As part of Sears' "men's punk rock style" jewelry collection — because you don't get more anti-establishment than a corporation that rakes in $32 billion a year — the company advertised this fashionable tribute to Adolf Hitler on its website.
This piece was also available from online retailers like Amazon. In case you're wondering what in the hell Sears could say about this ring other than, holy crap, we're selling a swastika ring because we really want bad press, here's the blurb that accompanied the ring:
Find exactly what you need while browsing through our new gothic jewelry items. This gothic jewelry item in particular features a Swastika ring that's made of .925 Thai silver. Not for Neo Nazi or any Nazi implication. These jewelry items are going to make you look beautiful at your next date.
Yes, like a beautiful, glamorous Neo-Nazi who supports the extermination of anyone whose hair is one shade darker than platinum. Pass the salt.
After receiving tons of complaints, Sears tweeted and explained that the ring was a "3rd party Sears marketplace product" and that it was promptly removed from their site.
I can't imagine Sears is lamenting the loss of this one item because the store expected to make millions in profits from it — I mean, Jesus, at least I really hope that isn't the reality. The important thing is that the company swiftly responded, apologized and made things right.
I know the swastika was a sacred Hindu and Buddhist symbol and that it's totally unfair that the Nazi party hijacked it and ruined it forever. Such is life. And I know that a swastika is really just a few lines that intersect and big whoop. But there's no place on the market for an item that boasts a symbol that has come to stand for the deaths of millions.
If you're a Neo-Nazi looking for hot Neo-Nazi fashion, you're still going to have to Google your shameful sartorial desires in secret and fork over your money to some equally shady individual. Sears and Amazon, thankfully, are going to stick to cuddly "punk" symbols like skulls.
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