Thread: University forced to pull boxes of Obama 'disappoint-mints'

By Rachel Quigley

Last updated at 7:35 PM on 4th August 2011

A University bookstore was forced to pull boxes of mints from its shelves after a state legislator complained that it satirised President Obama.
The red and blue box of mints - which were on sale for $2.99 at the University of Tennessee - bear a picture of the President with the words 'This is change? Disappoint-Mints' underneath.
Officials were forced to pull the product after Democratic state Rep Joe Armstrong visited the bookstore and told the manager he found the mints offensive.
Mr Armstrong told The Knoxville News Sentinel that UT uses federal and state funds and should be sensitive to what he called 'politically specific products'.
He said: 'If it was a private entity or corporation or store, that's different, but this is a state university. We certainly don't want in any way to put the university in a bad light by having those political (products), particularly aimed at defaming the president.'
It was drawn to his attention by a student who was bothered about the mints and the message they carried.
Bookstore director David Kent said the bookstore previously carried mints that satirized former President George W. Bush and said no offence was intended.
But Mr Kent, who has run the bookstore since 2009, took the 30 or so boxes off the shelves without question.
He said: 'We've never had any complaints before and we've carried them for years. But someone saw it and they were offended by it, brought it to the attention of a state representative, and I said "no problem, we'll remove them".'
Senator Armstrong also said that since the mints were not educational material, there was no breech of the First Amendment.
He told the Sentinel: 'With a book or something of that nature, then fine, but that (the mints) is sort of a discretionary product they have. It wasn't viewpoint neutral. Very specifically insulting to the president.'

Glenn Reynolds, who teaches constitutional law at the University, said: 'Let me make very clear, there is no candy exception to the First Amendment.
'Free speech is free speech. If you make fun of the president in a mint, it is just as much free speech as it is if you make fun of the president in a political cartoon.
'While citizens have the right to express disapproval of a message on a tin can of breath mints, that opinion has more heft when it's coming from a government official.'

The company that sells the mints, Unemployed Philosopher's Guild, sells more than 25 different varieties of mints on their website, including ones that poke fun of Sarah Palin and Bush.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z1U7T8GcUl

"Free Speech, and Fresh Breathe!"

Where can I get these mints!!!

But Mr Kent, who has run the bookstore since 2009, took the 30 or so boxes off the shelves without question

Not from this wuss. Man up Kent, and tell them you got some free speech going on here.

Originally Posted by pattyk

But Mr Kent, who has run the bookstore since 2009, took the 30 or so boxes off the shelves without question

Not from this wuss.

exactly

particularly aimed at defaming the president

They call that defaming him? I wouldve wrote "Obama sucks...... and so can you on these tasty breath mints.

DISAPPOINTMINTS

From our Tough Love Department comes Disappointmints. Hey, we've been as big a fan of Barack Obama as anyone. But with each compromise for the sake of unity, "Yes we can" looks more like "No he can't." So in the name of Free Speech and Fresh Breath, we're offering Disappointmints. They're delicious little mints packed in a colorful tin that tells our President just how we feel. We're pretty sure he shops here, so we expect he'll get the message. And Big O - Nothing would make us happier than to take Disappointmints off the market!


Price: $3.00
This item is currently out of stock. Expected arrival is 8/20/2011


http://www.philosophersguild.com/index. ... &item=2123

Originally Posted by stevetheroofer

"Free Speech, and Fresh Breathe!"

They need to put out some Pepto bottles for the upset stomachs that Obama has caused.

Originally Posted by BillCunnane

They need to put out some Pepto bottles for the upset stomachs that Obama has caused.

Certainly! With Obama's picture on the bottle - no words needed!