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First lady Melania Trump made a surprise visit to the U.S./Mexico border on Thursday, June 21, to see for herself what the conditions were like for the children who had been separated from their families for illegally crossing the border. Though the visit itself gained a fair amount of coverage, it was quickly overshadowed by the jacket she wore while boarding a plane to leave.
The dark green jacket had a large message written on the back:
I Really Don't Care. Do U?
While the jacket have been a trendy choice in certain situations, for a first lady to wear that message while leaving the site of so much human suffering was tone-deaf at best, and mind-bogglingly cynical at worst.
The internet was outraged:
I'm not exactly fashion forward. Can anyone tell me where Melania's jacket would have been appropriate, other than… https://t.co/SFsjCeCOJH— Michael McKean (@Michael McKean) 1529680715.0
"It's a jacket. There was no hidden message," Melania Trump's communications director Stephanie Grisham said. It w… https://t.co/FK5lcdW5Af— NPR (@NPR) 1529675204.0
Re: Melania Trump’s jacket. https://t.co/Hs4UfWpMh3— Justice Democrats (@Justice Democrats) 1529684866.0
Contradicting Melania's communications director (who said there was no "hidden message" to the first lady's jacket), President Trump claims the fashion choice was aimed at the media.
Melania Trump removed her controversial jacket before landing in Texas – but wore it again upon returning to Maryla… https://t.co/uJ95bn7kqV— ABC News (@ABC News) 1529681312.0
If her message was directed at the media, Melania forgot to tell anybody about it and chose a truly unfortunate time to demonstrate her resistance.
In response to the jacket, thousands of people around the world are standing up to insist they do care. Parker Molloy, a writer for Upworthy, started ireallydocare.com, where people concerned about what's happening at the border can easily make a contribution to various charities and organizations fighting injustice and hardship.
Within 2 hours of becoming active, the site had received more than $100,000 in donations!
@ParkerMolloy This is awesome. You are awesome.— Rob Sheridan (@Rob Sheridan) 1529613145.0
Meanwhile, PSA supply company has taken on of Parker's photoshopped re-designs of Melania's jacket and turned it into a purchasable T-shirt. All profits go towards "United We Dream, the largest youth-led immigrant network in the United States."
T-shirt makers are riffing on Melania Trump's jacket and donating the proceeds to refugee services… https://t.co/4SxFhuv0rz— CNN (@CNN) 1529693528.0
@ParkerMolloy We're donating all profits from sales of these t-shirts to RAICES: https://t.co/sWdvfPkGu2— Josh Korwin (@Josh Korwin) 1529614582.0
Twitter loved the way dedicated individuals were turning outrage into a force for change!
@ParkerMolloy @kvox Nice one, @ParkerMolloy— Eli Pariser 🏞📲 (@Eli Pariser 🏞📲) 1529620596.0
@ParkerMolloy https://t.co/ZaByMpfd75— Jon Mullich (@Jon Mullich) 1529615850.0
@ParkerMolloy You = amazing. Thank you for doing this!— David Badash (@David Badash) 1529613592.0
If we all work together, we can create real change.
@ParkerMolloy A-mazing! 👏👏👏— Free Spirit 🌊🌊🌊🌊 (@Free Spirit 🌊🌊🌊🌊) 1529621575.0
Absolutely brilliant quick action from @parkermolloy re: Melania Trump’s jacket. https://t.co/Kgp0ywrMCC— Darren (@Darren) 1529612877.0
@ParkerMolloy https://t.co/qKcj2OCU1x— Anne Marie™ (@Anne Marie™) 1529621332.0
@ParkerMolloy That is such a GREAT idea! Thumbs up to @ParkerMolloy for doing this!!— Tennessee Jed (@Tennessee Jed) 1529621470.0
Well done, everyone!
H/T - Upworthy, Getty Images