Harambe is back…. on NFL jerseys.
The outrage following the death of Harambe, a gorilla who was killed at the Cincinnati Zoo after a three-year-old fell into his enclosure, was palpable as people wondered why he had to die for our sins. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve seen the internet go mad with meme-ification in support of Harambe.
One way to deal with Harambe-related “grief” was by ordering an NFL jersey with a Harambe nameplate to show respect. His name had become a popular sale item league wide. After complaints from the Cincinnati Zoo about the jerseys, NFL Shop’s partner Fanatics decided to blacklist the option. For those seeking Harambe jerseys, their hope, like Harambe, was dead.
Fortunately, the NFL Shop realized that making money, no matter what the cost, was the number one priority. Darren Rovell of ESPN.com reports the NFL Shop lifted the ban on Harambe jersey sales and customers were free to emblemize the iconic Gorilla once again.
As word began to circulate of the banning, Fanatics officials decided that “Harambe” didn’t belong on the list, which includes thousands of words, made up mostly of profane and slang words. On Thursday morning, “Harambe” was removed from the list.
Deflategate took 2 years to settle, Harambe jersey-gate was rectified in 14 hours. This is the NFL
— Anthony Lima (@SportsBoyTony) September 15, 2016
All is right in the world again. Harambe was a brave and bold gorilla who was taken from us to soon. So who’s getting a Harambe jersey?
[Mashable]