Black lives matter, of course they do.
Blue lives matter, of course they do.
And, of course, military lives matter.
The problem with putting labels on such things is that there’s always another group that will get their feelings hurt. Creating t-shirts, hats, and such for people to wear with one of these sayings doesn’t lift a particular group up. Instead, it turns to being divisive.
It’s why the black lives matter issue became so explosive.
Now, one country music star has decided to be divisive…and make a few bucks in the process.
Jason Aldean and his wife Brittany have decided to launch an entire “Military Lives Matter” t-shirts on their Instagram pages. They have quite a few “patriotic” phrases, including one that reads “Unapologetically Conservative.”
No one has really ever said that military lives don’t matter. However, it seems that this is one of the catchiest phrases lately, and Aldean wants to make sure that he cashes in.
The country music star is doing fine, financially, in case you’re wondering. It’s not as if he suddenly needs money to pay for his expensive lifestyle.
When most people launch a clothing line like this, it goes to a particular cause.
Many of the “Black Lives Matter” shirts sold went to the organization of the same name so that they could hold bigger and more destructive rallies around the country.
When “Blue Lives Matter” shirts were sold to support the police, many of the profits went to support the families of officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.
So, does this mean that the Aldeans have decided to launch a fundraiser in support of military families?
Not exactly. It has been identified that a “portion” of the funds raised from their clothing sale will go to the Special Forces Charitable truth. Brittany Aldean failed to mention just what percentage that might be…and where the remaining profit will go.
Controversial and widely distributed merchandise featuring this catch-phrase is the epitome of opportunism. The #Blacklivesmatter hashtag showed up in 2013 when George Zimmerman was acquitted for the shooting of Trayvon Martin.
As for the “Blue Lives Matter,” the thin blue line predates 2013.
And now, the Aldean family feel as though they have cornered the market on a new version of the catch-phrase.
Let’s be clear. Jason Aldean has never served in the military. So, it’s not as if he can say that he identifies with the pain and anguish of veterans.
This isn’t the first time that the Aldeans have found themselves in the center of some t-shirt controversy, either. A few months back, their children were photographed wearing anti-Biden clothing. One shirt read “Hidin’ from Biden.”
This is America. If the Aldeans want to dress their kids in anti-Biden paraphernalia, they are welcome to do so. It is clear that they are unapologetically conservative, and that is certainly beneficial when it comes to taking their opinions to the polling stations.
What’s not welcome is the exploitation of the military.
It seems that Brittany Aldean thought it would be great to make a quick buck at the expense of veterans. Buy these t-shirts…and then see the Aldean family get richer. A “percentage” going to a military organization is not enough. If this were a true fundraiser, all proceeds would be going to the organization.
It’s unfortunate that the Aldeans can’t understand that they are wrong in what they have done. There’s no telling what they’ll decide to try and cash in on next.
