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Adidas' Shackle Sneakers: Offensive Reference to Slavery, or Just 'Quirky'?

SodaHead Living 2012/06/19 17:00:00
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Adidas has dropped plans to release a pair of "shackle" sneakers after critics bashed the brand for being insensitive to a painful reminder of slavery, CNN reports. The outrage began on June 14, when Adidas began advertising the $350 high-top sneakers, called JS Roundhouse Mids, on its Facebook page.

adidas shackle sneakers

"Got a sneaker game so hot you lock your kicks to your ankles?" said a caption below a photo of the sneakers. Adidas defended the sneaker's designer, Jeremy Scott, as having a "quirky" and "lighthearted" style, but plans for an August release have been scuttled.

"The design of the JS Roundhouse Mid is nothing more than the designer Jeremy Scott's outrageous and unique take on fashion and has nothing to do with slavery," the company said in a statement. "We apologize if people are offended by the design and we are withdrawing our plans to make them available in the marketplace."

Rev. Jesse Jackson, for one, was offended by the rubber shackles. "The attempt to commercialize and make popular more than 200 years of human degradation, where blacks were considered three-fifths human by our Constitution is offensive, appalling and insensitive," he said in a statement. Do you agree?
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Top Opinion

  • Wulfdane 2012/06/19 19:21:05 (edited)
    Quirky
    Wulfdane
    +25
    Quirky and stupid, but not offensive.

    This attributing everything to slavery, is even more ignorant than those shoes.

    We have become a nation of self-victimization, where everyone wants to be a victim.

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Opinions

  • S123 Joey 2012/06/20 05:25:54
    S123
    Why do you think it's about slavery?
  • Dick Nixon S123 2012/06/20 10:52:42
    Dick Nixon
    Nothing to do with slavery what so ever. They are freekin ugly and not worth three fifty or even fifty. That's the sound of the men workin on the chain gain. Reminds me of someone in old school prison or someone being transported even in todays system. They still use shackles. Has not one damn thing to do with slavery. Some people just have to play that card and wouldn't surprise me if some of those people have dropped some lawsuits.
  • Kigan 2012/06/20 02:28:01
    Quirky
    Kigan
    +1
    Also: Stupid and Ugly

    Takes the ignorance Jesse Jackson to make them offensive and centered around slavery.
  • MissJo 2012/06/20 02:15:16
    Quirky
    MissJo
    +2
    There are some kinky shoe designers working for Adidas..
  • Dick Nixon MissJo 2012/06/20 05:20:36
    Dick Nixon
    +1
    You got that right
  • cupcakes 2012/06/20 02:14:14
    Offensive
    cupcakes
    +2
    its offensive to pay that much for that ugly peace of crap
  • hello kitty 2012/06/20 02:07:33
    Offensive
    hello kitty
    theres a lot of black nba players, so i guess these shoes are to remind them of slavery ig..
  • Angela 2012/06/20 01:53:20
    Quirky
    Angela
    Neither (randomly selected answer)
  • Katelin Rose Harris 2012/06/20 01:52:45
    Offensive
    Katelin Rose Harris
    +1
    chains on the ankles? really? could they be more liteteral?
  • S123 Katelin... 2012/06/20 05:27:07
    S123
    What do you mean by "literal"?
  • mmmholl... Katelin... 2012/06/20 15:34:44
    mmmhollywould
    do tell
  • Lycaste skinneri 2012/06/20 01:50:48
  • Dick Nixon Lycaste... 2012/06/20 05:21:23
    Dick Nixon
    Inmates
  • Lycaste... Dick Nixon 2012/06/20 17:11:08
    Lycaste skinneri
    I don't think they have that amount of money.
  • Dick Nixon Lycaste... 2012/06/20 19:36:20
    Dick Nixon
    You wouldnt believe the amount of money gang bangers in prisons get ahold of.
  • Lycaste... Dick Nixon 2012/06/20 19:55:03
    Lycaste skinneri
    You're right, plus they can get people to buy those shoes.
  • burningsnowman 2012/06/20 01:43:05
    Offensive
    burningsnowman
    Offensive but only because it's so DUMB to pay that much for gaudy looking PLASTIC SHACKLES.
  • Adrint 2012/06/20 01:32:07 (edited)
    Quirky
    Adrint
    If you are offended by a pair of shoes, you fit in with the others who are offended by religions, opinions and cultures: The most offend-able people on the planet.
  • Biki 2012/06/20 01:23:45
    Offensive
    Biki
    +2
    and just a damn stupid idea.
  • hippietim 2012/06/20 01:16:49
    Quirky
    hippietim
    +2
    Lighten up people, if U see these shoes as a reminder of slavery, possibly the problem is in your mind...

