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People actually wore ‘I Can Breathe’ shirts to an Eric Garner rally

Honestly, we’re not impressed.

Photo of Miles Klee

Miles Klee

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“I can’t breathe,” the last words uttered by Eric Garner, a man choked to death by the NYPD, have rightly become a rallying cry of those protesting the inherent racism of American law enforcement. T-shirts bearing the slogan even have Barack Obama’s approval (despite the Comic Sans font), as they evoke and heighten awareness of systemic oppression in a stark, simple way.

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If you attended the Garner rally at New York City Hall last night, however, you likely encountered a vanishingly small faction of pro-cop white dudes who, lacking any argument beyond pure contradiction, wore “I can breathe” shirts. Kind of a humblebrag, you guys.  

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https://twitter.com/RicheyCollazo/status/546099898505252865

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When they weren’t chanting other taunts, including “Hands up! Don’t loot,” these callous, privilege-admitting garbage heaps were educating counter-protesters on their own race and implying that anyone invested in holding police accountable for their actions was a criminal.   

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But don’t get too down about this stuff—by all indications, the good guys are winning the battle for hearts and minds. Dig the contrast:

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Photo by Hey Paul Studios/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

 
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