eBay Bans Enron And Anti-Osama bin Laden Buttons

PASADENA, CA -- 02/20/2002 -- Archival Digital Art (http://www.buybuttons.com/) button designer and retired Political Science Professor Keith F. Shirey had no idea that his politically sensitive Enron buttons and T-shirts would be yanked off of eBay, and worse his patriotic anti-Osama bin Laden buttons, too. The Online auction site eBay, Inc., boasts about having "more items and categories than any other," but trying to find Shirey's politically sensitive buttons or T-shirts will take patience and time.

However, eBay wasted no time in telling Shirey that his controversial Enron buttons, which referred to the Enron scandal in designs like "Watergate, Irangate, and Enrongate" with an image of a paper shredder would be removed. An email to Shirey from eBay customer service said "The sale of items offering social commentary about Enron are not currently permitted for sale on eBay at this time." eBay also took no time in reversing its action after media pressure from wire services such as Dow Jones and other button designers. Shirey noted, "One reporter asked me 'Could it really be true that eBay doesn't support the war effort?'"

"eBay still continues to censor my buttons, during this time of war against terrorists, and the hunt for Osama bin Laden, " said Shirey. "They've yanked my button that pictures Osama bin Laden's face inside a red circle with a diagonal line running across it. I received an e-mail last month from eBay which stated it 'Does not allow any items which incite or condone violence or hatred.' eBay disallows all anti-terrorist pins on this basis. It is the same kind of phony rationale the world's largest Internet auction site uses when it censors items. If this were World War II, eBay would have censored anti-Hitler buttons, too!"

Last month, Shirey told eBay that its censorship policies are irrational, illogical, and inconsistent in application and are not in the public interest. For example: "If you don't allow social commentary about fellow corporations, why do you allow the most tasteless attacks on human dignity, in auctions related to the occult and devil worship," inquired Shirey. "I'm not advocating censorship of those items, but I am pointing to the inconsistency in the eBay policy. And worse, my buttons and T-shirts are not pornographic, but one may order pornographic videos from eBay."

On January 18th this year Shirey created three buttons related to the Enron scandal, which were censored by eBay: 1) Enronfinger, 2) Republican Elephant branded with a Enron Logo and 3) Enrongate. The rationale given by the giant Internet auction site was that "the sale of items offering social commentary about Enron are not currently permitted for sale on eBay at this time." The Enronfinger button uses Enron's symbol, the letter "E," with the middle finger extended. The Republican elephant button shows Enron's symbol stamped on an elephant's backside, while the Enrongate button has "Watergate," "Irangate," and Enrongate" emblazoned upon an image of a paper shredder.

After his protest three days later, and some media pressure eBay reinstated the auctions. However, on January 28th eBay told Shirey "we are not permitting items such as the anti-terrorist or anti-bin Laden materials. eBay doesn't allow any items which incite or condone violence or hatred." The buttons eBay was referring to included: an angry Uncle Sam saying "We're Coming to Get You," and another button with a picture of Osama bin Laden inside a red circle with a red diagonal line drawn across his face. To date, these controversial buttons have not been re-listed on the site.

"eBay and its PR spin men like Kevin Pursgrove have no respect for the truth, offer absurd rationale for censorship and, as a corporation licensed by the state, betray a public trust," said Shirey.

"For Pursgrove to appeal to 'family values' to justify censorship is to engage in gross deception and deceit. Accessible to anyone in eBay auctions are the most banal, degrading and pornographic types of material that truly wound any decent human heart. Anyone who accesses eBay can see such titles as 'Erotic Violence In A Woman Jail," "The Blood Smothered Bridge," "VHS Nudity Violence," and "I Love Chains and Whips T-shirt Sex Porn," he said.

Shirey noted that it is not just a few sites in question. "There are literally hundreds of such offerings on eBay. Is this eBay's idea of family values? Spokesman Pursgrove's ideas of morality are strange. Whether he is morally challenged, simply ignorant of what goes on at eBay, or worse both, it is hard to say, but I say what's good for the 'Goose is good for the Gander.'"

Shirey is equally upset over eBay's censorship of two of his anti-terrorist buttons. "If it were 1942 and the U.S. were fighting the Nazis, eBay would not permit anti-Hitler buttons on its site. The utter stupidity of this rationale takes my breath away. To allow anti-Nazi material, according to eBay, would be to 'condone violence or hatred!' However, eBay allows many anti-Osama bin Laden auctions. For example; 'Osama bin Laden Shrunken Head,' 'anti-Osama bin Laden Dart Boards' and 'Put Osama bin Laden In Your Sights Poster.'"

The small businessman contends that eBay has singled out his anti-Osama bin Laden buttons for censorship. "Why in the world would they want to yank my stuff, and not similar materials still on the site," said Shirey. "Maybe the public and the media should ask that question. It doesn't really matter, it's time to end this censorship and for eBay to practice the values that made America great."

In reference to eBay's reasoning for yanking the famous "Kiss My Royal Irish Ass" statement made by New York City Firefighter Mike Moran to Osama bin Laden at a fundraiser for the victims of the Sept.11th tragedy, Shirey replied this way: "There are hundreds of auctions on eBay where the word 'Ass' appears. Two eBay examples are: 'Take in Your Face and Up Your Ass 2 CD Set," and 'Ass Shakin' Booty House-DH Funk/DJ Assault,' so it is not a matter of semantics here, it is censorship, plain and simple. For eBay's Pursgrove to declare, as he does, that the word 'Ass' is profanity and to single out Firefighter Mike Moran's patriotic statement as unacceptable to eBay, while dozens of auctions use the term in the most vile way is beyond my imagination."

Shirey says he is a retired professor, who has built up a retirement pension of 41 years of service. He believes that if eBay bans any of his auctions as punishment for his stand against eBay's tyrannical censorship practices, he would not be economically damaged.

"Others, whom I know, who are the victims of their censorship are not so fortunate," explained Shirey. " I feel lucky to be in a situation where I can challenge eBay. If one wants to offer the kind of goods for sale that I offer, it is the only game in town. There is no other auction site for my buttons."

Recalling his arguments when he taught political science and philosophy in college, Shirey said, "Whether the first amendment reaches to touch corporations is at dispute by legal scholars. I would contend that the way eBay practices censorship is in violation of the principles that made America great. Their practices are the worst kind. They're arbitrary, capricious, and whimsical, without logic or reason. They are amazingly inconsistent."

Shirey says since the eBay censorship the demand for his buttons has doubled, but he's selling more on his website (http://www.buybuttons.com/) than on eBay, especially the buttons yanked from the Goliath auction site. For more information on Archival Digital Art or button orders call (626) 831-3127, or feel free to visit http://www.buybuttons.com/, which links to his button and T-shirt store.