The New Fashion Rage in Mug Shots

[snopes]

Comment: This tells you a lot. The new fashion rage in mug shots.

Just think about this for a second: Did you ever see anyone arrested wearing
a Bush T-shirt, or for you older guys, a Gerald Ford, or Nixon, or Bob Dole
shirt.

There's a message here, but I can't quite grasp it, or maybe I am afraid to.

[Auntie Witch]

Civil disobedience?

(Okay, so probably not, but hey, it was a thought!)

[Spam & Cookies-mmm]

These were in the Smoking Gun's 2008 mugshots of the year collection.

Niven's Law number 16 applies: "There is no cause so right that one cannot find a fool following it"

[Wolf333]

Did you ever see anyone arrested wearing a Bush T-shirt

No, because CEOs are usually wearing a suit and tie when they get arrested.

[Mr. Billion]

At least one person caught up in the "mug shot fashion trend" has a quite innocuous reason for being arrested: He was playing his music too loud when celebrating Obama's victory.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive...bamahair1.html

[mags]

I don't get the feeling many Bush or McCain supporters were very interested in wearing a t-shirt with them on it.

[callee]

Of course, the obvious answer is that Obama, as the first african american president, is understandably very popular among african americans, which when combined with the fact that, for a variety of reasons best not discussed here, african americans make up a disproportionately large percentage of people arrested and mugshotted in the US, means that a unusually large number of mugshots will feature obama supporters, many of whom, given the proximity of the election, will still be displaying apparel indicating that support. This conclusion is borne out, of course, but the fact that only 2 of the 15 mugshots feature white people.

[Don Enrico]

Originally Posted by Spam & Cookies-mmm

These were in the Smoking Gun's 2008 mugshots of the year collection.

And, to quote the website, they are part of a collection "selected from among the tens of thousands reviewed this year by TSG's staff" (source). I'm not surprised that you are able to find 15 Obama t-shirt wearing arrestees if you are able to pick them from tens of thousands examples.

It would probably have been as easy to find 15 New York Yankee supporters among them.

The only message here is "political and fashion trends don't spare people who are arrested for something".

Don Enrico

[snapdragonfly]

Originally Posted by Wolf333

No, because CEOs are usually wearing a suit and tie when they get arrested.

BWAAAAhahahaha!!!

[snapdragonfly]

Originally Posted by callee

Of course, the obvious answer is that Obama, as the first african american president, is understandably very popular among african americans, which when combined with the fact that, for a variety of reasons best not discussed here, african americans make up a disproportionately large percentage of people arrested and mugshotted in the US, means that a unusually large number of mugshots will feature obama supporters, many of whom, given the proximity of the election, will still be displaying apparel indicating that support. This conclusion is borne out, of course, but the fact that only 2 of the 15 mugshots feature white people.

I thought the message they were trying to get across is that black peoples are criminals and Obama is black so he must be a criminal also, or at the least appeal to criminal types, because white people are never arrested because they aren't criminals; and also people who support Republicans for president aren't arrested because Republicans are also Christians. And white. And because black criminals support him, that must mean Obama is going to be a bad president because stupid bad criminals voted for him. Who are mostly black, but some white people are just as bad as black people and they prove that by voting for Obama.

Or something like that.

[Troberg]

Is it just me, or does a couple of them look too happy to be mugshots? I wouldn't be surprised if some of these shots are passport photos or drivers license photos.

[callee]

Originally Posted by snapdragonfly

I thought the message they were trying to get across is that black peoples are criminals and Obama is black so he must be a criminal also, or at the least appeal to criminal types, because white people are never arrested because they aren't criminals; and also people who support Republicans for president aren't arrested because Republicans are also Christians. And white. And because black criminals support him, that must mean Obama is going to be a bad president because stupid bad criminals voted for him. Who are mostly black, but some white people are just as bad as black people and they prove that by voting for Obama.

Or something like that.

or, if we wanted to interpret it a different way, perhaps they are pointing out evidence of police bias against obama supporters?

[Avril]

I'm still trying to figure out how there is a market for Obama Hawaiian shirts...

[Mr. Billion]

Originally Posted by Avril

I'm still trying to figure out how there is a market for Obama Hawaiian shirts...

Are you talking about the white guy in the Hawaiian shirt in the middle of the bottom row? I think he's wearing an Obama button, not an Obama shirt.

[Avril]

Originally Posted by Mr. Billion

Are you talking about the white guy in the Hawaiian shirt in the middle of the bottom row? I think he's wearing an Obama button, not an Obama shirt.

That makes more sense. It looked embroidered to me.

Avril

[Lainie]

Originally Posted by Troberg

Is it just me, or does a couple of them look too happy to be mugshots? I wouldn't be surprised if some of these shots are passport photos or drivers license photos.

Smiling in mugshots is another fashion trend. Smiling Mug Shots on thesmokinggun.com

[Mr. Billion]

Originally Posted by Lainie

Smiling in mugshots is another fashion trend. Smiling Mug Shots on thesmokinggun.com

That one mugshot of the grinning Tom Delay always makes me smile.

[Native Medley]

Originally Posted by Avril

I'm still trying to figure out how there is a market for Obama Hawaiian shirts...

He's wearing a button or sticker. The bigger issue is actually the shirt. Regardless of political leanings, Hawaiian shirts are standard issue for big guys, especially if they're into hanging around guitar shops talking about how the old tube amps sounded warmer and dropping names of local guitar heroes, and how it's such a shame that you can't get a lot of stuff on vinyl so easily these days because vinyl also sounds warmer.

...I just know this. honest.

[Squirt]

I bet if you went through all arrests for the last few years you could easily get 15 people dressed as clowns, or wearing evening wear, or eyepatches, or who have been recently set on fire.

[lyra_silvertongue]

Originally Posted by Native Medley

He's wearing a button or sticker. The bigger issue is actually the shirt. Regardless of political leanings, Hawaiian shirts are standard issue for big guys, especially if they're into hanging around guitar shops talking about how the old tube amps sounded warmer and dropping names of local guitar heroes, and how it's such a shame that you can't get a lot of stuff on vinyl so easily these days because vinyl also sounds warmer.

...I just know this. honest.

They don't have to Hawaiian, though, they can also have flames and/or dragons on them.