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The Onion is an acclaimed online newspaper that publishes satire. As such, they often poke fun at sensitive topics and people. To be quite honest, I generally enjoy The Onion. A lot. I like their backhanded, clever jabs at the absurdities of our world. I understand that sometimes to do that they make light of serious situations—that’s what satire does.

But this time they’ve gone to far. They’re selling a T-shirt that says, “My Friend Went to Thailand and All I Got Was This Lousy Kidnapped Prostitute.” The Onion would probably say they’re trying to shed light on horror of the situation by poking fun at it, but this is different than mocking presidential candidate, sports stars, and ignorant citizens.

I think they’re are two reasons that this situation is different:

1. The crime of human trafficking is too disgusting for humor. This is the same reason you don’t hear a lot of jokes about concentration camps: it’s too dark and painful to be funny. Although humor is always a matter of taste (and that’s what makes humor so good!), societal consensus deems some things just too far. This is one of those things.
2. The second reason is even more vital, though. With satire its critical for the audience to have enough background knowledge of the topic being mocked to get the joke and its intent. The world at large lacks to the knowledge of human trafficking necessary to understand the deep nuances satire requires. The audience—and the writer—need to know the true reality of human trafficking before they attempt such delicate, dangerous, and damaging satire. In this case neither the reader nor the writer has the knowledge base necessary to craft and interpret satire. Because the reader and the writer don’t understand trafficking in the same depth they understand football or presidential elections, the kidnap and rape of thousands upon thousands of women and children becomes a passing laugh. True satire aims to make people think and change. This T-shirt is just a cheap shot.

Here’s contact information for The Onion so you can be a voice to stand up for abused people!

Customer Service
For all other Onion Store matters and order inquiries, please submit the brief customer support form below for an efficient response, or call 1-800-280-1791 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. (CST), Monday–Friday. It’s an email form you fill out on the store site…
From the website: http://www.theonion.com/content/contact_us

Public Relations:
Anna G. Richardson
Sunshine, Sachs & Associates
149 Fifth Avenue, 7th Floor, NYC, 10010
O: 212.691.2800, C: 917.553.5916
richardson@sunshinesachs.com

Washington DC
The Onion
c/o Godfrey & Kahn
500 New Jersey #375
Washington DC 20001
Fax 202-628-0405
dc@theonion.com

Twin Cities
212 3rd Avenue North, #445
Minneapolis, MN 55401
612-370-1372 | Fax 612-333-0444
minneapolis@theonion.com

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