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Nike pulling ‘Boston Massacre’ shirts from stores

We're a nation of hypersensitive, easily-offended crybabies, but even the most rock-ribbed among us can agree that a T-shirt with the words "Boston Massacre" might not be in the best taste these days.

Certainly, we can debate the propriety (or dubious cleverness) of a shirt that says "Boston Massacre" — the historical reference is to a 1770 incident in which British soldiers killed five civilians and wounded six others, but now apparently refers to the Yankees stomping the Red Sox, or something. Tragedy + time = catchy T-shirt slogans, apparently. (Your grandkids will be wearing 9/11-inspired gear that's really going to tick you off.) But what's clear is that in the wake of last week's tragic Boston Marathon events, these shirts now bring to mind the bombings in a way that Nike certainly never intended.

[Slideshow: Sports world honors bombing victims]

"Late Night With David Letterman" producer Eric Stangel noticed these shirts at a local Nike outlet, and recommended that the store remove them. He was told, strangely enough, “We’ve been taking them down, but somehow they keep ending up back on the rack.” Conspiracy theory or indifferent stock-room employees? You be the judge.

[Via Uproxx.]

-Follow Jay Busbee on Twitter at @jaybusbee.-

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