Urban Outfitters is one of the top clothing stores that is target towards young adults across the globe. The store provides seemingly original clothing with a wide range of varying styles, also selling vinyl, electronics, home décor, accessories and many other items. Although this shop is extremely fashion forward, it has offered many controversial pieces in the past including shirts that promote depression, eating less, alcohol and smoking. The most recent questionable item for sale was a “vintage” one of a kind Kent State University sweater that sold for $129 on the shop’s website. Viewers were puzzled when viewing the sweater as it had a red substance splattered in random places on the front of the jumper seeming like blood stains. For those unfamiliar with the Kent State massacre, Kent State suffered a tragedy in 1974. The lives of four students who were protesting the Vietnam War were shot and killed the afternoon of May 4^th by a volley of National Guard gunfire. Many people were offended as the red splattering on the sweater claiming it looked strikingly similar to blood splatter.

Urban Outfitters CEO, Richard Hayne, sent out a mass email to all company employees letting them know that it was purely an accident.

“It was mistakenly identified as ‘bloody’. We wanted to address this with our community and provide some ‘facts’.” Hayne wrote in the email. He then goes on explaining how the article of clothing belonged to their “sun-faded” and “distressed” collection and the red splattering is just an affect going along with it.

Kent state university released a statement regarding the incident shortly after stating

“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 later posted an apology on Twitter stating “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 1974 and we are extremely saddened that this item was perceived as such. 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.”

FSA Connection Questions:

1. In the piece, the word volley means what?
2. The author seems to offer what main idea?
3. Select the best two statements of the story that supports the idea that this incident was an accident.
4. Select one sentence that best summarizes the work.
5. What is the connotation of the word vintage in the story?