Clearly, Kosuke Fukudome is having a tremendous impact in Chicago, not only on the Cubs, but also just outside Wrigley Field, where some t-shirt vendors have been selling t-shirts with this questionable, arguably offensive, graphic:

.

The vendors are now suing the Cubs organization for trying to stop the sale of these t-shirts, citing First Amendment “freedom of speech” violations.  Here we go with yet another cry out about freedom of speech.  Let’s get this straight: just because the Bill of Rights gives us freedom of speech, that doesn’t mean you can say or print anything.  There are limits, people.  That amendment gives us all the right to express our opinions, regardless or what they may be, but once those expressions infringe on others’ rights, those limits have been reached.  I find this graphic offensive in that it makes fun of Asians’ pronunciation of “L’s” in the English language.  I’m sure the creator of this t-shirt, no doubt some narrow-minded yuppie- wannabe on the North Side, wouldn’t like a shirt poking fun at the fact that he probably can’t even speak his own language properly (the subject of many a future blog, to be sure!).  And the slanty eyes?  Really?? It would have been just fine printing the trademark “Holy Cow” in the “Asian-style” lettering, but to change “Holy” to “Horry” and give the cub slanty eyes crosses the line in my book.  The way I see it, whether there was offensive intent or not (I really hope not), the shirt’s creator has to realize the graphic’s potential to offend.  Better judgment was needed here.

Other pieces of apparel, such as the headband below, I think are just fine.  The headband itself harkens to Fukudome’s Japanese heritage, as does the sun and the font, without offending or making fun of anyone.

If you like having “Holy Cow” on your Cubs accessories, how about this Japanese-inspired headband, complete with the white-flag “W” and the Chicago skyline:

Now, don’t me wrong.  I’m all for silly, light-hearted t-shirts, those that are fun and are clearly not trying to hurt anyone, like this one:

Or, for those who are phonetically challenged:

Now THAT is a funny, non-offensive t-shirt.