Around the District | Silver Spring American Apparel Vandalized

Monday - July 20, 2009, vandals took it upon themselves to attack and destroy a window display which featured pro-LGBT T-shirts at the Silver Spring American Apparel store. The t-shirts that were featured in the display bore the logo of the company's "Legalize Gay" campaign, which is aimed at raising awareness about opposition to California's Proposition 8. Furthermore, the Georgetown location of American Apparel received a telephone threat later that same day about their similar window display. As a straight man, I am for the legalization of gay marriage. Regardless of my personal views, far be it for me to decide what other people choose is right or wrong for their life. Far be it for me to be against something that this very country was built upon - the acceptance of people ordinarily rejected by society. God gives us the right to make decisions, right or wrong, and I believe the government should follow suit. Regardless of your personal beliefs, allow people the freedom to decide for themselves what they believe to be right or wrong. And vandalizing private property to get your point across is not the way to go about it. Protest with your words, not with your fist. Unprovoked violence is never the answer.

American Apparel has issued a statement pertaining to the incident. "We don't find this kind of thing funny and we definitely don't find it intimidating," reads the statement in part. The company also offered to send "Legalize Gay" T-shirts to any group in Washington D.C. that is fighting for gay rights.