^
he’s not American! this ad hominem-ish understanding of censorship and freedom only exists in the US (and countries like Iran). Freedom of speech is not a broad, ‘everything goes’ concept in most democratic societies, it tends to integrate responsibility and most populations somehow seem to understand that well.. meaning you can’t enter defamatory or incitement territory in the name of freedom of speech. It’s a right you have to use responsibly and in consideration of others’ rights, and especially if your city permit to operate and advertise likely does not state political content.
This is the kind of thing that for some, it takes some years abroad to understand imo.. the US’s crazy bipartisanship really makes some of the basics of democracy almost untouchable areas for no reason, I know the intention is to keep critical thinking as infantile as possible but it results in this, people carrying out their understanding of justice and freedom of speech in an almost authoritarian form (you don’t like my content? ok so you’re against me) lol..
Anyway, I think this Kitson move is relatively recent. My impression is that it was a harmless store that saw its better days in the early 00s.. last I heard was that it had filed for bankruptcy but I guess it’s still there. You gotta applaud their guts though, LA is heavily leftist and this is pretty far right. I do wonder what happened, their instagram is insane and gives you the impression that they’ve officially given up.. the account sounds like a (very triggered) 56 year old man on his personal instagram, it does not sound at all like a business (I actually thought it was a fan account before realising it IS the official ig
).
I’m not sure Kitson is an example of anything but in a way, when people who make sneakers, movies, fashion magazines, raviolis lol, all take a political stance (which happened during Trump), no matter how well intentioned, you’ll get things like this when the tide turns.. and more grotesque, too.