Wearing a hammer, sickle, and red star in public question?

[☭World Views]

I am posting from the United States.

Has anyone ever worn those items in public? What reaction did you get?

Is it not recommended to wear that stuff?


Sometimes I think of getting the red star/hammer sickle lapel pin for my suit but then I think it just gives people a reason to harass me.

Thoughts?

[Sarah Palin]

I constantly wear a shirt with a fist and "WORKERS OF THE WORLD UNITE." and a Hammer and Sickle. I get dirty looks and many a middle fingers. But I live in a conservative town, so it's expected.

[samofshs]

of course it'll be reason to harrass you. but arn't you proud of your beliefs?

[DecDoom]

I have a red star on the panama hat I wear, but no one seems to notice. Other than that, I just got a Che shirt, which, again, no one seems to notice.

I need to get a hammer and sickle shirt.

[Sarah Palin]

of course it'll be reason to harrass you. but arn't you proud of your beliefs?

Come to think of it, I DO in fact love being harassed, but purely because when a debate is started, I usually am the victor.

[Panda Tse Tung]

I've worn one. Including a picture of Lenin both in the US as well as in the Netherlands. I've had no problems with it, ever.

[scarletghoul]

I have a Mao shirt

[BabylonHoruv]

I have a red star on the panama hat I wear, but no one seems to notice. Other than that, I just got a Che shirt, which, again, no one seems to notice.

I need to get a hammer and sickle shirt.

Che shirts are bougeoisie accessories. Irregardless of his actual message they have become meaningless.

[hugsandmarxism]

I've got a bunch of soviet pins and a People's Liberation Army messenger bag (complete with red star). I live in liberal-town, so I tend to get either watered down glares or "that's nice, but blah blah blah..."

On that note, Red Army pins make good tie-tacks, for any wierdo like me who wears a tie for no other reason than he enjoys tying his morning Windsor.

[Manifesto]

You should prepare for responses for some arguments that are bound to arise.

[NecroCommie]

I never go without a political symbol. Let it be a pin of Lenin, t-shirt or an amrband, My political stance stands out always. Some right wingers are obviously frustrated by this but they never utter a word. Apparently my appearance is somewhat intimidating to some mainstream folks. Leftists are more open minded and actually quite curious too. They make very sure I know they disagree with me though.

[Il Medico]

I have a che Shirt and a Cuban Beret. I agree that Che Shirts are over commercialized, but I still get "damn commie" responses when I wear it. (Such is the conservative town I live in) And the Beret just looks cool. I kinda look like Che when I wear it I am told.

[Niccolò Rossi]

Don't wear this shit in public. If you are doing a street sale or at some sort of forum, convention or conference it might be acceptable, otherwise you will look like a total wanker. I personally want to hit people who do pretentious shit like this, let alone any other person on the street.

[Lacrimi de Chiciură]

I think every man, woman, and child should wear a Che t-shirt at all times.

[RedRise]

I ordered a Che beret of CheLives.com and it just arrived in the mail. My dad burst out laughing when he saw me in it then proceeded to to tell me between chuckles that I was 'the spitting image of che'. Unlikely.
Am thinking of wearing it school tomorrow. It would certainly give some of the rich kids something to think about.:rolleyes: Am slightly nervous since I've never worn any communist stuff (aside from a plain red t-shirt) but hey, there's a first time for everything!:thumbup1:

[Blackscare]

I wear a bright red hammer&sickle shirt around, and the only reaction I ever noticed was a guy giving me the left fist sign from his car yelling "cool shirt brother!".

[9]

Honestly, I tend to agree with Niccolo that it is pretentious. And I think it will in all likelihood just engender hostility from other workers who are not "versed" in revolutionary leftist politics. I don't get the 'culture' of trying to dress outrageously or make fashion statements or what have you. I think we should use discussion and dialogue to convey our opinions, not some dogmatic text or symbol on a t-shirt.

[Blackscare]

Meh, it's just a shirt.

[NecroCommie]

Bah! I am going to dress how I like, and if people are stupid enough to be annoyed by it then they propably deserve it.

[deLarge]

No, going around wearing a che shirt or whatever just makes me feel like a pretentious twat.

[Angry Young Man]

I think every man, woman, and child should wear a Che t-shirt at all times.

Even bathing an coitus? I saw an anti-Che fb group and there was a badge that said 'Che killed people, you trendy douchebag'. If we could just change the first clause, 'd wear that badge.

