This Exists: Tennessee Legislator Gets Obama “DisappointMints” Removed From University Bookstore

by Josh Feldman | 1:37 pm, August 4th, 2011

» 46 comments

There have been so many ridiculous Obama-based products released on the market since 2008. Obama bobbleheads, Obama plates, Obama condoms, and now Obama mints.

However, these mints are not exactly pro-Obama. Nicknamed “DisappointMints,” the tin cover asks “This is change?” The product is manufactured by the company Unemployed Philosophers Guild, which also sells satirical Bush & Palin mints. (For the completely unnecessary sake of full disclosure, they also sell a pro-Obama mint with the slogan “Yes We Candy.”) Here’s how the product is described on their official website:

From our Tough Love Department comes Disappointmints. Hey, we’ve been as big a fan of Barack Obama as anyone. But with each compromise for the sake of unity, “Yes we can” looks more like “No he cant.” (sic) So in the name of Free Speech and Fresh Breath, we’re offering Disappointmints. They’re delicious little mints packed in a colorful tin that tells our President just how we feel. We’re pretty sure he shops here, so we expect he’ll get the message. And Big O – Nothing would make us happier than to take Disappointmints off the market!

The Obama mints are currently being sold at the University of Tennessee bookstore, and according to director David Kent, they’ve been available since 2009 and they have not had any complaints. That all changed when Democratic State Representative Joe Armstrong approached Kent to let him know he thought the mints were “offensive.”

According to Knox News, Armstrong was contacted by a UT student who complained about how the president was depicted on the mint tin. He visited the bookstore and explained his position to Kent, who immediately agreed to remove the product from the store shelves.

Armstrong’s argument for getting rid of the mints:

“When you operate on state and federal dollars, you ought to be sensitive to those type of politically specific products,” Armstrong said. “If it was a private entity or corporation or store, (that’s different), but this is a state university. We certainly don’t want in any way to put the university in a bad light by having those political (products), particularly aimed at defaming the president.”

Lest you think he did this for partisan reasons, Armstong insists he would have done the same if there were mints making fun of Bush (which the store did sell at one point) or Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam.

But here’s where the debate gets truly bizarre. Obviously, people saw this as a form of censorship, but Armstrong argues that banning the mints from being sold at the university bookstore was not in violation of the First Amendment.

“With a book or something of that nature, then fine, but that (the mints) is sort of a discretionary product they have,” Armstrong said. “It wasn’t viewpoint neutral. Very specifically insulting to the president.”

For a rebuttal, Knox News reached out to Glenn Reynolds, who teaches constitutional law at the University of Tennessee. Reynolds described it as “a species of censorship,” elaborating:

“I just think it’s really quite odd to hear of a state legislator to take it upon himself to have something removed from a bookstore. It’s the kind of thing people make fun of Mississippi for.”

However, the big takeaway from Reynolds’ argument is a one-liner that deserves its own t-shirt, bumper sticker, and whatever else they sell at university bookstores.

“There is no candy exception to the First Amendment.”

I want to see this blazoned on the front doors of every candy store in the country. When I go to Hershey Park, I want to see this engraved on the walls. I want constitutional scholars to explain in incredibly long detail if mints are guaranteed the same free speech rights as human beings. I want to see libertarians holding these signs at rallies.

Here is how Reynolds explains his position on the free speech rights of breath fresheners. (Sorry, Minty Americans.)

“Free speech is free speech. If you make fun of the president in a mint, it is just as much free speech as it is if you make fun of the president in a political cartoon.”

And I think we’ve had enough countries banning satire for one week.

bookstore, candy, First Amendment, mints, obama, satire, Tennessee, This Exists, University of Tennessee

Valerie

Really the press release says it all; people are disappointed because they don’t want Obama to compromise with the crazies(thank you Gov Christie) on the right. Seems the mint makers were sending Obama a not so subtle message to stop treating crazy people equally. Nothing wrong with that. In fact he should be fighting these feckless mouth breathers every step of the way. Not every political position deserves respect or equal time and I for one am tired of treating the raving of lunatics as “substantial.” Gov. Christie seems to have realized this. Mitch McConnell seems ti have realized this. Its time Obama did too.
Anonymous

what a POS this state rep is
Tedderman

I’ve seen far more anti-Obama products on the shelves of stores and in magazines than I ever saw of Bush. It’s just rampant, you walk down the greeting cards aisle in your local super store and there’s about a dozen cards taking shots at the President. I’m not saying i didn’t see some about Bush, most seemed favorable or funny, but the Obama cards are just plain mean.
Anonymous

