Zoals bekend wordt de Britse prins Harry op eigen verzoek uitgezonden naar Irak. Veel mensen zijn bang dat hij een geliefd doelwit voor extremistische groepen zal worden.
Maar daar heeft men iets op gevonden. Er is een actie opgezet waarbij mensen een T-shirt kunnen kopen met de tekst 'I'm Harry', in de hoop verwarring onder de extremisten te zaaien.
Op www.imharry.com, waar het T-shirt besteld kan worden, is te lezen: "How will the extremists be able to tell the Prince apart from his colleagues? How will they know who the real prince is? Join our campaign to support Prince Harry's determination to serve, and put two fingers up to the insurgents."
I see that someone has come up with the notion of an embedded documentary team following Prince Harry on his tour of duty in Iraq. The aim of the finished film being to create a ‘propaganda coup’ for the UK and US troops. I doubt that will work. We’re too wise to the notion of being ’spun’ yet another version of events there and it’s unlikely to paint anything like the real picture of daily life for any serving soldier out there. Far better, far funnier and far more defiant is the ‘I’m Harry’ T-Shirt project that has taken on an apparently almost mythical status across the web. I’m Spartacus, I’m Harry, We’re all Harry now is a simple enough message. The insurgents, the extremists use the web (our web/their web) to PR their views and foment the fear, so we thought hang on - why are we running scared of their threats? Spartacus we thought. Confuse the Enemy. And that great bond of numbers. Hence www.imharry.com and the project. There are a few very relevant factors in the message, some subtle, some obvious. But the over-riding message was the bravery beyond the call of duty. Harry’s got that and we’re with him, we’re all with him. The US soldiers have that. Always have. And - in reality by joining the ‘I’M HARRY’ campaign we the public, we the families, we the people are trying to stand alongside all the serving soldiers in Iraq as a consequence. Each individual one. ‘I’M HARRY’ makes you think, it gets people talking and gets our soldiers back on the international agenda. Oh and it sticks two fingers up at the enemy.In the meantime each and every sale of the T-Shirt - trademarked and copyright registered - raises money for the Army Charity - the Army Benevolent Fund. It’s caught something - something original, something new, something that makes a difference- call it zeitgeist - call it mood -call it attitude - but it puts a smile on the face of those wearing the shirt and and a pride in sharing the message. It’s been photographed all over the world, in Baghdad and Basra, in the US, Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, India, South Africa, and of course Europe.We’re proud of it. Any questions - www.imharry.com or imharry@btinternet.com.
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