[Verix]

i wore a shirt with a picture of marx on it in public one time i'll never do it again i was honestly afraid i was going to get shot, i live in rural oklahoma where the people are bat shit crazy, every other car has a conferate flag on it and up untill 1997 there was a sign in the town i live in that said "no negros out after dark" a friend of my sister tore it down

[Lacrimi de Chiciură]

Especially when bathing an coitus.

i wore a shirt with a picture of marx on it in public one time i'll never do it again i was honestly afraid i was going to get shot, i live in rural oklahoma where the people are bat shit crazy, every other car has a conferate flag on it and up untill 1997 there was a sign in the town i live in that said "no negros out after dark" a friend of my sister tore it down

Wow, that bit about the racist sign staying up until 1997 is crazzzy. I am really surprised though that people in rural Oklahoma would even recognize a picture of Karl Marx, on a t-shirt much less. No offense to the people of rural Oklahoma, I'm sure they are not all horrible. Ha ha ha.

[Revy]

When I was younger, I wore a shirt I got which said "Comrade" in Russian. "Tovareesch" would be how the Cyrillic would be pronounced. lots of people thought it was weird and I was too timid to explain it. I think I chickened out and lied that it meant "friend". :blushing:

I was super skinny then though, so the shirt wouldn't fit me at all now :crying:

edit: it looked like this (http://www.abc-shirts.com/product_thumb.php?img=images/comradewhite.jpg&w=151&h=150), though it was green instead of white. Dark green or "Army green" , to be more specific.

[which doctor]

Don't wear this shit in public. If you are doing a street sale or at some sort of forum, convention or conference it might be acceptable, otherwise you will look like a total wanker. I personally want to hit people who do pretentious shit like this, let alone any other person on the street.
True.

Frankly, people who deck themselves out in leftist apparel usually look like tools.

[NecroCommie]

How is that exactly? Is there anything to support this besides ones personal oppinion?

[RHIZOMES]

I wear a hammer and sickle red star pin every single day.

And that's the LEAST inflammatory clothing I wear.

I have not got any negative comments from it, just strange looks. In fact I find it stimulates enlightening conversation and I have fun explaining my beliefs to people, when they ask.

But I'm probably in a completely different environment of course. When I'm not surrounded by communists and anarchists I'm surrounded by students (Mostly arts students and if not they're student politicians) and academics and trendy hipsters in central Auckland, so they don't have as much of an issue with it as say if I lived in the middle of some backwater small New Zealand town where every single citizen over the age of 60 is a member of the RSA. :lol:

[ev]

Whilst I myself have nothing but plain clothes, I wouldn't have a problem with anyone wearing a shirt with a hammer & sickle on it, etc.

If anything, such apparel could be used to stimulate conversation amongst other people who as someone said previously are not "versed" in leftists politics.

I do agree however, that you could be perceived as pretentious, but you're entitled to wear what you want - you have that liberty, fuck social customs/taboo. Other people have worn worst shit than a t-shirt with a picture of che on it, who cares..

[#FF0000]

I have not got any negative comments from it, just strange looks. In fact I find it stimulates enlightening conversation and I have fun explaining my beliefs to people, when they ask.

Yeah this is the only reason I'd ever wear communist stuff. Aside, of course, to be a massive fucking troll.

Che shirts aren't good for either. They are boring.

[RHIZOMES]

Yeah this is the only reason I'd ever wear communist stuff. Aside, of course, to be a massive fucking troll.

Che shirts aren't good for either. They are boring.

I have a Che pin though, right under my Soviet badge. More original while still keeping the same message the t-shirts SHOULD have

[Arlekino]

Well in Lithuania is ilegal to wear ham and sticker shirts which is upseting.

[which doctor]

How is that exactly? Is there anything to support this besides ones personal oppinion?
For one thing, che and hammer and sickle shirts are so over worn as fashion statements that they've become meaningless. Besides, expressing your political orientation via the commodities you buy is a bit silly. I suppose at a demo or march it might be appropriate as a show of solidarity or whatever, but most situations don't call for it.

[NecroCommie]

For one thing, che and hammer and sickle shirts are so over worn as fashion statements that they've become meaningless. Besides, expressing your political orientation via the commodities you buy is a bit silly. I suppose at a demo or march it might be appropriate as a show of solidarity or whatever, but most situations don't call for it.
I agree with the che-shirts yees...
But the rest are still just oppinions.

[LOLseph Stalin]

Even reactionaries wear Che shirts so I agree, they are meaningless.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

Wear whatever the fuck you want, and if others don't like it, to Hell with them. That's the attitude I cultivate when going out in a skirt and makeup.

