALL OVER THEM ABOUT IT. HERES SOME OF WHAT WENT DOWN.
Dear Al BORE Borda - you are STEALING HONOR!!,

You JUST DON'T GET IT! You can do what ever you want with a "tee shirt" but taking the
PoW/MIA logo and adjusting it to something to make you money is NOT an option.

Affirmation of the Promise represented in that logo and flag - in that lies honor. In what you are
doing lies prolonged missery.

You make those who understand what the PoW/MIA logo represents regress and want to go places
they swore they'd never go again. And the Families of those PoW/MIA... have you any idea how you
have insulted the families? Or don't you care?

I would like the name of the man you claim served 2 tours in Korea and 3 Tours in Vietnam. Cause
given your attitude, I just DON'T believe it. I know a lot of brats from all services, and you certainly
don't sound or act like one. They UNDERSTAND what you seem to miss. It's not the TEESHIRT --
it's the Logo you perverted pervert- a symbol of those who still serve under the most hostile conditions,
the hope of the Families of those who still serve and the Honor of those who understand and promised,
No Man Left Behind, and that Flag and Logo is the promises Seal.

These men are not IGNORANT there is a difference between ignorant and ( put mildly ) upset. Bones
is got all the right in the world to lay out how he feels... most do - hoping you will listen to the pain your
causing.. but you won't - will you. If any one is IGNORANT it's you. Just don't look in the mirror
you might see it.

What you do is YOUR choice, the out come is YOUR CHOICE as well.

You need to consider what you have done, take it down, and send a letter of apology to The PoW/MIA Families.

You should NOT create a patch/logo that even comes close to the PoW/MIA Flag/Logo.

Personally, I do not want to hear from you, nor your whining any
more.. this will be the last time I answer any of your BS.

Take it down, give up on the idea of mimicking in any way, shape or form the PoW/MIA Flag & Logo.

Then get on with your sleazy life in another venue. I wouldn't buy a glass of water from you if I was
dieing, nor take it if you offered free. You understand that?

What comes your way back ally sally, if you don't, you deserve. When I meet folks like you I always wonder if their
parents had any kids that lived. I can state this with certainty, you'll never be the man your mother was.

and thats the way it is.....

Joe Oliver, GED (Bet you don't have one of those)
News & Views (Not Politically Correct, No Speil Chicker, No GrammaTics ( Got Gramm a Tic Collar )
Not a Yes man
Houston, TX

(( PS: Any one replys to the moron, reply to ALL on this email header and send them your opinion as many
times as you choose. They are a business, and you have a right to opinion about how they do as many times
as you so choose.. ))

Peace and Grace
Once Ruled This Place
An Angel Stood Guard at The Door
Now Peace is Dead,
The Angel has Fled
and O'le Grace now's
a hustling **ore!




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Al Borda wrote:
Emails like this is the reason why I will not take dont the shirt!

I have to deal with ignorant, threaten people like this over a tee shirt!

Once my staff (not me) gets an email apology from the 6 people how have threaten them, I will take down the shirt all together. You can call me and email me anything
you want, but you are coming down on my employees who have no say what's so ever with the product Skin Industries puts out.

I can understand you frustration or even hatred with me, but the young ladies that answer our phones, come on and grow up. Fight a man, leave the women and children
alone.

Al Borda



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

----- Original Message -----
From: Lou 'Bones' Yanni

To: Al Borda
Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2005 5:49 PM
Subject: No can do

Sorry
I cannot let it lie... you have choose to pi** on veterans. Redesign the ****ing shirt altogether and be done with it.
There's nothing to talk about. You will most likely spend the rest of your life looking over your shoulder. good luck.
you stated to a fellow brother that "Both my father and my stepfather served in the Air Force. My stepfather completed two tours of duty in Korea and three in
Vietnam. In fact, the first five years of my life were spent living on military bases overseas."
If these people are alive, you should call and check up on them.
They most likely got one in the chamber and the barrel to their head in disgrace and embarrassment for what their c*****r son is doing to the 'Public Law' symbol
of our unaccounted countrymen and veterans.
Many have tried to explain the significance and sanctity of this symbol, but the dollar signs in your greedy little eyes won't let you see it...
Go plagiarize someone else's logo to run your offensive scams...
It is the veteran who has made your *ing yuppie life possible.
You have easily replaced Jane Fonda as the nations biggest piece of *hit

Until They're All Home
Then I'll Leave It Alone

Lou "Bones"

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

There is a resemblance between the "Shadow" design and the POW/MIA flag, but it's hard to say in designs this simple whether or not the misuse/abuse was intentional. As an artist, I've used those two elements together without the POW/MIA flag ever even occurring to me.

Its elements are a circle and a flat-topped arch over the top of the circle.

Printed in any colors but white on black, it would actually be difficult to make the connection, but if you start looking for them, you can see these two design elements used together in a variety of logos, posters, jewelry, textiles, paintings, advertising, etc.

Whatever the company's reason for using that combination, this is a good lesson in how NOT to request that a company reconsider a product or a decision.

That type of letter above is no way to persuade someone to your way of looking at things - after all, you can't FORCE someone to remove a design from their line unless you can legally claim copyright infringement and take them to court.

You need their cooperation and understanding.

Don't attempt to write a letter of persuasion when you're that upset. I know how often I have to push myself away from the computer. I know how long it can take to write and endlessly re-write a concise and civil letter when my heart is racing and the blood is pounding in my face.

People will respond to pain and passion when it's phrased politely - but cussing and threatening and name-calling will only make them resistant and defensive.

I hope that Skin will understand that this is a subject that catches our hair on fire and makes blood boil.

I hope they will decide not to use the design, at all.

But, if I were the owner of the company, I'd certainly have my back up over this, especially if I used the design unknowingly and without malice.

Hopefully, he's gotten a lot of other letters which are reasoned and get the point across less acrimoniously - that this is painful and offensive to a lot of people and could end up hurting his company more than helping it.
_________________
~ Echo Juliet ~
Altering course to starboard - On Fire, Keep Clear
Navy woman, Navy wife, Navy mother

[SBD]

I am glad it all worked out and somewhat suprised. Have any of you done a Google search for Al Borda? It's a real eye opener

I would guess that he did not want his other Enterprise to get the backlash from Conservatives.

BTW, Joe Oliver was right about the GED comment as he never did graduate from High School.

Porn King of La Costa
Take Al Borda. A dropout from Torrey Pines High, Borda says he's one of the
most successful producers of pornographic movies in the country,

AB: It was Oreo -- O-R-E-O. I made a movie called Whoreo. They're saying between the name and the pattern of how we designed the box cover, I guess they're saying it's similar to the cookie packaging.

MP: So they sued you?

AB: Yep.


SBD