VIEWS ON THE NEWS
By Sharon Gordon

Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid is mad as hell. He has come out swinging at designer Ralph Lauren and expressed his ire on the well of the house on Thursday, July 12th when he said, all the uniforms for the US Olympic team should be gathered in one big pile and burnt.

What’s got the speaker so angryÉwell; every single piece of Team USA Olympic apparel was manufactured in China. The Speaker was incensed that athletes representing the United States at the Olympic which is all about national pride will be wearing clothing manufactured in China.

Speaker Reid, took to the airwaves to express his dismay, saying he will, “never purchase” an item of clothing from Ralph Lauren ever again. “It’s his fault,” said Speaker Reid, “he knew what he was doing.”

As a result of this uproar, legislation is being introduced that will ensure that going forward, all clothing for the American athletes will be made in America.

Speaker Reid said there are too many Americans in need of good work for this type of thing to happen. He said it was a slap in the face.

Another bone of contention with regards to the official uniforms is the ‘beret’ which seems to accompany much of the US ensembles.

“What are we French or Americans?” asked several irate callers who took to the radio to express their outrage. Several others posted on Facebook, twitter and other social media platforms expressing their outrage about the uniforms.

THUMBS DOWN

Speaking of outrage, thousands have commented on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and other social media sites about their utter disappointment with the recently unveiled Cedella Marley designs for the Team Jamaica Olympic uniforms for London 2012.

Jamaicans and friends of Jamaica have called the designs “uninspiring.” Others have given the designs two thumbs down. In a poll conducted by Television Jamaica on Thursday, July 12th the day the furor erupted on Facebook and Twitter, 81 per cent of Jamaicans polled did not like the uniforms and felt they did not represent Jamaica.

These are the most distasteful designs from the House of Marley,” said one popular radio personality who asked to remain anonymous. “Bloody ‘Orrible,” posted Pablo Assab in response to a thread on Facebook.

“The designs are too drab. Where is the Jamaican spirit?”tweeted Radix, who added, “We represent sunshine, fun, sexiness and athletic prowess.”

Many were responding to photos from an album of the Marley/PUMA Collection posted on Facebook as well as a YouTube link from the official launch in June.

Track and Field fan and mother of a teenage track star, Lorraine Townsend reminded everyone that, “First impression is all that matters.

You have to dress to impress and how you look counts towards your confidence, back to the drawing board Cedella.” Nicole Demus posted, “The styles look like a cross between military and Star WarsÉdefinitely not feeling it, back to the drawing board!” Then John Johnson added his voice to the mix, “This outfit is in keeping with that metaphor of the On A Mission song.

That is very bad! Song fi guh an’ outfit fi guh! We nuh deh pon no foolish mission! That is too militaristic! We ah find the Flag and waive in the air for the world to see!!!! The gold medal match one of de’ colour in our flag!!!” Monica Harvey was a little more colourful with her post, “WTH! If her dad was alive he would certainly ask what kind of garbage that? I thought the uniforms were supposed to represent JAMAICA not BOB MARLEY.

Jamaica needs to trash her designs and start all over again.” But is that even possible given that the games commence in a few weeks? “They could have gotten a REAL designer that was more deserving of the job and who would have done 100% better,” said Andrea Moore.

Speaking of Bob Marley and how his face and some lyrics got to be on the gear, Jolie Jamz another outspoken Jamaican posted on her Facebook wall, “I submit that Cedella Marley played up the Bob Marley element in her Team Jamaica Olympic wear that many Jamaicans do not like.

A link from the launch of the collection in London has Cedella commenting that, “My dad always inspires me, as a father and as a musician. For the Olympic wear we kinda wanted to keep to the “Bob fit.”

The Military jacket which everyone just loves is the Bob Fit!” Issac Heslop added “Someone forgot to take Cedella out of her bubble so she could realise that by all accounts “everyone” doesn’t “love the Bob Fit!” PUMA, it seems have a mess on their hands and Joy Cash sums it up this way on her page, “Not even the models walking down the runway seem excited. The entire collection is WACK! Call a spade a spade and not suck up to the “Marley” name.