What will you not print?

[logobear]

Hi,
a general question about the ethics of printing stuff. I am not talking about copywrite, but about ideas that you might not be comfortable with.....
Examples might involve religion, field sports, provocative statements etc - like the recent issues Keep calm and XXXXX (do something unpleasant)
I had photolabs for many years, and developed the attitude of live & let live, thou I did report images on DIY bomb making and maybe one or two others.
Some ideas might offend some people
eg 'I like the Pope, - the Pope smokes Dope!' - funny, but is it offensive?
I have refused to do prints allong the lines of "Allah is a XXXX" etc simply because it is inciteful!
Is it about what you feel comfortable with, - if a member of staff is a vegitarian, is it ok to make them print t-shirts for a butchers?
what about politics? - t-shirts for OR against Thatcher ? it can be a mine field.....
Religions, - there are many, and you might not agree with them, .....
The area i get stuck is with the EDL
The English Defence League have a bad reputation and we would clearly refuse to print anything that is racist or inciteful, but what about printing just the name?
I don't feel comfortable printing it, but I cannot find the right reason to refuse, free speach, live & let live, all that stuff.
What do you do?

[Andrew]

We had the EDL approach us before about a range of merchandise that they wanted to carry for their supporters. In fairness, they did give me an "easy out" in that they said they would totally understand if we were not comfortable in working with them etc. so we turned them down politely. Just can do without the association.

There is probably plenty I wouldn't print personally but the issue is further complicated for us in that we are primarily trade printers. We haven't yet come accross a design that we would have point blank turned down ourselves yet but this would be complicated as we would then question one of our main customers ethics on who they might be dealing with. We had to print some mugs for one of the Northern Ireland sides where there is a clear 50/50 divide. Nothing inciteful but obviously supporting the cause of one side. That one I would have prefered not to have the complications on with the constant tentions there but it was a trade customer order so I didn't have to deal direct. I know my customer didn't put a couple of designs through to me so they saved us decision making.

I have printed many mugs with bad language on (as bad as it gets) that many would find offensive. Not sure where my switch off point would be. EDL was the first one where I have said no thanks. Printed for several different religious based designs, adult brands and even once for a Boy Band I detest. I think you need to be generally open to what is widely accepted in the various different communities without causing real offence (other than in an intentional naughty/funny way).

[Discofish]

Blimey - bit heavy, but an interesting topic! There's a fine line between freedom of expression and not being offensive to others and I think both are often taken to unhelpful extremes. I would certainly steer clear of anything that falls under terrorism or hate crime laws (http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/fact_sheets/hate_crime/) It's blurring civil and criminal a bit but if a t-shirt printer could be at fault for printing a copyright image at a customer's request then it would make sense that we could also be held accountable for printing something inciteful. EDL is a difficult one - no win situation really as someone's going to be upset whichever way it goes, but I would turn it down on the basis that I don't want to print it. Even if you've advertised a t-shirt printing service, you're not making a contract offer and you're under no obligation to accept an order. The advertising or website or shop windows is simply an "invitation to treat". The customer's order is the contract offer which you can chose to accept, reject or counter-offer. I shall now remove my metaphorical feet from this minefield!

[Paul]

this is bloody good question Mr.logobear. I was thinking this same few weeks back.
to me keep calm and seat on my face is not that offensive but i would not feel comfy with it. i did mug for my mate at work but i didn't feel too good with it.
I would NOT print anything that offend football team or any religion. this is coz its simply rude and can drive some unwanted attention to person wearing it. I dont think i would feel to good by hearing that someone was stabbed by some offended muslim person or by some nuts football fan!
I also WOULD NOT print things like "smell your mamma" or similar. i was asked by friend to print simple "C**T SQUAD" on 5 tees but i send him to tesco.
there is loads of stuff i wouldn't print. this is only few that i can think off at this moment.

[mrs maggot]

I wont print anything that the customer does not pay up front for and that's about it i have put most of the 4 letter words on shirts more times than i care to remember, and have no issues doing it, main issue for me is remembering which T shirt i have on when i nip to the post office "I will not keep calm and you can f*ck off" made the woman laugh the other week

EDL - dont get involved, as people who walk in wanting something printed are avoiding using EDL's printers and adding to their "fighting funds" or anyone else that asks for anything to be printed that there is a main website for.

[logobear]

gotta be more than 4 comments on this?

[danm]

The customer is always right.

If they want it and they pay, then they shall receive it.

Someone out there will do it, if not you. Ethics aside, money talks. If you won't do it, they'll find the person next to you. What do you lose by printing something you slightly disagree with? Your conscience?

That said, the single one thing I would absolutely never touch is mocking disabilities and illness/death.

Religion and vegetarians? Bring it on. These choices are made by them, so they're open to jokes.

[purpledragon]

Im pretty much with Laura on this one , theres always someone you can offend in one way or another if i put meat is murder on a shirt is that not offenssve to meat eaters at the same time if i put ooo i could do with a big juicy burger on a shirt is this not offensive to vegans etc you will always find some one to offend if you look hard enough . Ive been asked before now to print erm lets say certain his n hers body parts on pillow cases before at valantines not offensive to me im always happy to be faced with a pair of boobs in the morning not so much the male side but hey with evry upside theres a down. i think wht you need to ask is this whats illegal to print for instance (and we should assume jedi is a legit religion as i dont want to offend any real religion) if i put ALL JEDIS MUST BE KILLED i would suggest that this is incitment to kill and therefore illegal. printing a screen shot from a porn film (use your imagination here but not too much) would be producing indecent images with out a license and im pretty sure you couldnt walk around with an image of a lady with her legs in the air and her gentleman friend doing the biz without gaining some interest from the authorities .

[gorgall2]

Pretty much in agreement, as long as it is not illegal, I'll give the customer what they want.

[Maccbean]

Depends on your morals. If I didn't feel happy printing something, I wouldn't, simple. Anything racist or hateful are definite no nos, because that's the way I live my life and run my business. I've had pornographic photos emailed to me (a bit of a shock on a Monday morning I can tell you), and I simply won't print it. Nudity is fine though, as there's nowt wrong with a nice bottom!