Ahhhh, poor Obama. Everyone treats him soooo bad!
Valerie

And speaking of feckless mouth breathers…
John

Obumma disappoints, that is one big understatement. This guy not is a disappointment, he is slowly but surely destroying the greatest nation on the planet. The debt alone he is incurring is enough to wipes us out. He is doing what all our enemies combined couldn’t do and that is to bring us down to our knees.
Anonymous

somebody get rep.armstrong a little cheese with his whine
Anonymous

oh oliver…
Anonymous

Settle down John, relax. Here, have a mint!
J Ruse

Yeah! It’s so crazy to try to reign in federal power and spending! That’s just psycho!!
J Ruse

I am glad Obama’s fans are so offended by this. Not even sure why — it just makes me happy.
Anonymous

I would have preferred these headlines: “Tennessee Legislator Gets Candy Bar!” “Ridiculous! Snickers Opponent To Ban.” “Mounds of protest letters received by Legislator.” “Mint Makers Denied Payday, Sue University for 100 Grand!” “Protesters’ Anger Forments For Mints!”
Anonymous

“The other thing I have to say is, I just think it’s really quite odd to
hear of a state legislator to take it upon himself to have something
removed from a bookstore. It’s the kind of thing people make fun of
Mississippi for,” Reynolds added.

And Tennessee LOL

State Representative Joe Armstrong is a jackass.
Anonymous

I was considering “First Amend-Mints” but it seemed too silly…
Michelle

Ah the first amendment is alive and well under the current regime.
Anonymous

Buy Em Here:
http://www.richardsvarietystore.com/814229007081.html
Anonymous

Boo Hoo
Anonymous

Rep Armstrong is not only the rep for that county but also an U of Tennessee alumni. I can better understand his desire to not “put the university in a bad light.” and the book store director being so willing to oblige.
http://profiles.google.com/chatmandu002 Randall Holland

That’s the first amendmint. LOL
Anonymous

TN tax dollars at work courtesy of Rep. Joe Armstrong.
Anonymous

LOL @ university people kicking Obamo in the teeth. The big-eared cigarette smoker has no hope now.
http://games-survival.com Justplaythegame

Government once again, trying to kill Capitalism over socialism… Hey, they are producing a product that employs Americans and takes them off the Unemployment lines.. that’s bad how? Thanks once again Democrats for showing your true side.
Anonymous

I agree it’s stupid, but there is nothing that says a dime of tax payer money went into this.

The guy (a prestigious alumni) walked into his alumni bookstore and asked the director of the bookstore to not carry the mints.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Dronetek-Bulk-Vanderhuge/100000918732763 Dronetek Bulk Vanderhuge

Are you serious? Assassination became main stream when Bush was president.

http://michellemalkin.com/2006/08/31/assassination-chic/
Anonymous

The mints are sold out and they are taking back orders. My guess is a bunch of right wingnuts caught wind of the story from Fox, the Blaze and every other copycat wingnut blogosphere and are buying them up.

The company that makes the mints seems to be a pretty liberal one. They donate money to groups that help prosecute war criminals living in the US, support stricter gun laws, and support groups that promote green living, amongst other charities.

Buy em’ up, suckers. lol
Lenferr

I bet you’re waiting for the gov’t to provide them for you for free…. that’s what you and the kenyan are all about . thieves , just waiting to rob hard working people of thier cash so that you can get some more “gubbermint cheese” get off your moms couch and get a job. sucker!!!
Anonymous

Were both the red mint, and the blue mint nicotine pills offensive, even after the mint pill panel recommends them?
Anonymous

Leave it to this tool to make a crime out of… satire. I find Armstrong offensive, and he should be removed IMMEDIATELY.
Anonymous

A politician finding the 1st Amendment “offensive”. I think that is offensive and demand his removal asap.
Anonymous

An “educated” guess by nacho-mint? “Seems to be a pretty liberal one”…. Not one fact. Typical angry liberal.

It forgot to mention that if any of the assumptions were true, Armstrong is the biggest jerk-off for publicizing them, selling them out, and defeating his own purpose!

Such a big eared, disappointMint.
Anonymous

Guess who pays Armstrong…(Taxpayers). Prestigious? Who are you to define that? Wait, Bush did better than Kerry at Yale, so Bush is NATURALLY more prestigious than Kerry. Maybe you’re on to something there. Bush went to Harvard. Kerry to BC. Prestige goes to Harvard.