[NecroCommie]

Wear whatever the fuck you want, and if others don't like it, to Hell with them. That's the attitude I cultivate when going out in a skirt and makeup.
Hahaa! Nice one, especially considering that I too have gone out in a skirt (kilt) and makeup (corpse paint ---> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpse_paint)

[Cooler Reds Will Prevail]

I have a hammer and sickle shirt (in fact two) but I don't wear them very often anymore... I used to though, and it didn't really provoke reactions from people. I also have a Mao shirt that I wear pretty regularly, and it's not the stereotypical image of Mao so most people don't know who it is, but I remember coming across a couple Peruvian guys at a festival in the Bay one time who approached me and were really enthusiastic about Mao and shit. They must have either been former Senderistas or just folks that had lived in one of the liberated zones.

[LeninBalls]

I have a Lenin badge that I wore to school many occassions, and got a lot of looks, sneers and questions about. I also wear a t shirt from Cuba, plainly with the Cuban flag on it, a lot, and no one says anything.

[bcbm]

Meh. Wear whatever you like, but to me it seems that wearing political-type t-shirts, especially of revolutionary figures/symbols/blah blah is just reinforcing the notion of most leftist politics as some sort of subcultural identity.

[shadowmare]

I have a Silk Hammer and Sickle flag hanging in my room right now, but nobody sees it other then my girlfriend who I live with
However I do have a red shirt with a small black hammer and sickle on the breast pocket, I don't get many sneers or anything when I wear it in public, likely because most people see it from the distance and think its just a black spot

[Lyev]

I used to wear a 'Stop Wars' hoodie, the logo was an adaptation of the star wars logo.I don't wear it anymore cos I just feel like a pretentious tit and people always made really stupid comments. Although how someone else dresses is none of business.

[willdw79]

I am posting from the United States.

Has anyone ever worn those items in public? What reaction did you get?

Is it not recommended to wear that stuff?


Sometimes I think of getting the red star/hammer sickle lapel pin for my suit but then I think it just gives people a reason to harass me.

Thoughts?
I sometimes wear a Hugo Chavez shirt, not because I particularly like him, but I like the way that reactionary people look at me. Most people couldn't give less than a shit. But there are a few who turn red and go through changes, they look like they want to say something but never do.

[Killfacer]

Always seemed a bit childish and pointless to wear stuff like that to me.

[spiltteeth]

I have a hammer and sickle cock ring, but when I wear it out in public I get funny looks.

[Искра]

I have a Mao shirt
I also, but theres gun next to his head :)

[Dóchas]

i just buy whatever is cheapest and will last the longest. iv had the same pair of jeans for 5 years, not much left of them now ;)

[9]

I don't leave home without my Martin Luther t-shirt........

[bailey_187]

I have a Mao hoody. i usually only wear it to speakers corner.

only reaction (other than in arguments at speakers corner) i have had to it this Russian guy who gives out the London Lite papers who said "ahhh Mao zedong! communism!" (he seemed happy)

i have some mao badges but the the pin on the back is shit and always falls off

[Olerud]

Don't wear this shit in public. If you are doing a street sale or at some sort of forum, convention or conference it might be acceptable, otherwise you will look like a total wanker. I personally want to hit people who do pretentious shit like this, let alone any other person on the street.
Yeah agreed, especially when it's a fucking Che top from Primark of all places!

[Stand Your Ground]

Wear what you like. I don't have much money (as I'm still looking for a job) so I took some old plain white t-shirts I had and wrote anti-racism messages on them. Even I, at first thought I would look silly walking around in em but I said fuck it, I'll wear what I wanna wear fuck what other people think. So wear what you want, don't worry about what anyone else thinks. I've actually, quite to my surprise, gotten a few compliments on my shirts. No one has yet talked shit to me either lol.

[Invincible Summer]

I have a t-shirt that has the "Superman: Red Son" logo on it:http://emiliussen.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/red_son_cover.jpg

and I haven't gotten any negative comments, mostly because it's comic book geeks who think I'm just a big fan of the comic.

[Raúl Duke]

Don't wear this shit in public. If you are doing a street sale or at some sort of forum, convention or conference it might be acceptable, otherwise you will look like a total wanker. I personally want to hit people who do pretentious shit like this, let alone any other person on the street.

This... (especially if you're decked in that stuff or wearing a shirt with someone's face)

I tend to tone it down; I probably only have one piece of clothing with some kind of revolutionary insignia but that's about it.

[Bilan]

The shirts look stupid, and besides, people who don't care for the politics wear them all the time. A middle aged guy and his friend ran past my house today, and one of them was wearing a CCCP shirt, and I thought "What a twat".
Don't do it.