Students at the library

One college kid is getting death threats after creating and selling hoodies that display racially charged statements.

University of Wisconsin-Madison student Eneale Pickett, whose collection includes a shirt that says “All White people are racist,” says his intention is to make people uncomfortable. By that standard, he’s a success: Etsy has removed his listings multiple times and even Dane County Boys and Girls Club President Michael Johnson wants to steer him in a different, less “divisive” direction.

Pickett says of the controversy:

“I made these sweatshirts initially to start a conversation, and now it’s to shift a conversation because people have been talking about race, sexuality and gender, but now I’m doing it to make them uncomfortable. Because in this country, no one really wants to talk about these issues unless they’re truly uncomfortable.”

While Johnson can understand the “underlying issues,” he believes what Pickett is doing is wrong.

From ABC13:

“Even though the constitution says people can say what they want to say, utilizing hoodies and wearing shirts like this, it’s just not right.” Johnson said.

Michael Johnson says he hopes to meet with Pickett to discuss different ways to express his message.

WMTV reports that so far Pickett has sold 40 sweatshirts. According to Pickett’s Facebook page, Etsy, the website used to sell the shirts, has removed the sweatshirt listings multiple times.

Thoughts?

SOURCE: ABC13 | PHOTO CREDIT: Getty, Twitter

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