You’ll bet huh? Like Bite Me Biden contributes to charity? Or the way Clinton sends the poor his skid-marked drawers? Don’t bet on your ignorance. You will keep losing.

To keep the school out of any light, he should have just shut his pie hole.
Anonymous

Not one fact? The link is in the story, dipshit.

The funny things is, Armstrong did end up giving them publicity, and the people that are buying them up are knee-jerk hate filled conservatives, and their money is going to lib causes. LOL
Anonymous

Typical angry liberal. Take a chill pill, errr disappointMint.

” My guess is a bunch of right wingnuts caught wind of the story from Fox.” You said it, not me. Your GUESS. YOUR GUESS… I must’ve missed that link.

“The company that makes the mints SEEMS to be a pretty liberal one.” You seem to be a…

The FACT IS: “Armstrong is the biggest jerk-off for publicizing them, selling them out, and defeating his own purpose!”

Liberal.
Anonymous

He gonna make stupid a crime…you better hide.
Anonymous

Oh, that’s an easy one to prove.

http://nation.foxnews.com/president-obama/2011/08/04/obama-breath-mints-banned

They rightwing nuts there say they will buy cases of the mints

Commenters on the Blaze say they will buy them also.

Crazy rightwing extremists aren’t that hard to figure out, they’re predictably reactionary. And so is Fox.

Dipshit
Anonymous

Oh, that’s an easy one to prove.

http://nation.foxnews.com/president-obama/2011/08/04/obama-breath-mints-banned

They rightwing nuts there say they will buy cases of the mints

Commenters on the Blaze say they will buy them also.

Crazy rightwing extremists aren’t that hard to figure out, they’re predictably reactionary. And so is Fox.

Dipshit
Anonymous

idiot
Anonymous

im lol at you asswipes finding something else silly to complain about…obama had a birthday party, we cant buy our mints….just silly shit….just more proof that you moronic hobbits are the dumbest freaking creatures on earth…yall spose to be some grown-ups???….you act like 2 yr olds….what you hobbits need to do is GET A FREAKIN LIFE!!!!…what they hell are you uneducated , crossburnin, confederate flag flying jack booted a holes doing worried about what goes on at a college campus for???…i doubt if any of you have even been on one of those….im sure the owner of the candy company is gonna get a windfall profit increase now…you inbred hicks will forego a pint of moonshine just to buy some now……just go to hobbitpac dot com or beckerheadsbewe dot com where i’m selling boxes of the mints for a paultry $29.95 of 2 for $100
Anonymous

im lol at you asswipes finding something else silly to complain about…obama had a birthday party, we cant buy our mints….just silly shit….just more proof that you moronic hobbits are the dumbest freaking creatures on earth…yall spose to be some grown-ups???….you act like 2 yr olds….what you hobbits need to do is GET A FREAKIN LIFE!!!!…what they hell are you uneducated , crossburnin, confederate flag flying jack booted a holes doing worried about what goes on at a college campus for???…i doubt if any of you have even been on one of those….im sure the owner of the candy company is gonna get a windfall profit increase now…you inbred hicks will forego a pint of moonshine just to buy some now……just go to hobbitpac dot com or beckerheadsbewe dot com where i’m selling boxes of the mints for a paultry $29.95 of 2 for $100
Nature Freak

When President Obama wins reelection, we will get the last laugh.

Hubris is the Achilles heel of Conservatives.
Anonymous

Bill Ayers doesn’t want those mints sold on college campuses either.
Peeveesplace

they should be mean is not strong enough keep them coming he deserves every one of them
Peeveesplace

where can we buy some
Peeveesplace

where can we buy some
http://twitter.com/snottrocket Andy

It is actually kind of funny…I’m ordering those and Sarah’s Embarrassmints.
Googly

Exactly… I WANT TO BUY SOME FROM DAVID KENT. Mr. Kent, now is your moment to make millions!!!

Interesting how Armstrong has deemed himself the arbiter of what is “offensive”. Where were you, sir, when whacko fringe leftists were calling for Bush’s assassination? I imagine that this same bookstore carries equally satirical (or as you say “offensive”) items such as “Bush-isms” (books) and anti-Palin products, but you seem quiet on that front. UNBELIEVABLE that this is an elected SERVANT of the people. Just unbelievable.