    Timothy

    :o)
  • BlairCat 2012/06/20 01:10:10
    Quirky
    BlairCat
    +2
    This is still a stupid idea. $350 dollars for chains on your ankles??? SERIOUSLY???
  • ☆ QueenAline 2012/06/20 01:07:04
    Offensive
    ☆ QueenAline
    +1
    Any gangsta look is offensive to me
  • S123 ☆ Queen... 2012/06/20 05:27:45
    S123
    +1
    Why do you think it's a gangsta look?
  • Dick Nixon S123 2012/06/20 10:54:37
    Dick Nixon
    Oh no. A ghetto fight.
  • ☆ Queen... Dick Nixon 2012/06/20 13:48:22
    ☆ QueenAline
    no fight from me....tha'ts MY opinion...
  • S123 Dick Nixon 2012/06/20 20:18:19
    S123
    +1
    One person asking about another person's comment is a fight? Oh no! I guess that means I've started a fight with you!
  • ☆ Queen... S123 2012/06/20 13:48:08
    ☆ QueenAline
    because of the shackles.....reminiscent of prison...???? and besides that, it's just an assinine look
  • S123 ☆ Queen... 2012/06/20 20:16:27
    S123
    +1
    I guess, I don't think most ghetto looks are based on being in prison though. It does make me think of prisoners.
  • Azrael-In GOD we trust 2012/06/20 01:05:35
    Offensive
    Azrael-In GOD we trust
    +3
    It doesn't remind me of slavery-that is a thing of the past as of the 1800's and I wish to heavens people would remember that.
    It reminds me of prisoner's ankle bracelets. It just a stupid, crappy promotional item
  • _OhMyGodney_ 2012/06/20 00:24:31
    Quirky
    _OhMyGodney_
    Not offensive, but kinda stupid looking especially considering the price. Yikes!
  • fairiefang -annoying fashio... 2012/06/20 00:10:42 (edited)
    Quirky
    fairiefang -annoying fashion snobs everywhere-
    Anyone who finds it offensive is obviously offended too easily and needs to get a life.

    I would totally wear them!
  • gvc 2012/06/20 00:10:00
    Quirky
    gvc
    Offended by tennis shoes? Just plain weird!
  • Mechelle 2012/06/19 23:59:15
    Quirky
    Mechelle
    +1
    I don't think they were thinking of slavery when they thought of these. I think idiots who DO think of slavery when looking at them are sick and twisted or can't let the past go. People who hang on to the whole slavery thing is looking for a reason to hate. No one living today was a slave. They were given freedom THANK GOD and it should be let go. Just as racism should be.
  • Phil Mechelle 2012/06/20 03:49:23
    Phil
    +2
    Agreed, but WHEN will that EVER happen? In 2912 maybe? Very few can let it go (on either side) when they are indoctrinated by their parents from birth. The parents instill it in the child, and the child grows up hating, therefore it is almost impossible (some do change) for the child to change through his/her entire life. The child becomes an adult, and repeats the teaching of his/her parents to his/her children. A "never-ending cycle". And until we ALL become more enlightened to the problem, racism and prejudice will exist forever. We are doomed to live this way until we ALL agree to KILL racism and prejudice, instead of our fellow man.
  • Carson Phil 2012/06/20 06:42:26
    Carson
    Finaly a person with some common sense.
  • Mechelle Phil 2012/06/20 18:33:12
    Mechelle
    Very well said. And so true.
  • ♥ Emily the "Cutie Banana P... 2012/06/19 23:38:27
    Quirky
    ♥ Emily the "Cutie Banana Pie" ♥
    +1
    Nowhere do they imply that the shoes are referencing to slavery.
  • runningintriangles 2012/06/19 23:28:51
    Quirky
    runningintriangles
    +2
    They're freakin' shoes! People need to stop reading into things that aren't meant to be read into. Stop digging for controversy, there's no point.
  • Jacker The Capper 2012/06/19 23:19:59
    Quirky
    Jacker The Capper
    +1
    Yes, cuz this is offensive to ZOMBIES!
    Zombie torn jacket
  • BlairCat Jacker ... 2012/06/20 00:32:32
    BlairCat
    WHAT IS THAT?!? I'm just curious.......

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2013/05/24 16:26:03

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